Getting out of your Comfort Zone with LeToya Luckett

Cox: In A Miracle Before Christmas you play Mercedes Wright, a powerful relationship therapist who has to navigate life and balance being a CEO, wife, mother and friend. Why is it that when I look at this role and your others it seems to be the common theme for you? 

Luckett: (Laughs) Because it probably aligns with my real life and I can relate to them. 

Cox: This film has such a positive message on the dynamics of the black family and the Holidays. How was it making this film? 

Luckett: The holidays are my favorite time of the year, especially Christmas. Anything Christmas I love. I even see my love for Christmas rubbing off on my kids. This was one of the major reasons I did this film. My kids are huge fans of Christmas so what better to give them than a Christmas movie starring their mommy. 

Luckett: (Contin): But also I could relate to the script. I think men and women will relate to the story of having to find that balance in life when you have worked so hard in your career. You will see how it’s hard for someone like my character to pull back and switch her Focus on the Family because of what it took to build her company. The lesson of balancing priorities is throughout the film and Romeo’s character Matthew really helps put things in perspective for her. 

LeToya said that the beauty of this film is it shows you, you can have everything right in front of you. A supportive and loving husband and family to call your own, but you can still lose focus when chasing and building your dream. This Holiday film is a reminder that when priorities arise, family should always come first because they are going to be the ones there when things in business go right or left. 

Cox: Mercedes seems like she just isn’t understanding where Matthew is coming from!

Luckett: Yes she learns too late, and this is where Keith David’s character has to come in and check her. He does it in a way where she learns she has to be careful how she uses her words. That one wish she asked of him shows exactly how mindful we need to be with our words. 

Luckett (contin): That one wish did more than just show her to be exact with her words. It showed her how life would be like if it was just all career focused. 

Cox: There is the dinner table scene where I see the double standard happening with Mercedes talking about career amongst their friends with Matthew. Matthew just wants to have a friendly dinner with friends (which is understood) but Mercedes wants to talk about business.

Luckett: I think there is that double standard where things are celebrated for some and frowned upon for others. I can relate because I’m that friend that sees more of those around me and want to push them to achieve it. I’m always ready to push my friends to want more, be more and to grow. 

LeToya said that’s exactly what Mercedes was doing in that scene. That’s genuine love when you want others to see them for how you see them in a positive light. The only problem is in life some people aren’t ready to receive that message because they aren’t ready to see themselves and how great and amazing we see them. 

Luckett (contin): I know what that feels like actually because when I became a solo artist it took me the longest time to not see myself as only an artist part of a group. I have to give thanks to my sister for me being a solo artist because it was her that kept telling me she sees me as a solo artist. I would literally get angry with her and start arguments because that’s not what I saw myself to be. She was trying to make me feel comfortable with that, but I wanted her to stop. The uncomfortable feeling came because she saw me on a larger platform which was more than what I saw for myself. 

Cox: Speaking of stepping out as a Solo artist. How was that journey for you?

Luckett: Honestly it wasn’t always easy. You just have to one day really trust God. If God has given you this gift and you know your purpose, you can’t allow fear to stand in your way. You will have to one day just close your eyes and say I let it go! Just like Nike you have to just do it. Listen Nike won with that because now it’s my motto. 

Luckett (contin): People have to ask themselves what’s really stopping them. Like what can go so wrong. You get a No? Or it doesn’t work out? At least you tried. This is what the whole situation taught me. I never saw myself as an actress but I got a call from an agency. Mind you, I never read a script before. But I took the meeting with the agency because I said it worked last time when I step out to be a solo artist so I’m going to do it the same way with this acting opportunity. Stepping outside of my comfort zone keeps on working for me. 

What are you waiting for? Is the question LeToya has for anyone allowing fear to control them. She wants to urge everyone to take that leap, go for it, and keep going. 

Cox: As an actress many of the characters who portray are powerful and successful women. How did you come into that?

Luckett: I love playing strong and confident women. For me it’s important because I know in my life and still sometimes I suffer from confidence issues. I would feel like I’m not good enough or overlooked in the industry. And I think the more we see powerful characters who we aspire to be like we believe in. That’s why I enjoy them so much!

Luckett (contin): I love seeing myself in that light because I actually learn so much about myself from those characters. I feel they are a constant reminder that strength and confidence is in there. It’s in you and in order for me to play this type of character it’s there somewhere within me. Sometimes in my real life when I have to boss up I tap into those characters. 

LeToya continues to take on these roles of Black powerful women because they will speak to someone. It will be the right amount of push for a young woman who thinks she can’t start her own business or speak up for herself in the work environment. She wants her roles to be a constant reminder that women don’t need to shrink themselves for anyone.