MIA Magazine 2018 American Black Film Festival | Page 16
16BB
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2018
Ryan Destiny Shines On 'Star'
By Joey Francilus
caption
Actor Ryan Destiny poses on the set of Fox's "Star" which starts shooting its third season in July.
Ryan Destiny is hitting her mark in
the entertainment industry at an age when
most of her contemporaries are just
finishing college.
The 23-year-old actress and singer
from Detroit plays Alexandra “Alex”
Crane, one-third of the singing trio Take
Three on the Fox drama "Star," set to
return for a third season this fall.
Destiny, who will participate in this
year’s American Black Film Festival in
Miami Beach said working with her
“industry dad” Lee Daniels is surreal.
Daniels is known for producing Academy
Award-winning films “Monster's Ball”
and “Precious,” as well as Fox’s “Empire.”
“Star” centers around a fictional girl
group signed to Atlanta-based record label
“Midtown Sound.” Actors Jude Demorest
and Brittany O’Grady play the two other
band members.
The girls’ harmonies, performance,
and visual style are reminiscent in creative
substance to The Supremes, Motown’s
hitmaker in
the 1960s featuring Diana Ross.
“We have a formula that works for
us,” Destiny said of the cohesive effort she
and her two main colleagues put forth
on-set. She likened it to a “sisterhood.”
“I think we've all been on the same
page since we started,” she explained,
“like what we want to do and how exactly
we want to impact everyone when we are
playing our roles.”
The talent manager for the
burgeoning stars is industry insider
Carlotta Brown, played by Queen Latifah,
a Golden Globe Award-winning actress
and Grammy-winning musician.
“She's been such a huge influence,”
Destiny said of Queen Latifah. “It's who
she is. [There’s] something to learn from
everyday on-set. She's always been so
humble and real, and for her to be the
anchor of all of this is such a blessing
because she is the perfect person for that.”
Other co-stars include Destiny’s TV
parents Roland and Rose Crane,
"Star" cast Ryan Destiny, Jude Demorest
and Brittany O'Grady.
played by rock star Lenny Kravitz and
supermodel Naomi Campbell.
“I would have never, ever, in a million
years thought they would be my on-screen
parents, ever,” boasted Destiny about
working with two icons. “Just like
everyone else, we've become friends and
developed relationships that are genuine.
I'm thankful for that.”
Destiny was mum about any spoilers
for the upcoming season, set to resume
shooting in July. New episodes will air in
September or October.
“As far as season three, I really have
no idea what is happening,” she said. “I
honestly won't know anything until next
month.”
At the show's season-two finale in
May, Destiny's character feuds with the
group member named “Star” (played by
Demorest) in a conflict that threatens to
undo the trio in a tussle hearkening back
to the Diana Ross-Florence Ballard
tension that was ultimately the demise of
Motown's biggest female act.
The budding star is also working on a
solo music project that she says will take a
decidedly different tone than the music
she performs on the television series.
“I'm in the recording studio right now
for my EP that I plan to put out very
soon,” she said. “I just want people to just
hear who I am aside from the show
because it is very different.”
“Star” airs Wednesday at 9/8c on Fox.
“It's still cool to have the show on-air
so they can see the dynamic of my
character versus who I am,” Destiny
explained. “I'm just excited to let people
know who I am more.”
Destiny appears at the ABFF
on June 14 for the 29
Below Mixer (invitation only)
and June 15 for the
Comcast Xfinity Exhibit.