A STAR JONES IS BORN
Williams’ Daytime Divas character inspired by former talk-show host
Some of the behind-thescenes drama on the new TV series Daytime Divas is true to life, says star Vanessa Williams.
Inspired by TV personality Star Jones’s book Satan’s Sisters: A Novel Work of Fiction, Daytime Divas has Williams in the lead role of Maxine Robinson, the producer and star of a long-running women’s talk show called The Lunch Hour.
Tichina Arnold, Fiona Gubelmann, Chloe Bridges and Camille Guaty play her co-hosts in the series, which airs Mondays on Bravo in Canada and on VH1 in the U.S.
Williams said Jones, who was one of the original co-hosts on the talk show The View, shared some of her own experiences to help inspire storylines.
“In the first episode something happens and Maxine takes her fingers and digs them into her co-host and that is ... something that ... Star told me would happen on the set,” said Williams, who has been nominated for a Tony Award, as well as multiple Emmys and Grammys.
“Not particularly digging fingers into somebody else but there are things that happened that only Star knows and there are little hints of what her reality was that we reflect.”
Williams also looked to Jones, whom she’s known for years, when crafting her character.
“Star is definitely an influence, for sure, and if there is a diva, Star is the diva,” said the stage and screen performer.
“She has certain expectations in terms of friends and lifestyle that definitely influence Maxine Robinson, and she actually named Maxine Robinson after Max Robinson, who was the first black male anchor on network television.”
So, how does Williams define “diva?”
“It’s ... acting like an egomaniac or a brat ...” she said.
“My view of a diva, just as a performer, is somebody who gives a brilliant performance and is so amazing that you leap to your feet and you’re clapping, ‘Brava, diva.’
“That’s how I grew up, that’s what my expectations were for excellence.”
Williams, who’s known for song hits including Save the Best for Last and acting roles including Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty, said Jones called her when Daytime Divas was greenlit and asked her to star in it.
“I’ve co-hosted on many different shows.
“I’ve had Barbara Walters sitting next to me and Joy Behar on the other side in the makeup chair going over what the hot topics were, so that’s the lucky part — I know this world,” said Williams.
“I know what it’s like to be a guest and I know what it’s like to be part of the panel and I know what it’s like to see somebody who’s producing and running the show.
“I feel very comfortable. I know the world and of course, if there’s any issue or any question, I could always ask Star and she would say, ‘This really happened.’”
The series has some important and timely topics, including ageism, gender fluidity and domestic and alcohol abuse.
“One of our, I think, best episodes is a transgender episode where Janet Mock is a co-host. (She) is unbelievable and has done an incredible job in terms of informing people about her journey as a transgender woman,” said Williams.
Of course, it also has some salacious and catty elements.
“The first episode is all of us doing a swimsuit segment,” said Williams, “which was the actual first scene that we filmed when we made it. (It) was probably the most shocking and uncomfortable that we started out with, which allowed us to bond immediately because we all felt the same way — expect for Chloe Bridges, who is 20-something and had a killer body.”