Tia Mowry Interview

Whether you grew up watching her star alongside her twin sister in the TV hit Sister, Sister or watched them in movies like Seventeen Again and the Twitches films, you know that Tia Mowry is one half of the most recognizable set of twins in the world. Now, she has a full plate of her own juggling motherhood with her Cooking Channel show Tia Mowry at Home, her hit Nickelodeon sitcom Instant Mom, and a book series with her twin sister called Twintuition. When she sat down to talk to us about all of that and more, we couldn’t wait to share it with the world.
Cliché: When we last spoke to you (February 2013), you and Tamera were still filming the Tia & Tamera show. You have since ended that show and started Tia Mowry at Home. How would you say the two differ? How has the experience been so far?
Tia Mowry: I think the two are very different in the sense that it’s a cooking show, but it’s alike in the sense that it is also a reality show. I am inviting my friends, my family, and the viewers to get a chance to see a little bit of my personal life as well, and I think that’s what’s so cool about this show. This show is very different from a lot of cooking shows because it has a reality kind of angle to it.
On Tia Mowry at Home, we get to watch you cook for your family and friends. What is one way you foster each of these relationships? How important are they to you?
I think how I foster those relationships is that I really make time for them. Family and friends come first for me and it’s definitely a priority for me, so I make time. I love cooking for my family and having my family and friends over. I really look forward to moments like that, especially when you work such long hours like I do. Since I work a lot, spending quality time with my family is really important to me and I look forward to that.
You reprised your role as Melanie on the series finale of The Game. What was the experience like for you? Were you happy with where you ended up?
It was so much fun and just so rewarding to finally be able to tie a little bow to the end of my character. I kind of figured what had happened with her or assumed what happened with her, but to finally give the fans the end they were looking forward to was a very fulfilling, great moment.
Do you feel pressure from fans to work on something with Tamera again? Is there a possibility that we will see you two together on screen once more?
I have no idea. I don’t feel pressured at all. It’s not that we haven’t worked with each other. We have a book that’s out called Twintuition. It’s part of a series, so we will be launching another one of those books soon. In regards to on-screen, we are kind of doing our own individual things right now. She is on a talk show and I am doing Instant Mom on TV Land, and I am also doing this cooking show, so time is really of the essence here. I think it just depends on timing and that’s how it’s always been with us. We always do things kind of naturally and organically and I know eventually, once the time is right, who knows? Never say never.
What would you say you’ve learned about your character on Instant Mom?
I think what I have learned about the character is that I really enjoy being a mom. I think that is one of the main reasons why I decided to take on this role. When I started this show, my son, Cree, was a little bit under a year old, so it was like art imitates life and life imitates art. Here I was, this new mom, fresh out of water trying to figure out how to be the best mom that I can possibly be. That’s basically what this show is about: her trying to basically be the best mom she can be to these three kids.
What I have also learned is being a mom is hard and it’s like I’m living in the future here because I have three kids [on Instant Mom]. They are 11, 14, and 17, so I’m like, oh my gosh, this is what Cree is going to be going through in a few years—the dating and bullying and all of that kind of stuff. I am learning how I am going to potentially handle the situation once it comes.
What piece of advice did you take from your parents when you became a mother?
Forgive yourself. I think you always want to be the best mom that you can possibly be, but you are also human and you’re not perfect. There are some days that you are going to be great at being a mom and there are some days it’s going to be a struggle and you are going to question yourself, so just be kind to yourself and don’t be afraid to take care of yourself. My mom is the type of mom who is very dedicated to her kids and was very dedicated to raising her kids, but she was also never afraid to say, “You know what? I’m leaving. I’m going to get up, go to a hotel for four days, take a break, and give me some me-time.” I learned that from her. I think: how can the goose lay the egg if you don’t take care of the goose? It took me a while to understand that because when you are a new mom, you feel guilty about spending your time elsewhere. It’s all just a learning experience.
Would you love to have more kids someday?
I would love to have another child. We’ll see.
What is up next for you?
I have Instant Mom that’s airing September 19. We’ll be airing back-to-back Saturdays at 8:00 and 8:30pm. I have Tia Mowry at Home that’s premiering in the fall for its second season so I’m excited about that, and I have Twintuition coming out with my sister.
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Tia Mowry Interview: Photographer: Kevin Thomas Photography, Makeup Artist: Carissa Ferreri, Hair Stylist: Kendra Garvey, Wardrobe Stylist: Eric Himel