Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Six years ago, she was known as Lisa Wu Hartwell, an actress and writer without any major credits trying out this thing called reality TV with the likes of NeNe Leakes and Kim Zolciak on Bravo.
The Alpharetta resident lasted a little more than two seasons on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" but left partway through season three after clashing with producers over story lines she wasn't all that comfortable pursuing.
When former "Real Housewives of Atlanta" producer Carlos King offered her a chance to spend some time in Los Angeles working with four established black actresses on TV One's latest unscripted offering "Hollywood Divas," she decided to dip her toes back into the reality show waters. The show debuts October 8.
"I'm doing what I love," she said in a phone interview today. "I'm happy to be back. Doing this show makes sense. It's among my peers."
Lisa Wu, despite the fact she grew up in Los Angeles, comes into the show as the outsider. The other four cast members - Golden Brooks ("Girlfriends"), Countess Vaughn ("The Parkers"), Paula Jai Parker ("Hustle and Flow") and Elise Neal ("The Hughleys") - have big films and TV shows on their resumes. None of their careers are on the upswing, which is why they're doing this show.
At least a couple of them view Lisa Wu with suspicion. Paula is the only one who came into the show as friends with Lisa. The pretense of the first season is Paula pulling the women together to do a movie because it's hard for them to find work themselves.
(It's similar to the conceit of TV One's first season of "R&B Divas" where the women gathered to do a Whitney Houston tribute record.)
Golden, after she meets Lisa for the first time in the opening episode I screened, goes after Lisa immediately: "I want to know... what else have you done?"
"I want to know if this girl can act," Elise said to the cameras. She tells Lisa in a holier-than-thou tone: "Acting is not a spectator sport."
When Lisa entered the dinner scene, "they thought they were being punk'd," she said. "Their mouths dropped."
There are certain levels of irony going on here. These women are being condescending toward Lisa for being a reality show star... on a reality show.
"Ironic and funny at the same time," Lisa mused.
She was a producer of three films before "Real Housewives" arrived, according to imdb.com, but she was not immersed in the world the other ladies live in. So she understands she has to prove herself. "Hollywood Divas" was shot in Los Angeles over the summer. She keeps her residence in Alpharetta so she commuted for the show - sort of like Torrei Hart coming from L.A. to Atlanta for "Atlanta Exes."
"I know I'm the underdog, the black sheep," Lisa said. At the same time, she said she wanted to just prove her worth through her work and not have to get defensive about it. (Indeed, in that first episode, she chose to zip her lip when she was attacked.)
"I'm very secure in my abilities," she said. "I didn't go in with an intent to impress anybody or gain their respect. I knew I could hold my own. I am going to do the work."
Despite the stigma attached to being a reality show star, Lisa said she has no regrets doing "Real Housewives." Charles Dutton gave her a part in a film. Tyler Perry placed her in an episode of "Meet the Browns." She was in 'The Internship" with Vince Vaughn for a brief scene. She was amazed when Denzel Washington recognized her. So she said it has opened some doors to a degree.
But she has continued to do real estate work to pay the bills. She endorsed a lipstick line. She also divorced Ed Hartwell and raises three kids from two marriages (including hubby No. 1 Keith Sweat.) For now, she remains single, focused on her career and taking care of her kids.
She said when she first started on "Real Housewives" in 2008, the producers didn't want her talking about her acting and producing work. They wanted her to be just a "regular" gal. Obviously, the show has shifted since then and revels in the acting opportunities for NeNe Leakes and Kandi Burruss, for instance.
"I'm now glad to be on the outside looking in," she said.
"Hollywood Divas" has a "Real Housewives" connection. Burruss' husband Todd Tucker is an executive producer. Lisa said she has known Kandi for two decades going back to her days in Xscape. "She's always doing her thing," Lisa said. "I'm proud of both of them."
Lisa recently started a new production company with "Pastor Brown' executive producer Re'Shaun Frear called Indiewood and hopes to turn the film into a TV series. She is also working on a collection of children's books and a self-help book.
TV preview
"Hollywood Divas," 10 p.m. Wednesdays, starting October 8, TV One
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