Anika Noni Rose on the Perils of Being a 'Starter Wife'

The Star Talks About 'Dreamgirls' and Her Next Big Role

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June 25 -- "There were times when it felt crappy. I'm not going to lie," says Anika Noni Rose about being run down by the 'Dreamgirls' hype train.

Rose, who came to fame portraying one-third of the fictional girl group -- alongside Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson -- stars in the USA miniseries, 'The Starter Wife.' She plays Lavender, a no-nonsense security guard, who befriends Debra Messing as a down-on-her-luck, jilted wife.

Rose talked to AOL editor Geoff Bennett about why some women lose themselves in relationships. Then, she weighed in on being overlooked for her part in the biggest movie-musical hit of the year and broke the news of her next major role -- giving voice to Disney Animation's first black princess.

How do you think women end up in the role of being a starter wife?
Women in our society are almost taught to mold themselves to their mate. I think when you do that, you lose yourself and forget who you are. You no longer have priorities. People are attracted to you for who you are when they meet you -- not for how closely you can morph into them. When you do that, there's probably a loss of attraction. But also, you have a loss of attraction to yourself. So you get dumped and don't know how to get back to yourself.

In the mini-series, your character, Lavender, and Debra Messing's character, Molly, are sounding boards for one another. Why is Molly able to connect to Lavender in ways she can't with the rest of her friends?
I think because the rest of her friends weren't people who had worked their way to where they were. The rest of her friends were privileged and started out that way. Molly started out as someone who had to work, and Lavender is someone who was making it happen, not letting it happen.

Did you see any of yourself in her?
I don't think so. But when I see something, I go for it. I don't sit back and hope that it comes by. I plan and try to make it happen. If it doesn't, I know it wasn't for me.

Did you land this role off the strength of your performance in 'Dreamgirls,' or was it already in the works?
It was not in the works, but I don't think it had anything to do with 'Dreamgirls' because it wasn't out yet. When I auditioned, it was before the premiere.

I've heard you tell the story about how when you were starting out as an actress, you were down to your last $20 and booked a big role the next day. Looking back on it, what was the significance of that in your life?
I think those things happen to remind you that there is a greater plan -- that the universe works in ways to protect you and facilitate your growth if you don't fight against it. I think that whenever those things happen in life, that it's a reminder of God and a greater purpose -- whatever God is to you. You can't make everything happen. Sometimes, you have to do the best you can and allow things to fall into place. When I look back on my career, I find that things always turn out right, and right is not always what I thought it would be.

Has you career taken a different direction now that -- as an actor -- you've "arrived," so to speak?
That's so funny because I don't think of myself as having "arrived." (Laughs) It's an honor for other people to think so. But I'm still auditioning and still working at being an actor. I was just in this huge movie. 'Dreamgirls' was a major hit. And before you step into something like that, you think everything is going to change. But everything doesn't change. (Laughs) You get a lot more free sunglasses, but you are still working.

Did you feel overlooked by all the hype that went to Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce? I think, at times, people forgot that the movie featured a trio.
You know, there were times when it felt crappy. I'm not going to lie. There were times when I would see my picture somewhere with my name under my picture, and nobody would even mention after that moment that I was even in the movie. (Laughs) I was like, "Damn! Maybe I'm not in it. Maybe they cut me out." There were those moments, but I'm really happy with the work that I did. It was an amazing experience.

And what has the response been from fans?
I've gotten mail from all over the world, like South Africa and Japan -- people telling me how touched they were by the movie and Lorelle's story and what she went through. I got an e-mail from a young woman who said that watching Lorelle kept her from taking her life. That sounds really melodramatic when I say that, but that's honestly what the letter said. That's so much more important -- that someone could feel inspired enough by a character. That means that people really believed what I did and it allowed them to find inspiration.

Is it true you were just cast as the lead in Disney's upcoming movie, 'The Princess and the Frog'?
You know, I don't even know if I can say. Nothing is really set in stone yet. If I got it, I would love to scream at you with excitement right now. I'll have to call you back to let you know. When you check your voicemail and hear, "AAAHHH!," that will be me. Doing a voice for Disney has been a dream of mine since I was a child. [Editor's Note: True to her word, Anika called back a few weeks after this interview, happily screaming that she had, in fact, landed the role.]

Right, especially a part like that -- giving voice to Disney's first black princess.
That is really special to me -- aside from what it means to everyone else. My nephew is one year old and he will get to see a princess that looks like someone in his family. It's just amazing.

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