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Celebrities
Famous (Haitian) Celebrities
By: Pascale Etheart Taddeo
Growing up in Haiti, Garcelle Beauvais never expected to
become a model and an actress.“ I wanted to be a journalist.
I didn’t know you could take pictures for a living. I didn’t know
people paid you because you’re cute. It never dawned on
me.” At the age of 7, Beauvais, who is the youngest of seven
siblings, moved to Boston with her family. When she was
about to turn 16, the family moved again, this time relocating
to Miami to flee Massachusetts’ frigid weather. Soon after
moving to Florida, Beauvais’ exotic looks became difficult to
ignore. At 5’9, she was frequently told to consider going into
modeling. She gave it a try and watched her life get steered
on a path she had never before considered.“ I thought I was
going to come to LA to UCLA and go to journalism school,”
she said during a phone interview on her way home in Los
Angeles. Instead, Beauvais became a Ford Model in New
York, appearing in campaigns for Avon, Mary Kay Cosmetics,
and Clairol, along with catalog appearances for Macy’s,
Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom. As her career blossomed,
Beauvais appeared on the cover of Ebony and Essence
magazines, and she did the runway couture shows of Calvin
Klein and Isaac Mizrahi.
Growing up in Haiti, Garcelle Beauvais never expected to
become a model and an actress.“ I wanted to be a journalist.
I didn’t know you could take pictures for a living. I didn’t know
people paid you because you’re cute. It never dawned on
me.” At the age of 7, Beauvais, who is the youngest of seven
siblings, moved to Boston with her family. When she was
about to turn 16, the family moved again, this time relocating
to Miami to flee Massachusetts’ frigid weather. Soon after
moving to Florida, Beauvais’ exotic looks became difficult to
ignore. At 5’9, she was frequently told to consider going into
modeling. She gave it a try and watched her life get steered
on a path she had never before considered.“ I thought I was
going to come to LA to UCLA and go to journalism school,”
she said during a phone interview on her way home in Los
Angeles. Instead, Beauvais became a Ford Model in New
York, appearing in campaigns for Avon, Mary Kay Cosmetics,
and Clairol, along with catalog appearances for Macy’s,
Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom. As her career blossomed,
Beauvais appeared on the cover of Ebony and Essence
magazines, and she did the runway couture shows of Calvin
Klein and Isaac Mizrahi.
Before long, Beauvais was also making her mark as an
actress. She made her first appearance on television
playing a rape victim on “Miami Vice. ” She was then cast
as Dr. Huxtable’s nurse on “The Cosby Show. ” She also
had parts on several other television shows including “The
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Dream On,” “Hangin' with Mr.
Cooper,” “Family Matters,” as well as Aaron Spelling's
television show, “Models, Inc. ” More recently, Beauvais
became widely recognized for her starring role as
Francesca “Fancy” Monroe in “The Jamie Foxx Show,” on
the Warner Brothers network. Today, she can be seen
regularly, playing assistant district attorney Valerie
Haywood on the ABC network’s popular police drama
“NYPD Blue. ” Beauvais, 36, has had her share of success
in motion pictures as well. She has played numerous
roles in a variety of movies including Coming to America”
(1988), “Every Breath” (1993), “Wild Wild West” with Will
Smith (1999), “Double Take” with Orlando Jones (2001),
“Second String” with Jon Voight (made for TV 2000), and
“Bad Company” in which she starred opposite Chris Rock
and Anthony Hopkins (2002). Currently she is working on
several different projects. She has signed on for another
22 episodes of “NYPD Blue. ” She recently completed an
episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” for HBO. She has
also done a series of one-minute movies for NBC, and
she was just offered a part on “Barber Shop 2,” which will
start shooting in September.“ Things are good,” she said.
“ I can’t complain, but then I could. ”
Her success hasn’t always come easily, and she said it continues to
be challenging to get coveted roles.“ There’s always rejection in the
industry. That’s just the way it is,” said Beauvais.“ For whatever
reason it’s not personal, but it’s hard not to make it personal. ” When
offering advice to young people interested in pursuing acting as a
career, Beauvais believes it’s never too early to learn.“ It’s important
to really learn the craft,” she said. Whether it is through an acting
school, or by doing little plays at home, school, or with a community
theater, Beauvais said it is critical to get some training and “get
proper technique. ” But she also warns that success in acting
requires a lot of determination.“ It’s really important to persevere
because let me tell you, there’s a lot, a lot of rejection no matter what
level you’re in,” she said.“ You just have to have thick skin and
persevere. ”
In the future, Beauvais said she would love to have her own
television sitcom, which would allow her to spend time with her
family. She also wants to direct at some point, and hopes to
eventually have a talk show.“ I would like to be able to do that, and
also be at home,” she said. Though Beauvais enjoys making
movies, she said she doesn’t want to be too far from her loved ones.
“ I don’t really want to be away from my family, if I can say that,” she
admits. ” Despite her success on television and on the big screen
Beauvais hasn’t written off her interest in journalism completely.“
That’s always my first love because I love talking to people,” she
explained.“ I’m curious about life and people. ” To pursue her
dream, she is looking into doing a talk show either by herself or with
others.
The Haitian Diva
Garcelle & Halle
"Dazzling"
"Dazzling"
When asked about the negative portrayal of Haitians on the recently released action thriller Bad Boys II, Beauvais said she
auditioned for the movie but didn’t get the part. As a result, she wasn’t ready to watch it yet. The movie, starring Will Smith and
Martin Lawrence, is a sequel about two narcotics detectives with the Miami Police Department, who are fighting crime and illicit
drugs. The film earned $88. 5 million at the box office during its first two weeks, yet it includes negative stereotypes about
different ethnic groups, most notably about Haitians. Knowing Will Smith as she does, and having worked with him in the past,
Beauvais said the derogatory images of Haitians must have been an oversight.“ He is really a nice guy,” she said.“ I can’t
imagine that he would do that blatantly. I really, really can’t,” she said.“ But still, somebody should have caught it in editing,” she
added. Beauvais believes that black actors, directors and producers have a certain responsibility regarding the works they
release.“ That’s why I have been very picky about the jobs that I take,” she said.“ I’m not going to play a hoochie mama. I’m not
going to play any roles that are going to degrade me, or not look right for my son. I think it’s my responsibility for that, in terms of
what I choose to do. ” Beauvais admits that having a recurring role on “NYPD Blue,’ which she calls her “day job,” allows her the
freedom of being selective about the roles she chooses.“ If I were just starting out, maybe I’d do those things, but I don’t know.
Right now I don’t think I would. ”
In addition to her busy career, Beauvais is mother to 12-year-old Oliver. She has been married to theatrical agent Mike Nilon for
two years, and hopes they will have more children. Despite all of the many demands in her life, Beauvais still makes time for
causes that are important to her. Recently she traveled to Washington D. C. to advocate for Haitian refugees who have been
detained indefinitely after arriving in Miami.“ I took my son with me, which was really great for him to see,” she said.“ We went up
to Capitol Hill and we spoke in front of a forum just to show them the different ways that the Haitians and the Cubans are treated. ”
Beauvais said acclaimed Haitian author Edwige Danticat was also there. Together they discussed the disparities that currently
exist and the need to get a bill passed to prevent double standards in the way Haitian refugee cases are handled.“ The fact that
Haitian families are being separated, some are going to Krome [Detention Center], some are going to motels, it shouldn’t
happen,” she said. With most of her family living in the United States, Beauvais doesn’t get to travel to Haiti much. Nevertheless,
she said she would love to go back to visit, and hopes to have an opportunity to do so in the future, since Essence Magazine is
interested in doing a photo shoot there. Staying connected with her Haitian roots has always been important to Beauvais, she
explained.“ That’s why I’ve never shied away from saying I was Haitian from day one,” she said. Throughout her modeling career,
Beauvais said she met many models who would try to conceal their Haitian heritage, and instead identified themselves as being
part Spanish.“ I never thought it was a bad thing to say. I was proud of being from Haiti,” she said.“ My family is Haitian. My son
is half Haitian. It’s part of who I am. ”
BREAKTHROUGH IN ACTING
MAKING IT IN THE BUSINESS
LONGTERM BUSINESS PLANS
A FEELING OF RESPONSSIBILITY
PRIDE IN HAITIAN HERITAGE