Meagan Good's Looks Almost Cost Her The Starring Role In Her New Series 'Harlem'
We first reported on Meagan Good starring in the new Amazon Prime Video series Harlem in November and now the veteran actress is opening up about her character on the show. Harlem is written and executive produced by Tracy Oliver and highlights four Black women in their 30’s who are best friends and taking on New York’s famous Black neighborhood.
Meagan stars alongside Shoniqua Shandai, Jerrie Johnson, and Grace Byers who is best known for her role in Empire. Meagan Good plays Camille who is a professor struggling with her breakup from P-Valley’s star Tyler Lepley who plays Ian.
The 40-year-old revealed what drew her to the character and the show in an interview with POPSUGAR. According to the synopsis, Meagan’s character Camille is “a popular young anthropology professor at Columbia who has an extensive knowledge of the dating norms of many cultures, but has a hard time navigating her own love life.”
"I immediately fell in love with Camille mainly because she's just so quirky and honest, even when she's trying to hide and trying to play it off," Meagan shared with the outlet.
"There's still an honesty and a purity to her, but she's also very much of a grown-ass woman who is pursuing her career, smart, intelligent, and all these things."
The Jumping the Broom actress has an extensive career in acting and has been in the business since she was a child.
However, when she reached adulthood, she became a sex symbol and often acted in roles that catered to the male gaze. And her looks almost made her miss out on the role of Camille.
Harlem’s executive producer made the surprising revelation during an interview with Entertainment Weekly in October.
But because Meagan was open to notes, Tracy quickly saw her Camille. "This was before she knew she had [the role]. And she was just like, 'I'll do whatever to prove that I can embody this role,'” Tracy said.
“And then as soon as she did, we were all like, 'Oh, it's her. It's absolutely her.' And she was amazing. And I was wrong. You can be gorgeous and you can be smart and you can be strong. And all of these things put together," she concluded.
When it comes to the series, Meagan hopes that women see themselves and their friends in the characters. "It's incredibly inappropriate, but in the most amazing way . . . it's very honest, but also fun and very vulnerable," she said.
Harlem premieres Friday, Dec 3. on Prime Video.
Featured image by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for CMA Entertainment
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy