Ross reigns supreme in new movie ‘The High Note’
Diana’s daughter talks playing a pop diva in her first leading movie role.
“The High Note” is special to Tracee Ellis Ross in many ways. For starters, it’s the “black-ish” funnywoman’s first leading role in a movie, playing a pop diva not unlike her real-life mom, the legendary Diana Ross.
But the morning before the dramedy’s release on streaming platforms Friday, Ross was struggling to collect her thoughts. Minutes earlier, she posted an emotional letter on social media addressing the recent wave of police brutality against black people including George Floyd, 46, whose death sparked riots nationwide this week.
“Dear Black People, I love us,” she wrote, calling for comfort and connection despite her rage.
“It’s a very complicated experience inside my body: to have such excitement about my movie premiering while also having such heavy heartbreak,” Ross tells USA TODAY. “It’s been like an onslaught: the combination of the loss of lives from coronavirus, the history of brutality against black people, the fact that the virus is disproportionately affecting black people, and those unemployed are majority black and brown women. There’s just a lot of genuine loss happening in our world right now that’s hard to be with.”
Ross, 47, hopes “The High Note” can be an escape with its catchy songs and charming behind-the-scenes story of Maggie (Dakota Johnson), an aspiring record producer and assistant to Grace Davis (Ross), a middle-aged superstar looking to reignite her career. The actress opens up about self-love, life in quarantine and following in her famous mother’s musical footsteps.
Question: Did you go back and watch your mom’s performances or try to channel her?
Tracee Ellis Ross: No, not at all. I understand the comparisons – obviously, I am her child and grew up watching her on stage, and I’m playing a singing sensation. But there were only two times during filming when it came up. Once, when I just wanted to make sure (Grace’s) hair didn’t look like we were consciously trying to make me look like my mom because we weren’t. And then
there was one song I recorded that I thought to myself, “Oh, my goodness, the tone in my voice. I sound so much like my mom.”
Grace doesn’t hide behind anything, so I tried to find that ease and learn how to be comfortable with a mike. I watched footage of Rihanna, Beyoncé and Celine Dion, who has a very specific way she uses her microphone and hands. And when you think of Mariah Carey, there’s a way she does a finger point when she’s singing. So there were certain things I did in the recording studio and then would notice (onstage), where my fingers helped me indicate where I was going with the next note.
Q: What was your mom’s reaction watching the film for the first time?
Ross: My mom has not seen the movie! I had a family screening scheduled (to happen) two days after Los Angeles shut down. I asked her if she wanted a link and she was like, “I kind of want to wait to see it (when) everybody else can,” which is very much my mom because she loves that spirit of collective energy. When we originally started demoing the songs, I got her in my car and played her the music. We were holding hands and we both cried. So it was very special to finally let my voice out in that way.
Q: There’s a great moment where Grace explains how everyone asks her when she’s going to find a man, but ultimately says, “I’m happy with me.” As someone who’s frequently spoken about self-love, was that something you brought to the character?
Ross: That was already in the script, although I connected it to a really wonderful, honest space for me, Tracee. The reality is the humanization of women, black women and black people onscreen makes a difference in how we see ourselves and how others see us. To tell stories that reflect the reality of humanity is incredibly important in expanding the ideas of what is possible, what our choices are, what happiness looks like, where one finds freedom, and how to curate your own happiness.
Q: There’s another memorable scene where Grace cleans out her closet Marie Kondo-style, trying to find items that spark joy. What’s brought you joy during quarantine?
Ross: I’m an executive producer on five different projects and have a hair company, so I’ve been extremely busy. I usually walk around in my life with the idea of working hard, working smart and trying to balance self-care with the amount of output that I’m doing. That (ethos) has shifted in the pandemic to “easy, gentle and joyful.”
While still doing lots of work, the joy has come in fresh-cut flowers, letting myself wake up sometimes without an alarm clock, and making the most glorious food. I haven’t done any takeout at all and I love Thai food, so I’ve learned how to make green papaya salad and chicken larb. And honestly, just being able to connect on a more regular basis with my family and girlfriends: eating dinner, sitting and talking on FaceTime. I don’t usually have time to luxuriate in that way, so that brings me joy.