Actors/Actresses: March 2007 Archives

A lot of children of superstars run into trouble when the follow their parents into showbiz. This doesn't seem to be the case with the children of Diana Ross. Her daughter, Tracey Ellis Ross, has been on the hit sitcom "Girlfriends" for at least six years now and won the NAACP award this year for best actress in a comedy. Her son, Evan Ross, is starring opposite Queen Latifah in the HBO flick "Life Support." Evan plays a self-destructive gay HIV-positive teenager, Amare, who Latifah's character is trying to save. Life Support shines a light on people not often represented on the screen: African-American women and men living with HIV and AIDS, including men living on the "down low" like Amare’s lover, Michael.
Evan talked to Advocate.com about the movie, about playing a gay character and, of course, what it's like to follow his legendary mom into showbiz.
ADVOCATE: So what pressures, if any, do you feel being Diana Ross’s son?
ROSS: I get asked this question all the time. Right now I’m learning so much about my mom’s history and the stuff she’s done. I’d never really taken the time to do that, and she doesn’t really talk about it. She’s so great; she inspires me so much. It’s hard for me to take anything as a burden. I think the only thing that’s a pressure is growing up under a magnifying glass. But more than anything it’s a blessing to have such an incredible mom.
ADVOCATE: What impact do you hope Life Support will have?
ROSS: From Amare, I hope people see the harsher—the more real—struggles people go through. And for people to be able to see that struggle from a different point of view, because sometimes you see how a person gets by or tries to get better, but you don’t really get to see someone who is heading down the wrong path, like Amare.
ADVOCATE: What was it like playing a gay character?
ROSS: It was an interesting experience. I was excited about the role. I didn’t want to play it in a way where it would come off like, Wow, you can really tell [he’s gay] from the first time you see him. I just really wanted people to love Amare for who he was—and to have an understanding of what he was going through.
ADVOCATE: Was there anything you learned about queer culture while doing research for the film?
ROSS: I read up on a lot of stuff. Nelson George wanted me to play a character that was gay but was part of the hip-hop gay culture. It was a whole different side of things I hadn’t seen before. It was interesting and new, and I’m glad I got a chance to experience it. Even with the scene when I’m in the club and I have my hoodie on and I look over at a guy and I give him a look… It was interesting for me as an actor to see his reaction.

To read the full story, go over to Advocate.com.