Interviews

Published on September 2nd, 2015 | by Jameelah "Just Jay" Wilkerson

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Infamous couple Daniele Watts and Chef Belive rise above the ashes

We all heard the story of the Hollywood couple actress Daniele Watts and  TV Chef personality Brian Lucas,  who were accused of having sex in a car in broad day light outside of major a TV studio. (subtle sarcasm) It was a lot to take in like an episode of Law in order SVU mixed with hollywood cameras and satire. TMZ posted barely visible pictures of the couple in a car  claiming them as proof the couple were engaged in ” Lewd acts” and well the rest is history.

The couple has remained extremely postive despite some public disapproval and of course the inevtiable nauseating debate of race , interracial couples and cops.  To see two individuals be hit so hard and treated poorly by an industry they have given their all too and still rise is something to take note of. Successful people always leave secrets so I caught up with the couple because I wanna know what’s thier secret.

You have had a whirlwind of a year. You’ve been a national debate on the topic of race and a target of TMZ and yet still rose above it all. How have you stayed so positive?

Because of my actions that day, and our bravery to speak out about what happened, the LA Times alone has published many valuable articles concerning issues that affect all Americans. For example; “Daniele Watts, LAPD encounter raises question: When must you show ID?” “LAPD and ACLU disagree about whether Daniele Watts had to show her ID” and “Clear, thoughtful rules are needed for recordings by LAPD”… just to name a few. Our experience served to make more people aware of the civil liberties that we have as Americans. We feel thankful for that.

At this point we just have to laugh at people’s ignorance because no matter how many times we tried to explain to the press that the audio was edited, the mainstream media would not report it. When you listen to the audio that was released to TMZ, it very obvious that it cuts off the beginning of the encounter. Brian is in the middle of saying something when it begins. The omission of the beginning of the conversation contributed to grossly inaccurate media coverage.

Even though this was extremely frustrating at times, it taught us a valuable lesson. At a certain point, we had to value our own experience over the opinions of others, and that gave us peace of mind… When all was said and done, the sergeant who handled our detainment was suspended without pay for discourteous behavior and insubordination, and retired, so we feel like justice was served.

People are obsessed with relationships these days. You’re partner Brian and you have both been put under scrutiny, how has that affected you both?

Before I met Be*Live (the name most people call him), I was skeptical about the idea that someone could actually love me unconditionally. I had traumatic memories surrounding my parents’ divorce, and had convinced myself that I would never seek a committed partnership because all the marriages in my family had failed.

Be*Live broke down all those ideas because he truly loves me, as I am, regardless of circumstances—and that has come to mean more to me than disapproval from anyone who doesn’t understand that kind of love.

Our partnership has given me a sense of belonging to something bigger than myself. And in allowing myself to believe that I deserved to be loved unconditionally, all these other areas of my life are opening up in radical ways. Its like some higher energy force is able to move through me because I’ve had a real and profound experience of a love that transcends all obstacles.

You both have become somewhat iconic, not just because of the mass media coverage but you are an interracial couple who isn’t afraid to open be with the world. How has the racial tension that seems to rise everyday affect your relationship?

Wow. Thanks for seeing that. Yeah. It has been a process… to say the least. Over the past year we made the conscious decision to defuse that racial tension in ourselves, which is why I wrote the apology that I did: to acknowledge my issues and ask for forgiveness. Since then, we’ve noticed that even if people don’t know what to make of us at first, we find common ground with people we meet much easier as a result of all that we’ve been through.

None of the negativity has stopped you from being successful in your career, an HBO movie and now a lead role in a feature film, what keeps you on track despite?

At a young age, after my parents divorce, I watched my mom work three jobs, and get food from church to feed and support my brother and I and make sure we went to a school where we could get the best education possible. My dad went from being a child of welfare, and the Watts riots, to get a masters degree in public health, and help support me through college.

So it became clear to me at a very young age that if you have a goal, and you believe in it, it will come to fruition. I’ve been dreaming and practicing the performing arts since I was 8 years old. I went to a performing arts high school, and studied theatre, voice, and dance in college. Live self-expression, and connecting with people is an essential part of my nature. I will create opportunities for myself for as long as I live

Brian also has been able to continue being successful, how do you stay positive Brian?

Well, that was kind of easy for me because they put my name as Brian Lucas, instead of my brand name Chef Be*Live, which made less waves for people attacking me. Many times after the incident happened, for one reason or another, I wished that they had used my brand name instead of my birth name, so that I could have been attacked more equally to Daniele, making me even stronger. I have always been the type that inJOYs the challenging life experiences to grow from. On the other end of it, not being attacked as much helped me focus on supporting Daniele through the therapeutic release that she experienced over the past year. There is really nothing that can stop the flow of energy…so there is nothing that can stop me!!!  I “Stay True and See Through” no matter what—something I learned at the age of 12 years old when my heart stopped on the way to the hospital and I had a white light experience. I realized then that obstacles are an essential and invigorating part of life.

You both promote meditation and a freer way of thinking. Do you think if more people thought this way our world would be different?

We just do our best to appreciate the world as it is….   There’s so much to appreciate in every moment…. And yes, I’ve been practicing yoga and meditation for the past 10 years… It’s helped me become aware of the connection of my breath, body and spirit … but I do feel that connection can be achieved in many different ways… some people like dancing, other people like doing drugs…. We all have different paths of self-realization.

What can people expect from the two of you in the future and where can people keep in touch via social media?

I’m attracted to projects with fun passionate people who love what they do…. And one of those is a film called Babysitter that premiered at SXSW this year. IndieWire named it as one of 12 break-out films of the festival, and it makes its European Premiere at the Deauville Festival of American Cinema in France on Sept. 8.  You can follow the film’s path to theaters on Facebook and Twitter: @BabysitterFilm and me @DanieleWatts

Also Muted was the winner of last year’s American Black Film Festival short film contest and is available on HBOgo… I’m playing opposite Chandra Wilson (Grey’s Anatomy) and she is phenomenal. The film deals with a lot of the same issues raised by arrest in a balanced and nuanced way. It’s a very powerful film.

Along with doing private events, Be*Live has been super focused in his role as one of the founding creators of One World –a visionary art project involving an organic plant-based restaurant, a live-studio audience/music film venue, and a Television sitcom called “Juice Bar” that ties all three parts together!! There’s a really powerful and positive team building around the whole effort. Its so exciting for me to watch how its all coming together….There are definitely many great things to come from the wonderful Chef Be*Live!! Follow him on Instagram & Twitter @ChefBeLive, Facebook at facebook.com/chefbelive  and for professional inquires hit him up at http://www.chefbelive.com/ !

 


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Publisher and CEO of The Hype Magazine. Follow me on Twitter @HypeJustJay


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