Exposing Stacy Dash

Cover Story by Amira Kidd
Photos by: John Russo
Stylist Kendrick Osorio

As viewers of the big screen, we think we have an idea of who the actors are who entertain us year after year. For example, in the eyes of many women out there between the ages of thirty and thirty-six who remember a show called “The Facts of Life,” one character always stood out. It was a young black girl on roller skates by the name of Tootie. Today this girl is a full-grown woman, her real name, Kim Fields. Though she is married, probably with childern, no matter how mature she looks when interviewed, even today, we only see Tootie. It is the same for us who have watched Stacey Dash on film, the difference being that Dash is quite matter of fact about the girl then and the woman now.

The saying “As if a girl’s reach should exceed her grasp,” is a timeless quote from the character Dee Davenport in the 1995 comedic film “Clueless.” Who would have thought the character’s words spoken then by actress Stacey Dash would ring true for her today? It has been thirteen years since “Clueless” first hit theaters, and since then the still quirky, but a much more matured, Stacey Dash has gone from the likes of “Clueless” to appearing on the hit show “Celebrity Circus,” the new film “Phantom Punch,” playing opposite Ving Rhames and holding down her first business in a line of lingerie called Letters of Marque. Dash is a charismatic personality, with an open mind, and an idealistic outlook on life. Learn how she has taken hold of her career and has made her life a success.

Sitting down to speak with Dash was fun, but not easy. As I asked question after question, Dash was getting ready for the next day by calming down her four-year-old daughter who didn’t care about the interview going on. Instead, all Lola wanted to know was if Mommy was going to fix her dinner or not. It was a pleasure to see Dash as the regular everyday mother just trying to get to a place where she and her family could relax for the rest of the evening. In fact, I felt as if I were intruding on a private moment as little Lola demanded attention. All the while, Dash kept herself calm by talking and giggling at herself with that contagious laugh, reminding me of Dee Davenport, her character in “Clueless.” Now at 41, (Not 42, as Dash points out) Dash seems like she hasn’t aged a bit, that is until she starts talking about her career and life in general.

Though she may be tired of the question, any interviewer with a clue has to ask her about her role in the film “Clueless,” and how this has affected the roles she plays today. Unlike many other actors who feel that they have been type cast because of certain roles in the past, Dash has a completely different outlook on her experience in this fashion. She holds the character Dee she played in the movie to the highest standards and enjoyed every minute she was on the set and still loves to talk about the role. Taking her age in stride, Dash feels that the film was a stepping stone to greater roles and opportunities. Yes, it’s true, everyone remembers her in “Clueless,” but who cares. Those same people who remembered her in this film will love seeing the Stacey Dash of today. Being older, she loves to show range and play more charismatic characters like the one she has grown into today.

Dash’s love for range shows in a new opportunity she received when asked by NBC’s producers of “Celebrity Circus” to join the show. What many may not know is that as a child she had a talent for dancing, ballet to be exact, and was even accepted to New York’s Harlem School of Dance in the Harlem School of Art. The only reason she didn’t attend, is that her mother refused to let her go. So when asked to do the show, Dash was ecstatic and said yes without any questions. Of course what she didn’t realize is that they would ask her to climb forty feet into the air to achieve her tasks. Though terrified at the thought of the height, she held it all in, listened to her trainer, Philippe, and since then has made viewers’ hairs stand on end with the stunts she has performed in the show. Though breaking some ribs earlier, she has gone on to get some of the highest ratings of any celebrities competing with her. To Dash, doing a celebrity show is getting the chance to think outside of the box and show the audience just a tad more of what she is about.

Though Dash may be dancing dangerously with silk on “Celebrity Circus,” away from television she has been working hard at wrapping up the production of her new film entitled “Phantom Punch.” This will be a dramatic film in which Dash will play the longtime wife of boxer Sonny Liston. Based on the life story of Liston, it focuses on what is believed to be the phantom punch from Muhammad Ali that ended Liston’s career. Moving away from films such as “American Primitive,” also coming out this year, where Dash plays Joy Crowley, a woman who has sworn that she can turn a gay man straight, “Phantom Punch” will be her first plunge into playing a strong, mature female character. Unlike the films “Clueless,” and last year’s comedy, “I Could Never Be Your Woman,” Dash is doing just what she has intended to do in her own way. She has phased out of the teenage years and has acquired characters of women who have a family and children. For this and many other reasons, in the film business Dash has nothing that she would like to go back and do over again even if she could. She has no regrets, believing every choice she has made has molded her into who she is today.

Dash’s thoughts are matter of fact, in other words, straight to the point. When asked how she felt when it came to being an older African- American woman in film and getting jobs compared to older men of any color, this is what she had to say, “I don’t know. I can’t think about stereotypes and clichés. Even if it’s harder for older women to get roles, can we say that this is true in every case that just happens to come up? I don’t think so.” This kind of attitude led her to thinking about posing for Playboy in 2006; the only thing that would keep her from turning it down was getting a no from her teenage son. Yes, that’s right, instead of just doing what she wanted, what mattered most was what her children thought of her doing it, and after asking her son and getting not just a yes, but why not, Dash took the plunge.

Taking that plunge could have been a risqué move, but what was more of a risk was putting herself on the line by starting her own lingerie line. Come on, unless you have been on another planet everyone in entertainment has done some sort of clothing line. Now whether all of these lines are successful or not is another story and putting the time and money into doing one is even worse, but this is exactly what Dash did only a year ago. Five years ago, while caring for her six-month-old Lola, Dash would wear a white combing jacket thought to be 150 years old. Loving how not only lovely, but comfortable, it made her feel while lounging around the house, she went shopping in hopes of finding something similar, but to no avail. Wanting that same feel, she decided to design herself another one, and what was meant to be only for her became twenty-six pieces that everyone wanted a piece of. Four years later, Dash now has her own line and some big plans to make it a common line in the lingerie world.

Going back a little further than the Victorian era, more like the 17th century, the pieces are one hundred percent cotton and silk-laced whites. Designed with Chantilly lace and ruffles, her line includes a lot of babydoll inspired items that just look gorgeous on the body. A year in the making, this is just a start for Letters of Marque; Dash has already succeeded in making the line a high end quality brand with over fifty stores nationwide. Her goal is to not only focus on lingerie, but to make Letters of Marque a lifestyle brand selling everything from curtains to furniture. This plan is already in the making with an online store being created as you read this. To give an example of just how strategic Dash is, she refuses to have her name as part of the line, believing that the brand has nothing to do with her; it’s about the line only. Looking for an alternative to her own name, she found that her great-grandfather was a Dutchman, a pirate to be exact, who was given a letter of marque to invade other countries. Connecting the meaning behind the letter of marque with the type of line she was providing, she felt that no other name would do. It wasn’t easy putting her time into this line, but what one enjoys doing makes it all the better.

What is not difficult for Dash is staying so young looking. For all the ladies out there who are wondering what in the world she is doing, prepare to be surprised. When asked what five beauty products she has to have in her purse at any given moment, Dash had to back me up. For her it’s only necessary to have two products with her at all times, Rosebud Salve for the lips, to keep them poppin’ and Dr. Hauschka holistic skin care products for the face. So okay, she doesn’t use or need a lot of those beauty products out there, but what about the body? How does a fortyone- year-old mother of two stay so fit? Dash really didn’t have an answer for this. All she believes is that for right now, there is no need for her to work out, because she gets her workouts from doing the show “Celebrity Circus,” each week. She loves the rigorous process and it’s obvious from her body with every show she does.

When talking to Dash, it’s plain to see that she has a lot on her mind, yet I couldn’t help but ask her what she thinks about the political climate in terms of Barack Obama running for president. What was most important to her was that Obama is a symbol for all of those out there who never say what if I had, because it’s a waste of time. Instead, Obama figured out what he wanted and just went for it. Ecstatic with Obama running for president, Dash says, “Obama’s nomination was necessary. I was not at all shocked. It had to happen. What I like is that he is just being human, idealistic by taking steps in what his ideals are.”

This seems to be close to the way Dash runs her own life; a seemingly free-spirited individual for whom the word can’t just doesn’t exist in her vocabulary. Her personality is more to the likes of Nike’s saying to “Just do it,” than let me think about it first. She sees things like this: If a person doesn’t get what they want in life, they shouldn’t be so quick to blame others, but instead should take a good look at themselves. There should be no reason a girl’s reach can’t exceed her grasp. To go further than the first intended goal is to surpass all that one could ever imagine, and Dash is doing just that through television, film and business.