Vivica A. Fox Dishes on Her HSN Fashion Line, Returning to ‘The Young and the Restless’ and the Costume That Changed Her Life (Exclusive)
Plus, learn why the star is feeling better than ever at 61
Vivica A. Fox has long been known for playing charismatic and powerful women, and the star of ’90s and ’00s staples like Independence Day, Batman & Robin, Two Can Play That Game and Kill Bill recently added the role of fashion designer to her long résumé with her collection for HSN. “I want to bring women looks that are grown, comfortable and chic,” the actress says, and she’s feeling more stylish than ever in her 60s.
The Vivica A. Fox Collection just celebrated its first anniversary, and Fox will be on HSN to show off her wares on March 13. She’s also keeping busy as an actress, and will make her highly anticipated return to The Young and the Restless after three decades in April. Fox sat down with Woman’s World to discuss her fashion line, her return to the soap opera world and the joy of playing a “head chick in charge.”
Vivica A. Fox’s fashion line and style tips: ‘Don’t force fashion’
“I’ve always loved fashion,” says Fox, who got her start as a model and dabbled in design in the past. “Working with HSN has been an amazing marriage. Janet Scibetta, the lead designer, travels all over and brings back European styles to inspire my collection. She shops all the time and is always on the lookout for what will be happening next season, so we make sure that we stay current and the fashions are always evolving. We do a new collection for each season, which I adore.”
The Vivica A. Fox Collection features slinky silhouettes, and the star says, “I’m always trying to snatch a waist. You can cinch your waist with belts, ruching and all kinds of little tricks.” “I don’t care what size you are,” she says emphatically. “I love that my collection is size-inclusive. We go from extra-small all the way up to 3X, but no matter what size you are, I try to give you some curves and make you feel good about your body.”
“My number-one rule is always ‘Don’t force fashion,’” Fox says. “If a look doesn’t work for you, don’t force it. Don’t feel like you have to dress a certain way just because you see young girls running around with their little outfits on. You’re a grown woman, so dress accordingly. If you’re feeling a little sassy, focus on things that complement your shape.”
Becoming a leading lady in a yellow Versace suit
Fox has played many fashionable women over the years, and when asked for her favorite costume she’s worn, she’s quick to respond: “My favorite is my yellow Versace suit from Two Can Play That Game. I had to fight for that costume when I was going through wardrobe fittings. I had a girlfriend, Cassandra Mills, who worked in the music industry, and she said my character had to show up and be a ray of sunshine. We went shopping and found this beautiful suit, and she said that was it.”
While Fox fell in love with the suit, the film’s costume department wasn’t so sure about it. “I’d always been number two or three on the call sheet, and this was my first time being number one. My friend said, ‘Don’t be afraid to use your star power. You don’t have to be mean. Just speak up.’ I ended up whipping out my own credit card and paying for a lot of my own wardrobe, and it was worth it.” “I always say, ‘Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself.’ You have to be your own biggest fan,” she adds. “I made sure I was proud of my look, and it paid off. Because of that, the yellow Versace suit will always be my favorite costume.”
Yellow has become Fox’s signature color. “For a lot of my Lifetime films, I made sure to wear yellow. I love it, and I always include the color in my collection,” she says. “I don’t want women to be afraid of color. You don’t always have to wear black. Come in the room and stand out, honey!”
Returning to her soap opera roots in ‘The Young and the Restless’
Vivica A. Fox began her career as a soap star, and will be returning to The Young and the Restless for the first time since 1995 next month. “There’s going to be a flashback scene with me and the amazing and handsome Shemar Moore. It was like getting back on the bike. I love it, because that’s where I started. The Young and the Restless led to me becoming a movie star,” she says, noting her first post-soap project was none other than the 1996 blockbuster Independence Day.
“I usually play the head chick in charge, and my character, Dr. Stephanie Simmons, is going to come in and take charge of a situation that you’ll be very happy to watch,” Fox teases. “Look out for a lot of surprises, a lot of hidden secrets that will be spilled and a lot of great fashions.”
Prior to The Young and the Restless, Fox had one of her earliest roles in Generations. While the soap only lasted from 1989 to 1991, it was groundbreaking for being the first daytime drama centered on Black characters. The show also marked the first time Fox worked with future The Young and the Restless star Kristoff St. John, who sadly passed away at 52 in 2019.
“Kristoff was basically my first acting partner,” Fox says wistfully. “When I walked to the office to meet all the executives for The Young and the Restless recently, there was a huge portrait of him on the wall, and I burst into tears because we did A Christmas Cruise, a Lifetime film that I executive produced, in 2017, and we were going to do a sequel, but he passed, so it brought back a flood of emotions.” “You have to enjoy life and enjoy your costars, because you never know what a person’s going through, and you never know how long they’ll be here,” she says.
“Generations was my acting school, and I learned so much from it. When you’re doing five shows a week with a minimum of 20 to 30 screenplay pages a day, it’s a wonderful muscle for an actor to use.” Fox says. “I also had an amazing cat fight scene with Jonelle Allen,” she laughs. “Every once in a while, it pops up online and people will point out that it was my first cat fight scene, before Kill Bill.”
The iconic ‘Kill Bill’ fight scene: ‘I thought we were training for the Olympics!’
Vivica A. Fox’s intense fight scene with Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 martial arts epic Kill Bill became one of the defining moments of her career, and with the film recently back in theaters, she recalls, “That was six months of training. I thought we were training for the Olympics! We worked out five days a week, eight hours a day. It was extremely physical, but I’m grateful to Quentin for getting me in the best shape of my life.” “I got to work with the most amazing cast—Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah, Lucy Liu, the late David Carradine,” she says. “When I had to go to Beijing and train for a month, I had breakfast with David every morning and I got to hear all his stories. It was an incredible, challenging experience, but so worth it.”
“I even did most of my own stunts,” Fox proudly shares. “My poor stunt double was like, ‘I’m never gonna get to work!’ She only got to do one scene, where I fell back into a glass table. Quentin wouldn’t let me do it, even though I wanted to try it.” “To know that Kill Bill has held up and become a classic is amazing,” she says. “I felt like a Black Carrie, because I’d never been covered in so much blood in my life, and they kept spraying me with it, but it was awesome.”
Why Vivica A. Fox’s 60s have been her ‘peaceful paradise’
At 61, Vivica A. Fox says she’s finally entered her “peaceful paradise.” “I’ve worked so hard to get to this spot, and I’d have never thought that in my 60s I would be so comfortable,” she explains. “I’ve accepted myself completely, flaws and all. I know I’m not perfect. As an actor, the first part of my career was all about trying to be perfect, whereas now, as a woman in my sassy, sexy 60s, I’ve never felt more confident and secure.”
“In the last five years of my life, when I was in my 50s, I had seasons of shedding and got rid of people, places and things that just weren’t good for me anymore, and it’s okay to do that, because not everyone’s going to like you and not everything is meant for you,” Fox acknowledges. “When you can focus on what works for you, that’s a beautiful place to be. I’ve been protecting my peace at all costs. I’ve set boundaries. I’m not afraid to say no. I’m really having a great time.”
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