Namita Nayyar:
Introduce us to your character, Aunt Vi on the critically-acclaimed OWN drama “Queen Sugar.”
Tina Lifford:
Aunt Vi is 60 going on 45. Her back story is that she was once married to a man who later became physically abusive. When we meet her in the pilot episode of “Queen Sugar” she is in love with a good man who is 20 years younger than her. She is also burying her brother and stepping into the role of matriarch to his three estranged adult children. She knows life has given her a second chance with love and she is determined to live, love and honor the importance of family.
Namita Nayyar:
If you had to pick up 5 character traits of Aunt Vi that you can relate to, what would they be?
Tina Lifford:
- Fun – Aunt Vi loves life. So do I.
- Flirtatious – Aunt Vi loves being a woman and loves being in love with Hollywood. I can learn from her in this area.
- Family – Aunt Vi is ride or die when it comes to family. Family is everything to me.
- Fair – Aunt Vi treats Ralph Angel, Charley and Nova equally and fairly. I aim to be fair.
- Functional – Aunt Vi is practical. I bet, like me, she is born under the sign of Taurus.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine?
Tina Lifford:
To me complete fitness must include both an inner fitness and physical fitness regime. I meditate and live my life by 14 inner fitness practices that are part of the work I do as founder of The Inner Fitness Project – where our mission is to codify skills and practices that support mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. As for my physical regime, I walk/run or hike four times a week for at least an hour.
