G
arcelle Has It All:
Marriage, motherhood and now stepping up for teen girls Story by Ene Taylor Photography by Amy Tierney
L
ong before she became an actress, Garcelle was the face for Avon, Mary Kay Cosmetics, and catalogs for department stores such as Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.
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For the past four years, she’s been stepping up with Step Up Women’s Network, a national non-profit organization dedicated to serving women and young girls.
Then came her acting career. Garcelle’s acting started when she was 17—starring in films such as Manhunter, Coming to America (opposite Eddie Murphy), Wild Wild West with Will Smith and I know Who Killed Me. Garcelle’s most noted role however, was as Francesca “Francy”Monroe on the Jamie Foxx Show, which ran from 1996 –2000. Successful, sexy and gorgeous, the Haitian born stays relevant by making smart choices with the types of roles she plays and events she attends. She’s not just another pretty face. She’s certainly worked very hard. The result is an enviable life she now leads in Los Angeles where she lives with Mike Nilon, her husband since 2001 and their eight-month-old twin boys and her seventeen-year –old teenage son from a previous marriage. “As a mom and black woman, its important that I do roles that portray us in a positive light while staying true to my integrity and how I was brought up,” Gar-
celle says laughingly. “70% is from my DNA and the rest is taking care of it. I stay fashionable and trendy— fashion sense is part of my image.” And yet Garcelle’s life could have been different had she grown up in Haiti. At age 5, she performed and danced for her family and friends. More than anything, Garcelle feels she might have gotten married early in life with children and not have a career. But coming to America after her parents divorced changed that. “In fact when I met and married my first husband while modeling in New York, my mother (passed away in March) was so scared that as an Island girl, I would give everything up, stay at home and make babies.” Garcelle and her siblings (5 brothers and 2 sisters) adapted very quickly after the initial culture shock. “We moved from an 80 degree environment to a snow storm in Massachusetts,” she says. “We did not know the language but had faith that my
mother knew what she was doing— and was not crazy. ” She credits her mother for her being and the close relationship she shares with her sibling. “My mother was the matriarch of the family—she always brought us together. I was so happy during the July 4th holiday—all my family members were here for the boys christening.” These days her top priority is family and finding time to give back. For the past four years, she’s been stepping up with Step Up Women Network, a national non-profit organization dedicated to serving women and young girls. This past May, Step Up Women’s Network celebrated its 10th anniversary. “For me, giving back and impacting causes is important,” Garcelle says. “I was introduced to Step Up Women’s Network by Jessica Alba. Initially, I did not think much of it until I received an invitation to a luncheon. I was so moved and inspired through the stories of the young women
AUG/SEPT/OCT 2008 | www.cyhmagazine.com