Marisha Wallace, a famous Big Brother star, has admitted that putting together just two weeks of therapy for her to appear on the ITV show was like putting on ten years of therapy.
There’s no doubt Broadway and West End powerhouse Marisha Wallace’s professional life is going great guns right now.
The singer- and actor, 39, just released her new album Live In London, a heartfelt love letter to the city that changed her life. She is currently the first black woman to play Sally Bowles in Cabaret on Broadway.
And her long-term partner Mike Whittaker supports her in the absence of the big notes and standing ovations. She exclaims warmly, “He’s so supportive.” He enjoys seeing me win, he says. That’s the first time I’ve had that. He pushes and believes in me, which I adore.
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And when it comes to forming a family? We are aware that we will face it together regardless of what comes our way in the future.
Known for her epic vocals and commanding stage presence, Marisha – who took part in last year’s Celebrity Big Brother – was born in North Carolina in the US. She grew up on a pig farm with big dreams, and eventually made it to Broadway before settling in the UK and receiving British citizenship earlier this year.
She says, “London is where I found myself and my people.” Love was a choice, not an obligation, in that place. They opted to support and love me.
Initially, her time in the UK brought uphill struggles, including going through a divorce and then being tricked out of £60,000 by a man she met on a dating app. But she also achieved career highs such as singing in the Royal Variety Performance and winning Olivier award nominations for her roles in Oklahoma! and Guys And Dolls.
“I went through so much – divorce, being scammed – but also great successes: singing for the royal family, getting a record deal, becoming a West End star,” she says. “I was only supposed to stay three weeks, but nine years later, London became home.”
Her upcoming album was inspired by that connection in London. Marisha claims the video, which was shot during a sold-out West End concert, accurately captures her relationship journey.
She explains that she wanted it to feel more like a musical version of her life than just a concert. “From a North Carolina hog farm to London stardom. And we managed to get 10 standing ovations that night.
She and co-star Billy Porter are the first Black Sally Bowles and Emcees in the new Cabaret production after the show’s departure from London, and she is absolutely thrilled about how much of a change her role has made to Broadway history.
It represents the pinnacle of theater, according to the author. Casting us teaches that it’s acceptable to reimagine these roles, to “add people to the conversation rather than take away from it.”
And it’s been enjoyed by the audience as well. She exclaims, “The response has been insane.” The Regina King arrived two days ago. Clive Davis gave us two standing ovations on opening night, and I even witnessed one. When we were in London, Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne both arrived. I’ve been admired by them for a long time, so that was crazy.
She continues, “Films were my only means of communication with people who looked like me because I was a young black kid in the South.” So they saw me, and I received flowers; it was lovely.
However, her professional journey hasn’t always been a bed of roses. She claims that “this business has a lot of ups and downs.” People will tell you that you are not good enough, too black, too fat, or not fat enough, or whatever else. It can stop you if you internalize that. However, you can change things if you pay attention to those who believe in you and love you.
Marisha also believes in manifestation. She reveals that she “writes things down as if they’ve already occurred.” Before it happened, I wrote “I am Sally Bowles on Broadway.” Say “I’m” rather than “I’ll be.” The reality that your mind changes to becomes your reality.
Marisha is a master at relaxing when she takes a break. Spa days, massages, good food, and “walking around, taking in culture, or sleeping”! she chuckles.
She’s also a fan of comfort foods. “The first thing I do when I land in London? Greggs sausage roll – can’t beat it. And when I land in New York? McDonald’s breakfast. American McDonald’s hits different – I’m sure it’s got something in it they can’t have in the UK!”
Her stint on Celebrity Big Brother last year showed another side to Marisha. “It was like 10 years of therapy in two and a half weeks. No phone, no distractions, just you and your thoughts,” she says. “I learned to stop people-pleasing and just be.”
However, her personal life is what makes her thriving right now, despite her fame, accolades, and devoted fan base. She claims, “I’ve never had this kind of love before.”
Marisha Wallace ’s album Live In London is out now
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Source: Mirror
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