Exclusive Interview with Actress Erica Hubbard (72hoursMovie) #centric

ERICA HUBBARD
The Midwest Girl Producing Life Her Way
 By Belinda Trotter James

Erica Hubbard was born in Chicago, raised in Chicago and she still lives in Chicago. It looks like she may never leave.  "Oh my God!" Laughs Erica.  I am a Midwest girl. I love Chicago not only for all the things they have here, but they have the best food in the world. We are known for our food all over the country.  That's all I do every day is eat, eat, eat. Chicago is home for me, but I do go back and forth from LA to Chicago because a lot of things happen in LA.   I have a place in LA and a place in Chicago."  
I heard about the notorious winters in Chicago and I don't think that's a place where I would want to be. "You need to read a survival guide before spending a winter in Chicago", explains Erica.  "We had snow above our waist last year. It was crazy.  It seemed like we just kept shoveling snow all season to the point where my bones were freezing. You definitely have to be in survival mode because it will feel like you're living in the north pole.
Erica has been acting since the age of nine. Her parents stopped what they were doing so that they could take her to auditions, various modeling jobs, voiceover work, acting on stage, television,  commercials and print work.  "They were very busy because I pretty much was a child actress who did some of everything, but they loved it and when I attended college they suggested I get involved in theater. I owe a lot to my parents; I really do", recalls Erica.

 Erica seemed to have managed the transition from being a child actress in the entertainment business to a successful adult actress in the entertainment business. "Oh boy", she begins. "Actually it was pretty hard because people saw me as Casey, the character I played for so long on Lincoln Heights for four years.  When I went on auditions, the casting directors would recognize me and say, 'Oh you're Casey Sutton' and I would say, 'No I'm Erica Hubbard. Can you look at what  Erica Hubbard can do?'  So, then I just kept going and I lucked up to get the job as Kia Whitmore on the show, "Let's Stay Together"". Erica said that was definitely the door that helped her transition to an adult actress.
It's good to have lots of life lessons whether it's positive or negative because as an actress it prepares you for various roles you have to play and characters you have to embody. Mentally an actress must prepare herself for the role and that can be a challenge. However, Erica uses various methods and her favorite is the Method Acting technique.  "Method Acting is basically finding someone that has experienced the exact lifestyle you're about to emulate. You can follow that person's lifestyle by walking with them during the day to see what their day is like. You can ask them questions or read books about their life.  Method Acting is essential and key to preparing for a role. If you haven't experienced what this person has experience, you need to find someone that relates to that character so that you understand what it is they are going through. That is the key to transforming.

Even though actresses can play different roles or become many characters, there may come a time when the roles stop becoming challenging.  What happens next? Erica says she does want to act for the rest of her life. "I do, I do", says Erica.  "I do want to do this as well as producing. I fell in love with producing when I did my second short film. The film was about a lady who was dealing with an abusive relationship. So I produce that and I started getting calls to be a producer. In some of the projects I'm an actress and other times I just produce. I helped produce, "The Last Fall" as well as "Black Coffee" which is airing on BET. That's how I fell in love with acting as well as producing and it kind of goes hand-in-hand. Reese Witherspoon is actually doing both now and Sandra Bullock is also doing both acting and producing." In "Black Coffee" any girl would love producing a film where you can look at handsome co stars such as Darren Dewitt Henson, Christian Keyes and Lamman Rucker. Yum, yum!
Besides acting, producing and all that other good stuff Erica has also started the Erica Hubbard Foundation. "When I was on Lincoln Heights, I kept getting phone calls to speak to the youth at community centers, schools and churches", explains Erica.  "The kids wanted to know what was it that I did to get on the path to success. I was getting phone calls where people would fly me out to Detroit, Ohio, Atlanta; all over the country to speak. I was doing so much of that while on Lincoln Heights. After I finished the show, I decided to continue speaking."  While going all over the country speaking to kids Erica found out something about herself, "I just love mentoring, encouraging and inspiring people especially in Chicago where a lot of the youth need it,"  says Erica.

 Erica stays very busy in Chicago mentoring the youth. "So many kids need to hear positive messages and they need to be inspired and uplifted especially in today's economy.  People need to encourage each other.  That's what I see a lack of in some of our communities.  Therefore I try to mentor as many youth as I can who are in situations of poverty or dealing with low self-esteem or bullying at their schools; I try to uplift them. This is why am so passionate about  the Erica Hubbard Foundation." http://www.theericahubbardfoundation.org/
It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood when you can motivate our youth towards their victory. Erica is definitely the person to do it with her squeaky clean image. Yes, we laughed about her being so squeaky clean that we don't see her  on TM Z or other gossip sites where entertainers are always in trouble about something. Erica reveals, "I get a lot of phone calls and I mean a lot of phone calls from people saying, 'You know Erica, if you just did some teen magazines where you could show your butt, a little nudity or post a picture on Instagram of you showing some skin everybody would know you.' I would say, 'Why do I have to show my body for everybody to know me. Why?' Does every actress have to go that route? No!  I'm that actress that is going to break that barrier and keep my clothes on as much as I can and maybe show a little cleavage here and there to leave a little for your imagination. It's hard staying squeaky clean and not getting into any drama where people are saying, 'Ooooo,  she got into this fight.' Life's too short and I'm trying to enjoy myself and keep the drama and the mess down as much as possible. I don't like to argue with anyone.  The thing that I like to do is have fun and laugh and I love, love, love to travel."
Erica's advice to those traveling on the road to success is perseverance.  "Keep striving to do what you want to do no matter what people say.  Don't listen to them. Keep your dream alive.  Keep aiming high and never give up because there will be a lot of people around you that will say you can't, you won't, you don't or you shouldn't. Don't listen to any of them; keep doing what you love to do," advises Erica.

The future is looking so bright and fabulous for Erica. There is a long list of fantastic projects in the works. "I am so happy that I am getting some really good parts. I have a project coming out called "My Favorite Five". It's a cute romantic comedy. Along with myself it's starring Brian White, DeRay Davis, Jay Ellis from The Game, and Rochelle Aytes from ABCs Mistresses just to name a few and it is directed by Paul D Hannah. It was really fun to work on this project with Brian White.  I think he is a phenomenal actor", says Erica.

The fun did not stop there for Erica because she was able to jump right into her next film project, "72 Hours" directed by Christopher Nolan which has a  cast of phenomenal actors that include Thea Camara, Cynda Williams, Harry Lennix, Tim Durrett, Tangi Miller, Brely Evans, Chyna Layne, Terri J Vaughn and Brian Hooks.  "I was so happy to work on this project because it was shooting in my hometown of Chicago. I have not filmed a project in Chicago since "Save The Last Dance", says Erica.  "It was really cool to finally do a project in Chicago. I was so happy the director called me to do it.  He said he saw my work on "Black Coffee". In that film I played the ditsy, naïve girl, but in his film I'm happy to say that I have a brain.  I'm playing a doctor. I am so happy I'm playing a professional."

I'm happy that she's happy with her life and her fans will be happy to know that they can keep up with her on Twitter https://twitter.com/EricaHubbard  If you are a fan with children, then you will love to know that Erica has put out a series of children's books entitled, "You, She, Her, Him and I".  It's a cute story about the adventures of a little girl named Justina and her friends. It's available on Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/You-She-Her-Him-Volume/dp/0989569330

It looks like Erica is manifesting her life to be fun and drama free. This does not mean she will not hit a challenge or two.  However,  when it comes, she will always be victorious!

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