Tracee Ellis Ross covers Marie Claire's Summer Issue
Fashion has long been Ross’s preferred language. She credits her mother with introducing her to the transformative power .
At 48, the 'Black-ish' star and Pattern Beauty founder knows just how she wants to live: boldly and with joy.
She’s the living embodiment of the phrase “Go big or go home.” And though she looks nothing like a certain iconic redhead, I’m so struck by her emotiveness and physicality during our conversation that I suggest she should’ve been cast as Lucille Ball in the upcoming Aaron Sorkin biopic. “Do you know how many people would be upset if a Black woman played Lucille Ball?” Ross exclaims. “But I want to so badly. Do you know who else I wanted to play? I wanted to play Miss Hannigan in Annie. Oh my God. It was my dream!”
"What am I going to do, just sit around waiting? Shut up," she says. "I've got so many things to do."
Photos: @christinehahn
Stylist: @shionat
Interview: @lolaogunnaike
Hair: @naivashaintl
Makeup: @lisastoreymakeup
Ross knows she’s at her best when she’s at her busiest, so she’s considering adding even more to her packed roster. Stand-up comedy and a music album could both be on the horizon, she shares. “It gets me all wild and scared, but right now I want to dive into the singing from Tracee,” she says. “That’s uncharted territory. I did it as a character [in The High Note]. Now I’m like, What if I tried that?” What if? “I chewed on ground glass to make it through the discomfort of not knowing how to share myself with the world,” she says. “And so taking a risk to try something new, I know it’s not going to shatter who I am. Now it’s like a hit. It’s like, ‘Ow, that was really uncomfortable. I’m going to take a nap. I’m going to cry for a couple of days, and I will be back.’” She’s clutching her side as if she’s been grazed by a bullet and pretending to limp off to her bedroom. It’s hysterical and classic Ross.
“At this age, a mistake can be processed as a mistake, not ‘I’m a mistake.’ This is the beauty of it. I’m 48 years old, and there’s so much more to try.”
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