Garcelle Beauvais has been in our homes and our lives for over three decades as a film and television actress, a TV host, a model and an author. A modeling career ushered her into the spotlight at a young age, and her breakout film role was playing a rose bearer in the first installment of Coming to America. Beauvais returned for the sequel, Coming 2 America, in what she laughingly calls a “promoted role in title only.”
Beauvais continues to reinvent herself as an entertainer. She recently launched her new podcast in partnership with MGM, Going to Bed with Garcelle, where she has candid and honest conversations about sex and relationships with her friends and celebrity guests, like her former co-star of The Jamie Foxx Show, Jamie Foxx. Beauvais can also be seen weekdays on the award-winning talk show, The Real. Airing in 2021, you can catch Beauvais on her second season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which she says is “the hardest job I’ve ever done.”
One of the many things we love about Beauvais and her evolving career is her transparency; more and more we get a glimpse of who she is — beyond the spotlight.
Vonna:
So the last time we spoke, you said your sons would describe you as nice, fun, strict, and a good cook. Those who follow your career would call you an icon. Who is Garcelle Beauvais to you?
Garcelle:
I am outspoken and resilient to a fault, because I don’t give up. I am hard working, hard loving, hard living and fun.
My friends tell me that everything I do, I go all in. I try to always be present.
Vonna:
Coming 2 America just came out. In the first one you played a rose bearer, and you’ve stated that you have been promoted in this new one.
Garcelle:
I love that I’ve been promoted. I’ve been promoted in title only.
Vonna:
So what was it like returning to such an iconic film?
Garcelle:
Everybody came back, and here we are doing this amazing movie, 30 something years later. If somebody would have told me that back then, while we were freezing in our little outfits in New York City, I’d be like, “Get outta here.”
Vonna:
Did you know that it would be so well received back then, and to the point that people would want to see it again?
Garcelle:
No, we had no idea. Coming to America was my first movie. I hadn’t been on a movie set before so for me, it was a learning curve to work on a film with a huge budget, and with Eddie Murphy.
I didn’t know that it would become so iconic. I don’t think anybody did, honestly.
Vonna:
There’s so much more that you’re doing. Let’s talk about all of the amazing projects you have going on now. Congratulations on the launch of Going to Bed with Garcelle.
Garcelle:
Thank you so much. Every now and then I wake up in the middle of the night and think, I can’t believe I’ve shared so much of that.
Vonna:
This is a two part question. What inspired you to create this podcast? And why is it important to you to take this raw and honest approach to sex, dating and relationships?
Garcelle:
Once a month, when my kids were with their dad, I would have what I called, Sunday’s at Garcelle’s. I would invite girlfriends, or couples, or an eclectic group. We would sit around, and drink and eat, and just talk and vent. Eventually, it would always turn to the topic of sex. At the end of every one of these get-togethers, somebody, as they’re walking out the door would say to me, “This is a show. Why aren’t you doing this?” And I’d go, “You’re right.” So during quarantine, we presented the show idea to MGM and they said, why don’t we create it as a podcast. And let me tell you, it’s been so well received. It’s so fun.
Growing up, my parents never talked about sex. We never had the sex talk because my family, being island people, were very conservative. I love that women now can be bold, and unapologetic about embracing their sexuality. We’re not here just to please men, men are here to please us as well.
With the guests I’ve had, I always do one celebrity and one real girlfriend, so that we get different views. It’s not just highbrow people talking about sex, or people in relationships. It’s been really great, and people feel empowered. They always have a good time. And we’ve had some amazing guests from Jenny McCarthy, to Jaime Foxx to Kandi Burruss. I love it.
Subscribe to CEOMOM Magazine to read Garcelle’s full interview. Catch Garcelle on season 8 of The Real. Check your local listings for times and channels.
Photo Credit: Josh Williams Photography