Remember the friend and family-oriented sitcoms? You know, those shows that shed a comical light on the everyday ups and downs of average people? Well, it seems as if those are becoming just a thing of the past.
A guilty pleasure, reality shows are taking over television. However, they give us a glimpse into lavish and confrontational lifestyles, while sitcoms are more uplifting and relatable–something we miss! So in our road down memory lane, we came up with a list of five young ladies who shined before the new millennium hit and before reality TV bloomed.
WHO: Mowry Twins
WHAT: Sister, Sister (1994)
WHERE: Tia and Tamera Mowry have gone on to star in Disney movies and other cable dramas since Sister, Sister. Most recently, they landed their own reality show, Tia and Tamera, on My Style Network last year documenting the pregnancy of Tia and the wedding of her twin. Tia is currently starring in BET’s The Game, and Tamera is set to star in a new Fox pilot, Rebounding. These lovable twins have already begun taping season two of their reality show, which is set to air sometime this year!
WHO: Brandy
WHAT: Moesha (1996)
WHERE: After countless music albums, appearances in movies, TV shows and her own reality show, Brandy resurfaced this year with a new role in BET’s The Game as Jason’s love interest, Chardonnay. She also reunited with Atlanta songstress Monica, 14 years after the release of their “The Boy Is Mine” single, to make “It All Belongs To Me.” Not only is Brandy releasing an album this June, but she and Monica are also in talks of touring.
WHO: Tatyana Ali
WHAT: The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990)
WHERE: We always knew “Ashley” could sing from her brief spotlights in The Fresh Prince, but to our surprise, she released an album titled Kiss the Sky (1998) shortly after the show ended. She then went on to attend Harvard University, all the while making appearances in movies including Glory Road and Nora’s Hair Salon. She even had a reoccurring role in the daytime drama, The Young and the Restless. In 2010, Tatyana Ali teamed up with Martin Lawrence and TV One to create Love That Girl, an original sitcom in which she starred. Tatyana is actually the co-founder of HazraH Entertainment, a production company that partnered on Love That Girl and produced the BET web series, Buppies. You can look for more projects from the company soon.
WHO: Reagan Gomez-Preston
WHAT: The Parent ‘Hood (1995)
WHERE: Reagan Gomez-Preston has made appearances in shows including Felicity, One on One and ER. Plus, the former child star showed up in movies like Love Don’t Cost a Thing and Beauty Shop. Reagan is a mother now and plays the voice of Roberta Tubbs on the Fox channel’s animated comedy, The Cleveland Show.
WHO: Maia Campbell
WHAT: In the House (1995)
WHERE: Before Maia Campbell was outed for her drug use and diagnosed with manic depression, she played in movies including Trippin’, Seventeen Again and even appeared in music videos, including Tyrese’s “Sweet Lady” and Fat Joe’s “What’s Love.” She’s been sober for two years now and is working on a memoir titled Sagittarius.