From day one, Reyna Love has been among our favorite people. The multihyphenate is no longer the rising star we first introduced her to our readership. Despite the odds and the countless hardships she has faced, it is clearer than ever… She has arrived.
Congratulations on your continued role in the “Secret Society” trilogy! How does it feel to be part of this franchise from its inception to its latest installment?
Oh my god, this whole process has been such an honor. First and foremost, I want to thank Miasha Coleman, the writer and executive producer. She is just incredible. For this to be an independent film made and created by a Black woman, it has been such an honor to be blessed with the lead role of Celess.
With “Secret Society 3,” how has your character evolved or faced new challenges compared to the previous movies?
Well, I can say from part one, we got to know Celeste, her story, and how everything started with building the relationship she had with her friend/sister Tina. Then we got to part two where Celess loves herself for her and knows what she wants but is still not being accepted by her mother. She was just trying to figure out her life since losing Tina. Part three kind of unfolds everything in a nutshell. I can say that we are definitely looking forward to growth. We are looking forward to some change within everyone, opening up their third eye a bit, and letting people be themselves. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag but there is definitely a lot in store. You definitely don’t want to miss part three.
Fans have seen your character grow across multiple films. What aspects of your character’s journey resonate with you the most, and how do you approach portraying this evolution?
I would say that I am obsessed with my character’s style. Taste in fashion is everything. I can say that I am very emotional, like Celess. As human beings, we want to be wanted. We all want to feel loved. We all want to be accepted for who we are. We all want our jokes to be funny. We all want everyone around us to have a sense of humor and a caring spirit. I can definitely say that is something I have in common with my character Celess.
“Secret Society” has garnered a dedicated fan base. What do you believe sets this trilogy apart and keeps audiences eagerly anticipating each installment?
I can definitely say that our fanbase is insane and so supportive in a positive way. We are so appreciative of everyone because, as Miasha stated previously, there was never supposed to be a part two or part three. It was all because of our supporters that we decided to create parts two and three. They have been rocking with us from the beginning. They took us to the top. They ran the numbers up and we are here today because of them. They are excited about part three because Miasha writes stories that leave them wanting more and on the edge of their seats. Her cliffhangers leave them hanging, trying to grasp for more. We are excited about that. Everyone is excited to see how everything unfolds. In part one, we left them with their jaws dropped. In part two, they wanted to see how it would unravel for Si Si and Celess.
Throughout the series, your character has navigated secrets and mysteries. How has your understanding of her changed throughout these three films?
I can actually say have more understanding of the experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community. I can say that just stepping in their shoes for a moment, it really opened my eyes a lot to certain things that they go through. I do believe that I do have a soft spot for everyone, but playing this role has made me more emotional. I believe we all should be loved for who we are and accepted for who are, especially when there is love in the middle of it all. Why can’t we all be loved on? Why can’t we love who we love? In a perfect world, there would be no judgment. So, when I tapped into the shoes of Celess, it really just opened my eyes to a lot of things that I really wasn’t knowledgeable about.
We have interviewed you multiple times, and you have shared everything you have endured to get to where are you today. How does it feel now that you have achieved this level of success?
All I can just say is thank you, God… I believe everyone’s life is like a rollercoaster. Every day isn’t amazing. Every day is shining and glittering in gold. What we have to remember is to thank God when we are at our lowest because he is amazing. We praise him when we are on top of the world. I just want to thank God for it all. I am still pinching myself, waiting for someone to wake me up. Even gaining a whole new family out of this experience, being able to work with some of the legends… I got the chance to work with Vivica A. Fox in part one and part two. Here we are in part three, and I gained a real-life aunt out of this whole situation. Miasha literally chose me out of all the thousands of women who auditioned to be Celess… I just feel blessed. I am humbly blessed and I can’t think of God enough for putting me in this position to not only portray this character, but I am in the position to do what I love.
How do you balance all the things that you are doing with parenting?
There’s a difference. When I am Reyna Love, I am this huge social butterfly. When I am being a mom, I’m that strict mom like it’s time to wash your clothes. Get your stuff together. There is always a different side to me in my personal life compared to my socialite life. It all balances out pretty well. I can say that my kids, through all I have gone through, can look at me and know that anything is possible. As long as I put God first, anything is possible. I have been blessed to be in this position to show my kids that the hard work does pay off. Building great relationships with people does pay off. Remember that you reap what you sow, so always give your best.
Can we anticipate your exploration of other facets of entertainment?
I have already knocked modeling off the list. I’m loving acting. A lot of people have reached out to me regarding other things within the entertainment industry. My main focus is acting. I love it. I have a couple of things in the works, but I don’t want to speak about it too soon. I am so excited that God has put me in this position to execute and conquer, and I’m going to do exactly that. Whatever God feels is the next step for me, I am going to take it gracefully.
I know you have a mean sixteen in a studio on somebody’s computer right now…
I hope so (laughing)… If that’s in the works for me, let’s go!
Be’n Original
