Star of Tyler Perry’s The Paynes, on the Oprah Winfrey Network, actor Stephanie Charles brings commanding, yet entertaining performances to homes across the country every week.
Let’s start from the beginning when you first moved to Los Angeles at the age of seven, were you excited?
At that age, I was just doing what my parents wanted me to do because we lived in Haiti for a year. Actually. I was sad that I left my grandparents because that’s who I actually grew up with. We moved to South Central, Los Angeles until I was fifteen then we moved to Culver City.
You landed your first acting gig at age twelve, you did your first commercials for JC Penney and Church’s Chicken…
Wow, you did your work (laughing). That’s what I’m talking about. You’re taking me all the back… Yes, JC Penny was my first commercial and then Church’s, you can say that they were first legit acting works.
How was the experience, being in commercials at such a young age?
It was pretty cool. It was fun. When you are booked for work, it is always exciting because your career is moving forward.
Some of your artistic influences are Regina Hall, Angelina Jolie, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Beyonce, Brandy, Janet Jackson, and Michael. That’s a really wide range talented people, what would say is the common factor that inspires you?
I would have to say that as an actress, I remember Jada Pinkett in A Different World and I wanted to be like her. I loved her character and I loved her swag so Jada truly inspired me. I remember wanting to be Janet, too. I wanted to be a performer on stage. I would say Janet and Jada are the two main people that inspired me to be an entertainer and actor.
After establishing yourself as a successful actor, you decided to pursue a career in music as part of a hip-hop/R&B group, Mrz. Smith.
It was kind of inspired by the group TLC because there were two singers and one rapper. I was one of the singers. I can’t rap for anything. We landed a record deal with Universal/Motown and we made an album, but it was never released.
After the group disbanded, you moved back to Los Angeles to focus solely on acting.
Pretty much, at the time I had never given acting 110% because I was alway doing music at the same time. It was like having your energy divided by two major interests. After the group, I wanted to give my all to acting and studying the craft, wholeheartedly.
Would you ever reconsider making music or are you done with it altogether? You’re over it?
The only time I’m singing is if my character requires it in a movie or in a television show like Empire. Otherwise, I’ll be singing in my house, in the shower (laughing).
On The Paynes, you play a character named Nyla. Tell us about her.
Nyla is a single mother of two who volunteers at a church’s after-school program while she deals with an abusive boyfriend who at one time taken her and her kids in. That’s where the main two characters, Mr. Curtis and Mrs. Ella come in and try to help my character out of that situation… Maybe more so, Mrs. Ella. Mr. Curtis wants her to do well but somewhere else.
Yeah, Curtis is always doing funny-style stuff.
He is like I want you to do well, girl. But, can you do well at someone else’s house?
Describe what was it about the character Nyla that sparked your interest.
She is so far from the person that I am, in real life. She has two kids and she’s in an abusive relationship. It felt it was a great way to tell that story. It was very challenging and serious. It just was a great character to portray.
In today’s current climate, what would you hope viewers learn from your character?
Never give up. There are always people willing to help you get yourself out of a bad situation.
– BE’N ORIGINAL
