From his groundbreaking role in Lee Daniels’ Empire to directing the film adaptation of our beloved B-Boy Blues by James Earl Hardy to his latest film, The Lost Holliday, in which he serves as executive producer, director, composer, and star, Smollett is all in on representation. The Lost Holliday is a rom-com meets dramedy about two Black gay men, a baby, and a fierce (and evolved) mother-in-law played by the legendary Vivica A. Fox.
This holiday film (the title spells Holliday with two lls and is based on Fox’s character’s last name) delves into the intolerance and acceptance of queer sexual identity in the Black family. It’s complicated and nuanced, but Smollett normalizes it with a beautifully written script, stellar directing, and award-winning acting.
Vivica Fox EATS.
The film (opening in select AMC theaters nationwide today) is receiving critical acclaim and is being described as an instant classic. Subscribe to Native Son’s newsletter for more news, information, and conversations about Black gay and queer everything.On the eve of The Lost Holliday’s release, Smollett sat down with Native Son to talk about his love of rom-coms and dramedies, why Vivica A. Fox is an icon, and the importance of love, forgiveness, and grace.Native Son: How did the film The Lost Holliday come about? A post shared by @jussiesmollettJussie Smollett: Believe it or not, it came to light about eight years ago.
I was at a Christmas party and just started thinking about everything. Well, you know, Emil, because you’re my friend. But not a lot of people know that I lost my dad on the day that Empire first aired on television.
And it was interesting because the grief that I was dealing with was confusing to navigate. Grief comes in waves, right? One minute, you’re crying; the next minute, you’re happy about something; and the next minute, you’re feeling guilty about being happy. If you have successes that happen, you can feel guilty about feeling great about those successes.
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