It can be difficult creating your own identity in Hollywood—especially when you’ve been known for so long as part of an explosive combination, T&T (that’s code for the bombastic wonder twins Tia & Tamera Mowry). But somehow, after 20 years in the showbiz and allowing America to watch them go from pubescent adolescents actresses on the 1994 sitcom Sister, Sister to 2010 with Lifetime’s Double Wedding (to Tia’s role on The Game), the Mowry sisters, 32, have managed to create their own paths together yet maintain their individuality.
Now, the siblings have ventured into reality TV territory with their self-titled Style Network show Tia & Tamera (airing tonight at 9pm EST). Although only three episodes have aired sans the drama of cat fights, drink-tossing, messy public divorces and scandalous infidelities, the Tia and Tamera show, debuted with the highest-ratings in the history of the Style Network’s programming.
BlackEnterprise.com did double duty and caught up with the dynamic duo to discuss marriage and parenting, why they’ll never strip for success, and how they’ve always handled their business.
BlackEnterprise.com: Congrats to you both on motherhood and marriage. How does it feel taking on these new roles?
Tia Mowry: Thank you, I’m on cloud 9! Cree is my joy. My husband [Corey Hardrict] has been unbelievable with the baby. He’s such a good father. I often have to ask, “Um, can I hold my baby?” (Laughs) Corey and I are a team in every sense of the word 50/50. I’m so impressed with him and not just because he’s my husband. He buys some cute clothes for baby Cree, whose name means warrior traveler. I think when a parent gives their child a name that has a meaning it comes into fruition because Cree loves to be outside, observing the world and what it has to offer. The minute we take him indoors he cries. (Laughs)
Tamera Mowry: My nephew is the cutest. It’s funny to see my husband, Adam [Housely], around him. And I love being a wife. I’ve only been married for three months and things are great. As Christians, Adam and I chose not to live together because we wanted to do things right. I know it’s so ol’ school but that’s who we are. Also, I wanted us to feel like husband and wife and have that element of excitement. I would imagine it’s the same kind of excitement you feel the first time you make love or the first time you’re living together with someone. It is an adjustment but now pretty much it feels the same.
BlackEnterprise.com: That’s awesome, Tamera, especially because you two reunited after a breakup.
Tamera: Yes we did, but for the record, Adam and I were never engaged before. We met through a professor of mine from Pepperdime who had our photos up and Adam asked who I was and my professor made the introduction. We dated for nearly five years, broke up for a year, got back together for about eight months, got engaged and then married. I knew from our first date that I was going to marry him. He says he didn’t, but I did. I just knew because before Adam I was single by choice for four years because I was so focused on my career and didn’t want any distractions.
BlackEnterprise.com: So how are you ladies loving reality television?
Tia: Honestly, doing a reality show is very difficult because they are following you around through your downtime. You come home to relax, spend time with your husband, and watch TV; but it’s still work and there’s a camera and crew, so you’re never not working. It’s 24/7, so I understand now why people like The Kardashians and Snookie get paid so much because shooting a reality show takes a lot of your time. I love seeing myself on television from this standpoint though, and I thought: I’m crazy! (Laughs). My sister would always tell me, “You’re so addicting—a ball of energy!†I’m always laughing. And I even see a side of me that I need to work on because I can be a lil’ aggressive. So it’s good to see yourself as others have or might.
Tamera: It’s a lot harder than people think. They don’t underst
and that being an actress, you have your scripted lines and then you’re done. With reality TV, they are there 14 hours of the day shooting your every move. It can be invasive and downright annoying. You get to see us emotional or stressed, and then when you add the reality element [of filming with a camera crew] on top of it, it adds another layer of stress. The coolest thing is that we have each other; but it’s a huge adjustment just being you. You can’t help but watch and think, Why did I say that or why did I do that? I realize I’m so emotional. I’m thinking, Dang Tamera you don’t have to cry about everything! (Laughs). I knew I was emotional, but I didn’t know what it looked like.What’s also great is Tia and I get to see and hear the huge parts of conversations that we might never tell each other, but [that we] tell our friends. That’s been therapeutic and made us closer. Everybody has sisters or brothers or that best friend you may have disagreements with so many people can relate to and have been loving it.
BlackEnterprise.com: What is your secret to staying power, reinvention and not becoming subjects for industry gossip?
Tia: It all stems from my mother and my family raising my sister and me as “normal kids.” We always understood that being in this business is just a job not our lives. Â So we lived—attended college, moved overseas—it’s a humbling experience to be with kids who are not in the entertainment business. Also my best friend, who isn’t in the business, helps keep me grounded and humble, and sharing the growing pains of this industry with my sister, so we don’t feel lonely or isolated. We lift up one another.
Tamera: There are a lot of factors. One, we have an amazing support system that starts with God, who holds me accountable for any and everything I do. I know where my blessings come from and why I’ve been given the talent. Tia and I have never thought we’re better than anyone else because all that we’ve been given comes from Him.
Our parents are very supportive and encourage us to be the best that we can be in our profession, but to also focus on our character. They don’t live vicariously through us. They don’t want anything to do with the acting business, so they taught us to balance life and Hollywood.People in this business often forget that your work is not who you are. You can be the best talent and have the worst character in the world. And like Tia, I have family and friends who are going to tell me the truth and keep me grounded. Besides, I don’t feel like I need to take off my clothes to get adult roles because I certainly don’t want that kind of attention.
How did you reinvent yourselves and careers?
Tia: I allowed myself to grow up. I didn’t force it. Child stars feel like they have to force [growing up by] taking all their clothes off to say, I’m an adult now. Patience is a virtue, and I let nature take it course and lived my life. When you live that way you’ll always find yourself being in the right place at the right time—whether I was in college, acting, being a girlfriend, fiancé, wife, mom—it all happened when it was supposed to and it all came together the way God intended.
Tamera: Again, it’s who we are and how we were raised, and like Tia, I believe in letting life happen. It was a natural transition. I’ve been told by my managers and agents in the past that I might need to take a different approach, so I’m not still viewed as a child star; but that’s not the way I chose to handle it. I don’t see it as I need more adult roles, but more challenging roles. It doesn’t mean I need to take clothes off to be considered an adult because I’m not that kind of actress. If I have to, then I don’t want that kind of attention because I’ve done amazing work that I’m proud of. There are so many people in the industry who force their way back in like, “Look at me on this stripper pole!” It took faith, courage and I just lived life, went to college, had a couple of boyfriends, and lived in Florence for about 2.5 months with my sister when we were 22. So when it was time to come back, I did and was grown. I don’t like to feel like anything about my life is fabricated.
So what’s the best business and money advice you’ve both received?
Tia: We still had an allowance and we started investing right away. We aren’t lavish spenders. In the African-American community we don’t know too much about investments and we must continue to educate our young people to do so. At the age of 12 we were taught it’s important to invest and put away your money and let it grow. Yes, you might lose some; but start saving two to five percent at a young age and the older you get you won’t have to force yourself to do so and you will have a really nice retirement.
Tamera: My mom told me: “If you’re not happy being an actress, follow your heart.”
So I always tell people if you do what you love then you’re going to be successful at it. Also the best advice I received was “always have a hobby that will keep you grounded.”
Hollywood is so inconsistent you can become a [slave] to it. I’ve seen this happen, folks are sitting and waiting on that phone call and it never happens. That’s why it’s important to prepare so when that opportunity happens, you’re ready. Actress Jenifer Lewis, whom I love, told me: “When you’re working, save your money so that when you’re not working, you can put yourself on a budget.â€
Too many people in Hollywood spend while they’re working and when there’s no more work they realize they’ve gone through their money, owe back taxes and can’t pay their bills. Again, you must always be prepared for anything in this business and in life.
See a preview of Tia & Tamera on the Style Network here.