~ MOVIE~
The film Premieres August 19, 2006 at 9:00pm ET (8pm Central) on Lifetime.
There are encore Lifetime showings August 22 and 23 the same times.
June 30, 2006: Fan-tasia.net interviewed Actress Rhianna Mack, (Role: Dot ):
Hi Rhianna, you play "Dot" in Life Is Not a Fairy Tale - how early in the film do you appear?
RhiMack: The scenes I appear in are more toward the middle of the movie when Fantasia has grown up to become a young woman. ("Dot" is among a group of Fantasia's friends - Ruby, Wanda Jean and Tess, who are in their 30's, but have had children at a young age.)
Rhi and stylist Dana
"Dot" shows off her nails
Rhimack and Tasia
Fandash: You said that for one scene, Debbie Allen gave you a crash course on how to play bid whist. Can you tell me about how Debbie was on set as she was directing?
RhiMack: Debbie Allen is hella, hella cool and down to earth, but you can tell she don't play. If she gives you direction, you better take it. It was fun watching her work. It was a comfortable environment, never uneasy.
Fandash: Were there any funny out-take moments with you or Fantasia?
RhiMack: Fantasia is a trip, and I can be pretty silly sometimes, so we all had a few laughs. I don't think there was anything they got on tape, though. But one day after taping, we all hung out that night and Fantasia and I ruled the dance floor.
Fandash: Are there songs in the film at all, and is a soundtrack coming out?
RhiMack: Yeah, I'm sure you will definitely hear some of Fantasia's songs in the movie. As far as the soundtrack coming out- I'm not sure about that, but I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to release one. (Fandash has since learned that no soundtrack is planned for release at the moment.)
Fandash: What was your favorite part of the experience?
RhiMack: Being a part of this experience, period, was my fave part. I loved the trip to New Orleans, meeting new people, having fun on the set and it not feeling like 'work', meeting and working with Debbie Allen and Fantasia. Everything.
Fandash: As a Louisiana native what was it like going back to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina?
RhiMack: Well I'm originally from Shreveport, LA (which is in the north part of the state)- so for me, I was like a tourist seeing New Orleans again, moreso than a victim of hurricane destruction. Though we would drive past some dilapidated buildings on the way to the set, I did not get a chance to see the worst hit areas. The city has so much character, but you can see that rehabilitation is definitely needed.
Fandash: Thank you, Rhianna.
RhiMack: Thanks so much.
Interviewer: Fin