Impact Detroit Magazine Impact Detroit Holiday Issue 2013 | Page 9

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Wow! It has been a year since the making of Sparkle in Detroit. Happy

anniversary to all the cast, Detroit actors and actresses and extras. A lot of
great memories, Susan. It was an honor and very humbling to be a part of
this great production. This is a great movie from Detroit. I actually met the
producer Akil. I showed up on the Sparkle set and Akil noticed me. I had
just recently finished a reality show with Donald Trump called The
Ultimate Merger. Akil said, “you’re the guy from the show?” Lol, I said
yea and I need a part in this movie. We both kind of laughed. He said,
“man all of my parts are gone, but I'll make sure I give you a roll, so that
is what he did! Sparkle is an incredible movie. We recommend everyone
should see it on TV. It is playing on Stars. Purchase the DVD,
too. There is a scene where I had screen time right next to
Whitney Houston! Her spirit on set was so incredible. Whitney, did not have a gimmick. Whitney had
a gift. She didn't have to shake anything. She didn't have to take off her clothes. All she had to do
was sing. This movie is bitter sweet now because Whitney passed back in February 2012. It’s kind of like
we had a chance to grieve and be in bereavement and then move forward during the release in
August 2012. Over the years, I think that Sparkle may make Whitney bigger than the Body Guard. I
know that she is looking down right now and smiling. If she was still living it would have been crazy
during the release. I believe she would have even reached the type of fame that Michael ackson reached.
The messages in Sparkle really impact lives and showcase the good in Detroit. I remember it was a
particular scene that we shot in Indian Village. It kind of changed the story line. In the original film
Sparkle (1976) they weren't well off, in the remake of Sparkle (2 2) they are. If you love the original
Sparkle you’re going to really fall in love with the new one! Please purchase the DVD as a gift this
Christmas. Susan, I’m sitting hear remembering Whitney and how she use to come on set. She wasn't
worrying about herself. She was worried about everyone else. She would come on set asking, if we were
doing okay. Whitney was genuinely concerned about how everyone was doing. “God is Good, Praise the
Lord,” is what Whitney would always say and that was encouraging.
Sometimes we were on set for eighteen hours and had to be back five hours later! I tell people all the time
this business is not for the weak at heart, lol. I'm so glad I was able to be a part of a great movie from
my Michael ackson reached.home city Detroit. This was my first big role in a movie. I've appeared on
Millionaire MatchMaker that premiered on Bravo in October 2011. What reall branded e as an
upcoming actor was doing the Donald Trump Reality S h o w T h e Ultimate
Merger that really created national awareness for me. I also did some things with
that really created national awareness for me. I also did some things with
Sister Act 2 back in the day. I toured with P. Diddy and toured overseas with
Musiq Soulchild. Yup, I'm a singer, too. My album Christmas album is
called This Christmas and available in Walmart and of course downloadable from
itunes, cdbaby and amazon. Please support it. It would mean a lot to

me. Thanks Impact Detroit Magazine readers. Merry Christmas - end