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Tika Sumpter is making history, literally. The 34-year-old actress seduces the audience and her co-star Queen Latifah in this month's HBO bio-pic Bessie. Following her role as the lover of the legendary Empress of the Blues, Sumpter is poised to embody the love of Barack Obama's life, taking on the role of First Lady Michelle Obama in the upcoming flick Southside With You. Sumpter spoke with Mstars News about playing strong women, the dopeness of Queen and the words of rapper Drake that she lives by.
Danica Daniel: What inspired you to take on the role of Lucille in Bessie?
Tika Sumpter: Yeah, I think everything starts with the script. I know Dee Rees rewrote a lot of the script and I was obsessed with the script and then I loved the character that I got to play. I told my team, we need to get this. HBO is such a class act that it was a no-brainer. With Queen Latifah and so many other people in it, I just wanted to be a part of an amazing show.
You play Queen Latifah’s love interest in Bessie. How did you prepare for those kissing scenes?
It’s easy when you’re connected to the person. Weessi clicked when we first met and she’s just a really down-to-earth person. It was easy for me to be around her. She’s professional, but it was just like a friend. It was so easy. I think anybody’s nervous, whether it’s a man or a woman and a camera’s in your face. I was nervous at first with the whole… with anything! I’m nervous with a guy, I’m nervous with a girl, doesn’t matter what it is. If it’s kissing scene, I want to make it real.. She’s just a great person to be around and she’s just dope.
Is there anybody that you haven’t worked with that you’ve been eyeing?
There are so many actors that I want to work with, it’s not just down to one person. I just feel like there’s so much talent out there, there’s so much good TV, there’s so many really good movies. I just want to work with good artists, people who care about the work. It’s not about the fame; it’s about really doing the work. And I feel like that’s what Bessie was about. Everybody put their head down and just went and did good work.
No egos.
No egos. The Bessie red carpet premiere was the easiest red carpet I’ve ever done before. It was like a family. Even the reporters felt it, this is very relaxed.
Everyone was ecstatic for the project to finally be finished since it was two years in the making. Why does Bessie’s story deserve to be told?
She’s a huge part of the culture in music today, whether it’s jazz or blues or Rock & Roll. I think she was a huge influence, like Billie Holliday. There were so many people who were influenced by her and her sound. Not only that, she was a business woman. Her people made her super successful. She didn’t care really about the mainstream, they just took to her. She was like a bull in a china shop. She had a big personality that people loved. She’s important for women, she’s important for business people, she’s important for the culture of knowing where our music came from.
The fact that Bessie flaunted her then-taboo relationship with Lucille showed how she was ahead of her time?
She was brazen Not only that, her lifestyle... she was just, she just embraced who she was and I think as an artist, whether you’re an artist or not, embracing who you are is so important. And not caring what other people, of course people care, but I feel like Bessie really didn’t care. And I think that’s why people were attracted to her.
You are preparing to play another powerful woman, First Lady Michelle Obama, in Southside With You. That’s exciting.
There’s an amazing writer with my agency, Richard Canny, and he did like a little treatment about it. I read it and I was introduced to him. He basically was like, “I see you as Michelle that’s why I wanted to meet you.” I was super excited and then I’d bother him everyday to write the script because the script wasn’t written and then he wrote it and it was amazing. It was just passion for me. The story told is a love story. It’s pre who they are now in the White House and nobody really knows, other than through stories, through words, who they were. I think it’s going to be an interesting take on the love that we see now, the looks that we see now, the connection that we see now. So I’m really excited to do it.
Have you met Michelle Obama?
I haven’t. But I look forward to it.
If you were able to meet her, what would you want to know?
I want to know what was constantly going through her mind. You know when you’re on a date, is it: who knows or he’s the one? What were their most critical conversations? What made her go on a second date? What made her want her brother to play basketball with him? You know what I mean? So all those little details that matter most I would love to talk to her about it.
Do you have anybody in mind to play Barack yet?
We do. It’s kind of a secret right now, but we’re actually in the process of casting. We’re really excited about the project. Everyone’s passionate about getting the story right, getting the casting right. Just to do a good job really.
Any other projects you’re working on?
Anything I read, a book that inspires me I’m like, “Okay let’s get it done. I’m definitely inspired to, not only create my own projects, but create projects for other women as well. Right now I’m still focused with Southside With You, it’s hard to think about a bunch of other things when you’re trying to get the First Lady right.
There’s always this idea in Hollywood women don’t support each other. Can you tell me about all of the amazing black actresses you’ve worked with on Bessie?
Actually, HBO had a welcoming dinner for us and Mo’Nique and I were sitting next to each other and we were just laughing and talking. She’s just so giving with advice. And she was encouraging and so positive with me. All she did was laugh and she was talking about producing and creating your own way and not counting on someone to tell you yes or no. Really moving forward and getting things done for yourself as much as you possibly can. The whole table, [Scandal's Mama Pope] Khandi Alexander I love. Queen Latifah, so much love, so much encouragement, not weird. Everyone’s just so uplifting. That’s one of the things I loved about this show. I hadn't come into contact with that world, crabs in a barrel kind of thing. I’ve really been around people who have been uplifting and want to see me win.
What advice would you give to girls that want to become an actress and follow in your footsteps?
I’m always aspiring to do more. I never feel totally satisfied with where I’m at. For girls who want to become actors, make sure they’re getting in it for the right reasons. Don’t let social media fool you with how easy it is. If you just want your 15 minutes and be on a quick show and act out for a quick response, sure. But if you’re in it, be in it for the art. But not for the quick fame, because the art really does last. It’s a journey, it’s not a sprint at all. If you really love it, you have to be in it for the right reasons. Because a lot of times you’re getting a no. I’d say study and, there’s so many books now a days. When I started I literally had to go to Barnes and Noble and find out about headshots and find out about what I was supposed to do and now there are so many things that are accessible, that you can figure it out faster. What I love about social media is that you can put up a podcast, or you can put up a spoof or a parody, there are so many avenues you can go down now, it’s not just one way anymore. So that’s what’s exciting. Just create and you’ll be on your way.
I saw you on the red carpet at the New York premiere of Bessie. Any secrets to your timelessness? You’re definitely not aging. You look like you’re 21?
Thank you. The crazy thing is, to wash my face I use castor oil. I put some on then I wipe all my makeup off. I don’t know what the exact ingredients are because it’s basically from a plant. It makes my skin so smooth and then I love lotion.
You’re absolutely stunning. What words of advice would you give to girls trying to find their own style?
What’s most important, the biggest accessory you can have is confidence. And then whatever you choose to wear, if you have that confidence, it doesn’t really matter what the trend is. It doesn’t matter what everyone else is wearing on the carpet. I just live by that. If it looks good on me and I feel secure in wearing it, then the rest will follow. And a lot of the times, it’s the stuff that’s not expensive that everyone gives you compliments on, which is cool. It’s just the swag and the style and the confidence.
When do you feel most confident?
I feel most like myself when my hair’s pulled back; I have barely no makeup on and I’m just kicking it with some Converse or Keds and some cute little jeans. I feel most beautiful in my most natural state to be quite honest with you. And then everything else is just like cherries on top. If my makeup is amazing and I have a great outfit on, then it’s a boost to that confidence that I’m already feeling in myself, but I feel the most beautiful when I’m chill, low-key. Like Drake says [in "Best I Ever Had"]. Hair tied chilling with no makeup, that’s when you’re the prettiest girl, I hope that you don’t take it wrong.
Bessie premieres Saturday, MAY 16TH at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. Watch the trailer below:
