We know actress Tasha Smith as the neck-rolling, over-the-top character Angela Williams from Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse (and Why Did I Get Married). The TBS dramedy has returned for a second season and finds the opinionated woman and her hubby Marcus generating a lot more laughs, confronting exes and counseling their friends on their relationship woes.
On her off days, Smith doubles as a casually-styled woman, wife to entrepreneur Keith Douglas and an acting coach at Tasha Smith Actors Workshop in Los Angeles. Add to that the countless trips she takes around the country to encourage women, couples and families.
Vixen caught up with the Hollywood vet (@TashaSmith4Real) to chat about the series’ second run, her newly-released unisex fragrance Us and her personal style versus her onscreen self. —Niki McGloster
VIBE VIXEN: First, I want to congratulate you because it’s really awesome to see Black actresses on TV. I think that’s big for the Black community. As for your character Angela, how is your character going to change?
TASHA SMITH: Well Angela is not the one going through as much drama as she was last season. She’s more of the one helping everyone else out with their drama. Her household is more balanced right now; her and Marcus are doing really good. They’re working through some of the things from last season, from her burning up the car and all that stuff. But their pretty much back on track with their marriage and it seems that everyone else relationship around them are falling apart and their the ones that are helping everyone else pull it together.
That’s definitely a change.
I mean Angela got old boyfriends coming through and everything
What is Angela’s fashion style?
I mean, she is a fashionista more than Tasha Smith [Laughs]. I feel like I do okay, but Angela? Oh, she’s all about fashion, hair, nails, clothes. She’s all about the trends, the trendy hair, the trendy clothes and she has to be sharp in some heels every time she steps out the door. She’s’ giving you Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian with the shoes, okay!
I’m more casual but I’m learning how to pull it up, because when you look good, you feel good, and it’s something about a great heel that makes you feel sexy and fabulous. That’s how Angela is and I’m kinda living vicariously through her and taking on some of her fashion traits because I used to be in flip-flops and Birkenstocks. Seriously, I used to wear Birkenstocks and flip-flops and UGGs all the time. It was always about comfort to me but between [playing] Angela and my husband, I pull it together and throw on a heel even when I’m not on the red carpet.
Overall, how much of Angela is Tasha?
Well they’re both loud [Laughs]. Other than that, some of the things Angela does, I would never do have done. I would never burn up no car, clothes. I would never go to that extreme like Angela is extreme. She goes crazy; she doesn’t have that barometer in her that goes, ‘You should not do this girl,’ that inner voice that stops her from going too crazy.
Will we see Angela soften up a bit more this season.
Yea she’s not going to be soft but I’m going to say she’s going to be funny, and silly, and fun. You know not mean and angry all the time. She’s funny, she’s silly, she has a little bit of that I Love Lucy energy. She’s always getting herself in trouble and trying to find a way to get herself out of it, and that something that’s cool and fun. She’s more of a comedic relief, not so dramatic and so aggressive.
VV: Why did you want to come up with “Us” fragrance?
TS: I needed something that I would love. I was wearing a lot of different fragrances, and I just couldn’t find the one I love. [My husband and I] went to a chemist, we got our smell down, and I’m telling you, it just smells fresh and pretty and beautiful. It also has a different note when a man wears it. It’s unisex and it takes on a whole ‘nother smell on a ma. I love it!
Was it difficult to create?
It was not that easy. It does take patience; you got to really put different smells together until you’re really able to come up with what you love. I like things on more of a citricy, floral kind of note. So it has a lot of that in this Us fragrance.
Do you plan on creating any other beauty products started?
Absolutely, we’re working on a body butter, body cream and body wash, because I’m all about healthy skin and using organic products. And we’re working on also extending the line of fragrances as well.
Sounds exciting, do you know how soon we can expect the other products?
I’m saying within the year.
Outside from what you’re building currently, what other beauty brands do you kinda love?
I love Carol’s Daughter. They have amazing face butter, and I’m just a fan. Lately, as far as my day moisturizer–Neutrogena, oil free. I found that my skin has been a little oily during the day but at night it gets a little dry, that’s why I use the face butter at night as my face cream, my night cream. During the day, I use Neutrogena oil free moisturizer. I got to tell you that stuff works really good; I would spend a lot of money on moisturizers, but that Neutrogena just works with my skin.
Lastly, one of the culture trends is the 50 shades of Grey trilogy. If there was a book called the 50 shades of Tasha, what would it be about?
I’m all about motivating to be honest with you. I would probably share a lot of the things that I’ve experience and overcame in my life in a way to be able to empower people, whether it’s family, personal, relationships, social or career. Just being honest and transparent to help women to pursue life and be passionate about their life and about their future. And of course lovemaking is in that too, you know what I mean? But for me, it just wouldn’t be focused on that one dimension there but I would just be about, Look, this is all the stuff that I’ve gone through, this is all the stuff I overcame.
Tune into For Better of For Worse every Friday at 9 p.m. on TBS.