Lovie Simone Has Charisma—In Spades: EXCLUSIVE

When you’re able to make a name for yourself amongst legends like Lynn Whitfield and Keith David–it’s clear that you have an effervescent spirit. Lovie Simone has starred on the hit OWN series, Greenleaf since 2016 as the charismatic and rebellious Zora Greenleaf.  But now, the 20-year-old is more than ready to show the world that portraying Zora is only the tip of the iceberg. With a slew of films debuting soon and an iconic casting announcement, Lovie’s name is exploding around Hollywood.

In addition to Greenleaf–Simone’s forthcoming film, All Rise based on Walter Dean Myers’ National Book Award-winning novel Monster is slated to hit theaters in November. Also, her Sundance hit, Selah and The Spades where she stars opposite Emmy-winner Jharrel Jerome will premiere on Amazon soon. With all of this happening amid Season 4 of Greenleaf, Lovie is one busy woman.

However, the New York native is just taking it all in. Recently, STYLECASTER sat down to chat with Simone about why she left fashion school for acting, Zora’s Season 4 journey, playing the bad girl in Selah, and her bewitching upcoming project.

“I’m very into fashion, but not in the mainstream sense,” Simone revealed about why she left the fashion industry for acting. “But I do feel like acting is for me because it’s not just one perspective that I get to grasp and understand. There are so many characters and so many people that you have to go through and figure out their gray areas. It’s not the white and black that you normally encounter when you come into contact with strangers.”

Continue reading at STYLECASTER.

Image: Instagram.

A Powerful and Cunning Black Girl Stands At the Center Of 'Selah and the Spades' [Sundance Review]

High school can be a very polarizing time. It’s comprised of four years that seem to mean everything while you’re in the midst of them, but nothing at all when you’re reflecting on them in your rearview. Cinema has no shortage of high school depictions—specifically when it comes to analyzing the “mean girl” in film. From Carrie to Cruel Intentions — and of course Mean Girls, there have been plenty of depictions of the vicious popular girl, but there has been nothing quite like director Tayarisha Poe’s debut feature, Selah and the Spades.

Set in rural Pennsylvania on the picturesque grounds of the elite Haldwell boarding school, we meet Selah (Greenleaf's Lovie Simone) —a leader of one of the five factions run by members of the student body. Tarit runs The C, a group made of teacher’s pets gone rogue; Amber runs The Skins who deal with anything that can be gambled on --football in the fall, basketball in the winter and softball every spring.  The Bobbys are run by Bobby, and they handle all of the illegal parties on campus. Two Tom, the head of the prefects, keeps the administration at bay. Then, there are the Spades, run by Selah and her best friend Maxxi (Moonlight actor- Jharrel Jerome), who deal in the most coveted of vices, illegal alcohol and pills. The number one rule that all of the factions abide by is no snitching.

Since drawing up a peace treaty their sophomore year, the factions have worked harmoniously together, outwitting The Heads (Headmaster Banton is portrayed by Jesse Williams) and essentially keeping order in the school. However, in the Spring semester of their senior year, the faction heads are at each other's throats and Selah and her secrets are at the root of this turmoil.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.