On the latest edition of the INTERVUE , you are in for a great treat today. We have the one who played Vivian Banks on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air from 1983 to 1986. She was the first black woman to be on the cover of Glamour magazine. She is an accomplished photographer. She is a designer, a sister, a mom, a wife of grandmother and the final phrase a lover of life. And after reading her bio, I cannot agree more. We have the wonderful Daphne Maxwell Reid.
Welcome to the interview, Daphne.
It is my pleasure to be here. Thank you for inviting me.
Well, it’s so great to have you here. And especially since Fresh Prince is on the air both still in syndication still all over and we have Bel Air. I heard recently, you just recently came from a convention overseas, which is wonderful since I’m a fellow conventioneer, I travel to so many of the conventions in the DC Baltimore and in New York areas. So, tell us first about this convention that you just been part of recently.
I was a guest of the Wales Comic Con, myself and the young lady who played my daughter on Fresh Prince, Karyn Parsons. And Joseph Marcel who is from was the butler on the show. We were signing autographs and taking pictures and hearing from all the fans of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
Nice. And what’s this your very first convention?
No, I’ve done probably about five or six comic cons. It’s always fun seeing the fans, right up and close.
Absolutely. In fact, just a month ago, I was at a brand-new convention up in Connecticut called 90s Con. I must tell them now that they are now putting on a sequel for 2023 that they must invite you for 90s con because its a great fit to have you there.
All right, then you just throw my name into the pot. And let’s see how it shakes out.
You got it. And one of the things I loved reading about you is that you are a photographic artist, which myself I have been an amateur photographer for over 10 years. So how did you get into the world of photography?
I’ve been taking pictures, probably all my life. My father gave us all cameras when we were eight, nine years old. He was an amateur photographer, but he took pictures of us all the time. I have a treasure trove of photos from the 40s, 50s, 60s. I’ve always had a camera and I’ve always took pictures. I became a photographic artist when I turned 60 years old, I just declared it and then tried to figure out what it took to be it.
Nice, what type of camera are you shooting with nowadays?
Right now, I shoot with a little Sony. I need them lightweight. I don’t take a light package. The photos that I do are all-natural light. They’re basically one shot. I shoot doors from around the world. And I have probably focused more on that than on anything else that I’ve been shooting.
That’s amazing. So, what was the fascination of shooting doors around the world?
I think I got a spark from college. When I studied interior design and architecture and that’s what I got my degree in. I’ve always been drawn to craftsmanship and detail. I find the variety of craftsmanship and detail in doors fascinating. I also realized that doors are basically a metaphor for life. They represent adventure and curiosity and opportunity. I mean, doors are very big part of the passages that you go through in life. I wanted to encourage people through my photography, to pay attention to the details of their journey because it makes their journey rich.
Now, do you have a favorite door of all the pictures that you shot of the doors?
There is one that has been the most popular, the most received the most talked about, and is the cover of my first book that I published on doors, and it is a red door. And it’s on the little outbuilding at the Villa Barbaro in Beneteau. And it was surrounded by kind of tangerine coat colored and it just drew me to it. I snapped one or two pictures, I usually only take one, but it has become my favorite.
Well, that is amazing. I love to hear about your photography, especially since I take mostly scenic portraits wherever I go. I remember when I was a young boy and my mother or grandmother, I forgot which one gave me my very first camera and every vacation I went to. I shot plenty of photos, whether it’s the buildings, it’s the architecture, it’s outside.
I remember one of my best shots, which is one of my all-time favorite shots. And this has happened by accident, no chance. I was walking through the C&O Canal in Georgetown, Washington DC. And I shot this beautiful sunset photo, which when I became when I started my photography business, I said that’s the photo that starts my business.
That’s great. My favorite sunset is in Sicily, and I used it for the cover of my calendar for that year. I think that was 2018. It is a magnificent sunset I really attracted to success as well.
Aren’t sunsets gorgeous, they are gorgeous!
They just generated just fascinating, beautiful, beautiful things.
I remember reading for your website that you had a recent project with a collection of frame worthy inspirational note cards. With a collaboration of author Stacey Hawkins Adams, I want you to tell us a little more about them.
Well, Stacy Hawkins Adams is a Richmond writer. She’s been doing little novels for probably 10 to 15 years. She teaches classes and has inspirational conventions, talking about storytelling, and memoir. She and I just hit it all. I took her to lunch one day, and we were talking catching up on what she’s doing and what I’m doing.
She said that she was starting to write these little phrases inspirational phrases that she was posting on Instagram. I said, “Why don’t we do a set of note cards with your inspirational phrases and my photography?”. And she said, “Let’s see where that goes.” We shook hands and we have been a partnership ever since. We did a collection of 10 cards. I do my own setup. I do all the formatting of my books and cards & things.
I decided to change the format of a note card so that my photo is printed on the front and the back it covers the whole front and back. So, when you open the card, you side but you can train the card with the photo. It was a new way that I’ve done decided to do prints on cards.
It is amazing that you share a passion with a great dear who was an architecture major at her college. I want to know, how did an architecture major go from architecture to the world of acting and the film industry?
I went through architecture to get through college. I’ve never desired to continue my education to make it a profession. And all the while I was in college, I was modeling, and then started doing commercials and kind of fell into acting with opportunity and preparation. I’ve been doing that ever since as well as doing all those other things designing and photography and publishing and I’m having a great life.
Yes, you are. You’re all over the place. You’re acting, an author, photography books and cookbooks. A little birdie told me not too long ago that you have an upcoming culture fashion show that you’re doing with your husband Tim. We got to know the details of this fashion show coming up where it is and what we’re going to see for those who can attend.
We are having our sixth annual fashion show. It’s a fundraiser for his Institute, the Legacy Media Institute where he trains filmmakers. We are having cultural and international cultural fashion show this year. The things that I am making for the fashion show are using fabric that I printed from an artist’s paintings. Tony Scott does beautiful paintings. We photograph them and transfer them into fabric, and I am creating things with that fabric.
There are probably eight other designers that are going to be in the show. And I know one is from Panama one is from Istanbul. Our fashion show was run by a woman who is Ethiopian. So, it’s truly a cultural fashion show and usually a great time. It’s going to be this year on June 3rd in Richmond, Virginia. And on June 5 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Look for Tim Reid’s Cultural fashion show.
Now speaking of Tim, this year marks your 40th anniversary of marriage with Tim. I understand that you were in two of the episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati, and I’d like to know two questions. First, how did you two meet?
All right, that’s an easy one. We met in Chicago when we were both doing modeling and commercials. He was married to someone else and so was I. And because “Oh, that’s there’s that guy again. Oh, yeah. Hi, how you are doing?” That was in Chicago. And years later, when I moved to Los Angeles, I was divorced. He had just gotten divorced. And some old friends from Chicago who all hung out together “So, do you remember Tim Reid?” “Hmm, not very much. Then once or twice?” And they said, “Well, we told him you were in town, and he wants to know if he can give you a call.” So, he booked a little five-minute date. at a bar. I joined him there. And five hours later, we were still laughing and talking and now it’s been 42 years.
Wow, that is amazing. And my next question is What is your secret to a long-lasting marriage? Four decades of marriage to a wonderful man, wonderful. husband, actor, producer, filmmaker. What’s the secret?
Basically, as a Hollywood marriage, it’s about 173.
You’re right about that.
My secret is to learn how to fight fair and to always respect the person that you love. Remember, you cannot change each other. You are who you are and learn to grow together and grow separately. You’ll be there for quite a while as I have.
And speaking of long-lasting, Fresh Prince is back as Bel Air on Peacock, and you made a guest appearance on the first season with Vernell Watson Johnson who played excuse Will’s mom on the series. What was it like to come into the Bel Air family after being on Fresh Prince almost 30 years ago?
It was such an honor. And they treated me like a queen. They were growing up watching us, so they were all fans from former years. It was such a warm, welcoming, wonderful experience. I loved the crew. The everybody was just fantastic. I was so proud to see such a diverse crew and such young people making it happen. It really warms my heart.
I’m so glad to hear it. The second question, and this relates to something I experienced recently. Not too long ago, I went to see Black-ish and met the cast and the crew. And they’re wrapping up their series finale after eight years. I was telling people that with Black-ish it was the black family sitcom of this generation while Fresh Prince and Family Matters was the 90s successful black sitcom. What is, in your humble opinion, the staying power up Fresh Prince of why people can relate to the series, even after 30 years?
Well, I think first, it’s a universal story. It’s a fish out of water story but the way they cast the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, each of the members of the family had a different personality, a different take on whatever situation we were dealing with. It showed a wide range of ideas, like what you’d find in a real family. You could grow up and learn something from somebody’s point of view. And truly, the driving force of the iconic status of this show, I think, was its star Will Smith. An incredible actor and incredible person who really gave 150% to rehearsal. I am blown by the businessman that he is I’m very proud of him.
And I’m proud of him especially seeing his journey from Fresh Prince to Independence Day to King Richard recently voice he won an Oscar. I’m very proud not only of him, but you and the rest of the cast because it was a show, especially on the themes it touches throughout the series that is not just playing for laughs, but the situations that every family have gone through at one point in their lives.
Correct and it doesn’t matter where this family is based, or what they’re comprised of. There were such a variety of characters in that show that you’ll find some similarities in your family.
I understand that you’re going to have a second printing of your cookbook, Grace + Soul and Mother Wit and all the recipes we will find in the second printing. What’s the recipe I must try one these days to try?
Well, if you are a breakfast person, you must try Rosalie’s Waffles. My mother’s waffles are just divine. When we would come home to visit, she would whip up the waffles and she knew that that’s what we wanted her to do. If you want a nice meaty, warm, wonderful meal, the moussaka lamb dish.
It’s a mini memoir. So, I take you through growing up. All my family and the people that I met along the way and the recipes. Each have a story of what that person meant to me where I got the recipe. And if you don’t cook, I can guide you through setting up your kitchen and all the terms that you need to know so I can get you into that kitchen and get you started playing with food.
If you want to look to see what Daphne’s up to
- Website: DaphneMaxwellReid.com
- Instagram: msdaphne13
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