Child star Tia Mowry, and her twin sister Tamera were apart of such a hit and memorable 90’s sitcom, ‘Sister Sister‘ which did amazing. But everything that glitters isn’t gold as Tia discussed the challenges her and her sister faced behind the camera.
With the two being not only twins but biracial as well, this raised the steaks and caused the two to feel more pressure as kid stars. In a PEOPLE’s exclusive first look at the new episode of Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix web series Tia says “It was very evident to me when I would walk on sets and see how certain stars or actors would be treated who weren’t of ethnicity — better dressing room, better trailer,”
Around this time, the show had begun to take off, but unfortunately this did not change the dynamic for the actors as far as pay. “I remember once the show became a hit, it’s very normal for you to ask for a raise. That’s what happens, right? People get raises,” she says. “But it was always so hard for my sister and I to get what we felt like we deserved and our paycheck never equaled our counterparts’ that weren’t of diversity,” she says, “and that was frustrating. Very, very frustrating.”
The 42 year old also recalls a time where she was working on an animated series, that a director approached her with a suggestion. “I need for you to be sassy, and the director had come over and was amazing. He said I am so sorry, I did not like the way he asked you to do that. That was inappropriate.” This is an experience Tia appreciates still this day.
But through all of the adversity, Tia not only used that to grow, but she let those situations turn her into a powerhouse! “I’ve learned how to be a strong women, because of our ancestors,” she says, “A strong black woman is someone who has had to have so much strength, no matter what her circumstances were.”
With a powerful message, Tia continued, “Just never give up guys, always be you.”
Watch the full interview here:
