Originally known for being a Miami Heat dancer and mother to Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard‘s son, Royce Reed has carved out her own space as a media figure with her appearance on VH1’s popular Basketball Wives. While going the reality TV route has proven to be both a gift and curse, the Orlando-bred performer has evolved past public misperception. A graduate from Florida A&M University with a degree in theater, Reed recently returned to her acting roots, completing an off-Broadway run on the long-running play, Platanos & Collard Greens. She’s also used notoriety from Basketball Wives to publish her own book series, College Girls. The budding businesswoman also runs her own dance company, Fantashique, and manages a non-profit organization, Love to Dance. BlackEnterprise.com caught up with Reed, who explains her evolution as a career woman and brand. –Amber McKynzie
You recently completed a two-week run of the Off-Broadway show, Platanos & Collard Greens. How did you get connected with the show?
My publicist got the audition for me. I went in and auditioned, and they said they were pleasantly surprised. I think they kind of expected me not to do well. A lot of people don’t know that I was a theater major at FAMU. That’s something they don’t ever show on [Basketball Wives].
Who is your character in the play, and do you relate to her in any way?
Malady is very Afrocentric. She’s natural. She’s very strong-minded; strong-willed; very opinionated; very vocal. She also has a vulnerable side. She reminds me a lot of myself in certain ways, but [she’s] different in the way that I’m not just Black power all the time. I love my race, but I’m a little bit more giving than she is.
Because of the personality differences between you and Malady, was it ever a challenge to portray her character?
I wouldn’t say there were challenges because this is my career. I’m used to playing different characters. I pulled from people I knew that reminded me of her. So I try to pick up on little things and bring them into her character.
In addition to acting, you’re also a published author. How was the transition into publishing?
[My first book] series is College Girls–that’s out right now. It’s a series of three [books]. I finished writing the book not too long after I finished school. It was one big book, and I was trying to figure out a way to get it published. [Then] I got pregnant and had to concentrate on raising [my son]. So when [Basketball Wives] came around and my name just started being put out there, I realized I could self-publish. That’s when I split it up into
three parts. It’s based off of my life and some friends of mine in college. It’ll make you laugh; it’ll make you cry; it’s very real. [The series] isn’t sugarcoated at all, and I think it touches on a lot of the issues we deal with in college that I’ve never seen a book really touch on.Click here to continue reading…
Do you have any more books or series on the horizon?
I have a children’s series, and the character is Moo Moo, so it’s the Moo Moo series. It’s based off my little munchkin [my son]. I call him Moo Moo. The series is for the younger kids, something like what we grew up with where you have the books you can write in and have the pullouts and stuff like that. It’s a series of four [books]. One is Moo Moo Muscles, one is Moo Moo Me, one is Moo Moo Munchies. One teaches the kids how to remember their address, remember their phone number, all that stuff.
When is the series set to release?
We’re thinking about putting it out around the same time that I put out the second book of the College Girls series, or we’re going to put it out like a month behind it.
Because you’re into theater, is there a chance anything more will come of the books?
I’ve actually gotten some inquiries about making College Girls a possible pilot for a series. I’ve also had someone reach out to see how [the series] progresses in book two to see if they possibly even want to make it into a film.
You’ve been in the public eye quite a bit since your time on Basketball Wives. Do you think the show has been a hindrance or a benefit?
I definitely think it’s benefited me. When I decided to do the show, there was an image being put out about me that was completely false. A lot of times when you’re going up against someone that’s such a superstar, it’s almost like you’re fighting a beast and you can’t win. I felt like the only way I could show people who I really am and be able to pursue my career in the future was to go on the show. And if I make my mistakes, I make my mistakes, but I learn from them.
I’m not crazy, I’m not psycho, I’m not just this evil person that someone tried to put out there. As people have gotten to know me, [they] either love me or [they] hate me. And you can’t take away who I am; you can’t take away my degree; you can’t take away the fact that I am talented; you
can’t take away the fact that even though it’s not shown, I am a great mother. [The show] opened up a lot of doors, and I think that’s even why they cast me in the play. Not just because I have talent, but based off the image that I have now they were comfortable hiring me other than the image I had a few years ago.So where do you ultimately see yourself as a businesswoman? What’s your end goal?
I definitely want to reopen my dance studio, Fantashique. We actually have a younger dance company for ages 5 to 17, and right now we had one audition and have a little over 20 girls, which is great. I definitely want to pursue my career, and I want to be on the big screen. I would love to work with Tyler Perry. I would love to work with Denzel [Washington], Halle [Berry]; someone I really look up to in my age bracket is Zoe Saldana. I’ve always followed Halle, Denzel, and Julia Roberts. Every time I take my acting class I definitely pull from them.