Cast includes Golden Brooks, Countess Vaughn, Lisa Wu, Paula Jai Parker and Elise Neal
SILVER SPRING, Md. – TV One expands Wednesday night programming with the all-new docu-series Hollywood Divas on Wednesday, October 8th at 10p.m./ET.
In Hollywood, it’s not called “show friends” – it’s “show biz” and actresses Golden Brooks (Girlfriends), Countess Vaughn (The Parkers), Lisa Wu (Real Housewives of Atlanta), Paula Jai Parker (Hustle and Flow) and Elise Neal (The Hughleys) show us just how unkind Hollywood can be. Whether it’s being blackballed for marrying a powerful director’s production assistant or hating the way you look because you were once told that you’re overweight and undesirable as a child star, there’s nothing friendly about these ladies’ journeys in Hollywood.
“Just when you think that there’s nothing new under the sun with female ensemble reality shows, a cast comes along that is unlike any on TV,” said D’Angela Proctor, SVP of Programming and Production. “These women are baring it all and showing a vulnerable side of themselves that we’ve never seen.”
With such a strong cast, TV One tapped The Real Housewives of Atlanta showrunner, Carlos King, along with Todd Tucker, to executive produce.
“Get the popcorn ready and enjoy this treat because Hollywood Divas is going to change the way the world views Black women on reality television,” said King, Executive Producer. “These divas are fierce, fabulous and ferocious when it comes to their craft and the world will be stunned when they realize what it takes to be a Black actress in Hollywood. Let the games begin.”
Throughout the 10 episode series, we’ll see just how challenging it is to break out from the pack and carve a new path in Hollywood.
Golden Brooks, who, after co-starring on a long running series, has been hit with the reality that the game has changed. As a classically trained actress, Golden feels that reality stars do not take the craft seriously and are stealing roles from real actresses, such as herself.
Countess Vaughn has struggled with image and self-esteem issues for years and believes that her physical appearance has limited the type of parts she lands. In an attempt to revitalize her career, she turns to extreme cosmetic surgery in hopes that with a new body, the roles will soon follow.
Paula Jai Parker believes that she was shunned from Hollywood after marrying a production assistant she met on-set thereby resulting in her going from being a gainfully employed actress to homelessness. Paula, now the primary breadwinner of the family, must start from scratch in order to turn her professional life around and support her family.
Lisa Wu is in a constant battle to get the world to recognize her as more than just a former cast member of a hugely successful reality show franchise and the ex-wife of singer/songwriter Keith Sweat and retired NFL player Ed Hartwell. Having landed small roles and produced several stage plays and films, Wu still struggles to earn respect.
Elise Neal has learned that sometimes you have to forge your own way in Hollywood and in doing so, you might not make many friends along the way. Nearing 50 with looks that rival most 20 year-olds, Elise reignites her sexy dance troop to show the world that she is a triple threat.
