![]() ![]() In short, Perry, by and large, has become the face of black Hollywood.Īs successful as Perry has been, Gilbert strongly believes that there’s plenty of room for other black voices to heard-on the screen and behind it. However, despite the ruckus of displeasure by some in the black community, Perry’s Madea character has proven to be extremely lucrative and has allowed him to expand his brand to a couple of hit television shows. That character, Madea, a sharped-tongue, quick-witted and Bible-quoting grandmother portrayed by Perry himself, has stoked a firestorm within the black community on the grounds that some view as unflattering and degrading. Some of those characters, right or wrong, good or bad, are identifiable.įilm mogul Tyler Perry has created a film and television empire based on an original stage character he created when he was struggling to make ends meet while entertaining an audience vastly overlooked by the big wonks in the entertainment industry. Perennial stereotypes have always run the course when it comes to depicting black characters. I feel pop culture has taken a whole step back and how we depict ourselves.” Maya Gilbert, who stopped by the 2010 NAACP Theatre Awards, is making heads turn./Photo Credit: Carmen Williams/ ![]() We need something like that-being black and being able to look at it with some pride and say these people represent me and my family. ![]() I grew up on the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “Martin,” the shows that I adored as a little black girl growing up. There is sort of a high you get from performing and being actor, but writing is another game because the story comes from you. “I want to be part of a movement out here where people are starting to create quality, original programming again, film especially. If there’s one sure thing to fire up Gilbert it’s the lack of originality in television and in film today, she said. Part of her drive to create original content is the wildly successful, but sporadic reality TV genre. She created Skeels Street Productions, her own production company, to further that ambition, putting together two films she’s already written. By writing and producing, Gilbert said she isn’t limiting herself to what she wants to accomplish in the business. To Gilbert, doing the work includes writing and producing, not just acting. I’m here to do the work, no matter how long it takes.” Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t want to do the work. Then God and the Universe will work with you to make sure that you have everything to be successful. No matter how hard it is, you’ll find a way. So, for a girl like me to leave Ohio and come out here…if you’re meant to do it, you’ll do it. “A lot of people in smaller places of middle America-to them, they think it’s like a fantasy. Getting to that level is not an easy thing to do, Gilbert said. I do think in the next year my work is going to play a really big part in me reaching the next level.” “I’ve been fortunate to be working,” Gilbert said. Working in an industry where booking steady employment can be as scarce as a two-dollar bill at times, Gilbert has managed to push herself through all of that to become modestly successful. Jones in “Forgiveness” and puts the heat on a couple of rappers in “The Lawyer, the Thug & the Princess.” She stars opposite Elise Neal in “The Perfect Man,” co-stars with Richard T. Gilbert has three films scheduled to be completed and come out this year alone. Armed with a dash of brass, moxie and down-to-earth Midwest charm, the strikingly beautiful Gilbert is fast approaching the “it” status among black female actresses. She blasted her way past several thousand folks in a television soap competition to land a recurring role in ABC’s “General Hospital.” Her climb up the ladder as a hot acting commodity has skyrocketed since. Since leaving her hometown in 2005 to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress, Gilbert has not only met those expectations she’s been on fire and exceeded them. Gilbert, who has a recurring role in TNT’s “Southland” and is fresh off of starring in Cinemax’s steamy drama series ,“Zane’s Sex Chronicles,” is ferocious in her determination to be a difference-maker. “I would like to be producing more than anything and acting when I want to as opposed to acting because I have to and take roles and projects that I don’t necessarily believe in.” “My ultimate goal is producing (films) through my production company,” Gilbert said. But being a shot-caller behind the scenes is where the Kent, Ohio native believes she can make a difference in the film and entertainment industry. Appearing in front of the cameras and morphing into a character is something she’s always wanted to do. She wants to be a power broker in the land they call fantasy. Freeman/Īctress Maya Gilbert is determined to move and shake up the game in Hollywood. Actress Maya Gilbert, seen here on the red carpet at the 2011 NAACP Image Awards, is making her presence felt in Hollywood./Dennis J. ![]()
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