Today we’d like to introduce you to Lala Nicole Black.
Hi, Lala Nicole; thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was raised in Anderson, SC to Harvey and Sharon Black. I attended and graduated from TL Hanna High School, Class of 2007. I continued my studies at the BEST HBCU in Orangeburg, SC, Claflin University, where I graduated in 2012 with a degree in Sociology. I started off in church with singing. Everyone gets their official start somewhere, and mine was in the church. Every 4th Sunday the youth would lead service and that’s where I knew I had a voice. Well, since I was a little girl, around 7 or 8, I dressed up and mimicked videos with dancing and would change clothes, lol. I continued this until I was a teenager. I used to drive my family crazy; however, they always knew I was unique and had a lot of talent. I would also record myself on VHS during this reenactment. I’ve been considered the “Life of the Party” with jokes, having a great time, and being my authentic self. It wasn’t until COVID-19 in 2020 that everything started to come full circle.
In the time when the world was shut down and people were quarantined, I created a TikTok account, and “The Real Lala Show” was created. I started doing skits from classic movies, and my friends and family went crazy over them. I began to get requests, and I had to sit back like, “Oh my God!” this is happening. In 2021, I moved back to SC from GA, and a college friend who had already directed and written a movie had reached out to me about coming on as a character in a sitcom. Shoutout to Stacie Davis-Hamilton! I auditioned for the part, and I became Rachel Taylor on the family sitcom “Hanging with the Taylors” starring Ryan Toby (Sister Act II, 1/3 of City High), Toni Henderson-Mayers, Cristopher Griffin, AJ Hicks, Shafar Massenburg, Laia Gill. After this, my acting career just continued to grow and grow. I still have a ways to go, but I am so thankful for the opportunity SDF gave me and Film Barrell Studios.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Some of the struggles I’ve faced are trying to do acting all while having a full-time job. I work in human resources, so juggling when I filmed around when I first worked was a struggle. The first weekend we filmed HWTT, I took a plane to Myrtle Beach (don’t judge me; to this day, I am happy with that decision, Lol); we filmed over the weekend, shooting two episodes, and wrapped up Monday morning around 1 am. I had enough time to return to the hotel, change clothes, and get to the airport at 5 am to catch a 6:30 flight. I landed home at 10 am and went straight to work to finish my day. Most of the time, we film on the weekends, so it doesn’t interfere with my working schedule; however, if it does, I would film and work from the space between breaks.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an aspiring actress. I love seeing the characters in the scripts and trying to identify them to bring them to life. Learning scripts at first was challenging, but I had to find a way to remember them. It’s like now watching movies and remembering the storyline; once you remember that, you remember the scenes and words. That’s what I had to do. Once I read the script and focused on each breakdown, I could remember my lines, just like learning a song. It was to the point I remember my co-star’s lines as well, Lol. I do want to get into some voice-over work. I recently did a short, and I was the voice of a device. I am so excited to see the final product. When you hear it, this is the real voice I could channel to bring the device to life!
I am known for my TikTok skits. If I don’t put any out, I’ll have people say, “OK, what’s the hold-up? We need more!” I try to continue those, but I am still unsure of what I want to do. I am still building my brand and name, so I don’t want to fall before climbing to where I want to be. I am so proud of what I have accomplished thus far. On January 12, 2021, I tweeted, “Give me a few years, you all gone see me in a major movie or TV series! Note the day! And I know who my close friends and relatives are!” Later that year, I was cast for HWTT, which aired on the Impact Network in November 2022. Since then, I have also played in A Christmas Blessing, starring Bern Nadette Stanis (Thelma from Good Times). That’s also an SDF and FBS production, streaming on Tubi, YouTube, and Amazon Prime. Some more projects are set to be released this year, and some are filming this spring/summer. Seeing what I tweeted, not knowing what I would walk into, was exciting. Thanks to Marc Atkinson, I am also proud to have ventured into the cosmetics field! We developed a divine scent of body butter and scrubs called The Black Collection. It amazes me that people bet on me, and I love that!
What sets me apart? Whew, I’m just being me. This is something I should have cut on and off. This is me 24/7. Anyone who knows me knows I am a good time and a whole character. Just being true to my craft and who I am is storytelling.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
First, I am a Christian, so My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, gets the highest honor and credit. He knew what my life would be like before anything! My parents, especially my mother, Sharon Black, have been there every day since entering this. She keeps my dog, Sir Leo, for me while traveling for filming. She is the definition of “Mama Got You!” My family is the MVPs; they will re-share, comment, and comment on anything I post via TikTok, Facebook, or IG. They have no idea how something like that can make me feel, and the support is real! As stated earlier, Stacie Davis-Hamilton believed in me and saw my potential. She has asked me to participate in three projects, so I am blessed because of her. Film Barrell Studios, the first time I set foot on a set, made me feel comfortable in my craft, and since then, we have been rocking and getting some projects in line for the year! The cast of HWTT is a family. We push each other, look out for each other, and support each other. Last but not least, those who don’t know me send me encouraging messages about how they are rooting for me and how they have watched me grow from TikTok to watching me on TV. It’s a surreal feeling, and I appreciate it a lot.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lalanicoleblack.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereallalashow?igsh=eXRybzYwYnFiemxo&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laquana.n.black?mibextid=dGKdO6
- Twitter: https://www.tiktok.com/@thereal_lalashow?_t=8l06vbFnFWg&_r=1
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@FilmBarrelStudios
- Other: https://www.hybridcomfortsbymarc.com/the-black-collection
Image Credits
Herman McClintock – RandomViewz Photography, True Story Photography / Shamaria Staggers
