Tia Mowry at 47 — ‘I Didn’t Allow Fame to Define Me’: Now She’s Owning Her Next Act (EXCLUSIVE)
The 'Sister, Sister' star reflects on her ’90s fame, motherhood and vulnerability
As the star of the hit ’90s sitcom Sister, Sister, opposite her twin sister Tamera, Tia Mowry has been in the spotlight for most of her life. Now 47 and a divorced mom of two, the actress, who also starred in shows like The Game, Instant Mom and Family Reunion, has branched out with a YouTube channel, Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix, and a natural hair care line, 4U.
Mowry’s latest project is a partnership with General Mills to help parents ease into the busy back-to-school season through the brand’s Free Snacks offer with Box Tops for Education, a double-digit rebate designed to bring savings while supporting schools. “As a mom, I really understand how overwhelming and hectic the school routine can be, from getting the kids up early in the morning to making breakfast and lunch to packing their bags and making sure they’re properly dressed and can get out the door on time,” she says. “It all happens at once!” “General Mills is meeting families where they’re at, and anything we can do to take the load off and not be as stressed helps our confidence,” she adds, noting that her family’s favorite snacks from the brand are Mott’s Apple Filled Snack Bars and Cheerios.
During a break from back-to-school prep, Tia Mowry sat down with Woman’s World to discuss growing up in the spotlight, getting vulnerable through Instagram and reality TV and more.
Staying grounded as a ’90s teen star
Tia and Tamera Mowry were just 16 when Sister, Sister began in 1994, and they managed to stay grounded despite becoming TV stars at such a young age. “I was raised to be intentional,” the actress says. “My mom and dad taught me that work is work and home is home. They really allowed me to be a child. When I came home from work, I would do all of the things that a teenager would do, like homework and chores. That wasn’t always so fun, but it really kept me grounded.”
“I didn’t allow fame to define my identity,” she emphasizes. “Acting was just something that I loved to do. It was all about developing character. Yes, I’m an actress, but who am I outside of that? Do I have integrity? I had to have compassion and be a kind person, so I think that really helped.”
Looking back on the ’90s, Mowry muses, “I think multi-generational television was one of the great things about that era. We had that lineup where you looked forward to sitting down with the whole family watching a television show that was great for everyone. Right now you don’t see that as much, and I miss relatable shows where you get a little lesson at the end of an episode.”
Sister, Sister embodied this type of family-friendly viewing, and the Mowry girls’ fun fashions inspired many of their young viewers. “There were some cool trends then, like those hats with a big flower in the middle, but I totally wouldn’t wear that today!” she says with a laugh. She does still rock some of her favorite ’90s looks. “It was all about the plaid tights with Doc Martens back then. I actually have a pair of Docs now, and so does my daughter,” she says. “I also still have a pair of denim overalls. I think those will always be in style.”
From ’90s sitcoms to Christmas movies and reality shows
In recent years, Mowry has starred in a variety of Christmas movies, including popular Lifetime and Hallmark titles, and in 2024 she had her own reality show, Tia Mowry: My Next Act. Mowry will next be seen in the Netflix Christmas movie My Secret Santa (“That doesn’t mean I’m not going to do any more Lifetime movies!” she notes) and she loves the comfort and joy these movies bring, saying, “There’s a psychology to them. They help you come together as a family and escape from the everyday with a feel-good story.”
Reflecting on her reality show, Mowry, who previously starred in Tia & Tamera with her sister, says, “I thought I would never go back to reality. Reality is hard. You really have to have thick skin. When someone critiques a character, you can always go back to, ‘Well, I didn’t write that.’ but when you invite people into your real world, it opens up a platform for people to have opinions about your vulnerabilities, and that isn’t always easy.”
Ultimately, Mowry has found strength through the vulnerability of reality TV, saying, “I’ve learned that when you’re vulnerable, that’s where change happens and where people are able to relate to you. I’m okay with that, because I’m not doing this just for myself, I’m doing this to inspire and to help others. I was okay with opening up my world, and I cannot tell you how many women walked up to me and said, ‘Thank you.’ To me, that’s all that matters.”
Getting candid on Instagram
“I want to inspire and help families,” says Mowry, and to that end, she uses her Instagram account to share refreshingly candid posts about race, aging, health and motherhood with a loyal audience of nearly 13 million followers. “I really think that’s my purpose,” she says of her online presence.
As one of the few mixed-race teen stars of the ’90s, “I learned at a young age that representation and community really matters,” she says. “I like to use my platform to inspire and share. I’m not a gatekeeper,” she explains. “It brings me purpose, and I feel like fame without purpose is deadly. If I can use my platform and people are looking at me, why not make good use of that?” We agree, and we love that Tia Mowry is speaking to a bigger audience than ever in her 40s.
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