I honestly don’t remember the exact day that I discovered that my name meant ‘queen,’ but I do know that it was a huge turning point for me. I mean, really…me? Royalty? It’s quite a fabulous feeling, if I do say so myself.
That brings me to Essence’s latest cover girl, Regina King, who is the subject of my first, big interview of 2011. I’ve interviewed Regina a few times before and she’s always been approachable, forthcoming and oh-so down-to-earth. And not to sound too, too corny, but I feel as though we’re bonded in a special way, especially because I think I’ve met a total of maybe three other ‘Regina’s’ in my entire life (Mean Girl ‘Regina’ and Principal Regina “Piggy” Grier don’t count!). I think King appreciates our kinship as well because every time I see her – whether it be at an event or sitting for an interview – we both bow and greet each other with, “Hello, queen!” And how cosmic is it that during our interview late last year, we discovered that we not only share a first name, but also a middle name? That’s very cosmic, indeed.
Just so you know, I really championed for this cover…like, really! I’ve followed her work since her early days on 227 and like most others, have watched her blossom on the big and small screens. I mean, I’ve seen Ray four times, OK?! I think she’s an incredible actress who has stood the test of time and always brings her A-game. Oh, and I’m a Southland die-hard, too! Her character, Detective Lydia Adams, ain’t no joke.
So, with all of that said, please stop by the newsstand to pick up the February issue of Essence. Besides the ridiculously-beautiful photography (courtesy of the uber-talented, Kwaku Alston), the story is pretty damn good, too.