{"id":49595,"date":"2024-04-15T17:34:06","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T15:34:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=2025441"},"modified":"2024-04-15T19:05:30","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T17:05:30","slug":"marisha-wallace-black-women-are-more-than-just-the-funny-friend","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/marisha-wallace-black-women-are-more-than-just-the-funny-friend\/","title":{"rendered":"Marisha Wallace: \u2018Black women are more than just the funny friend\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

“It’s important and seismic!” <\/p>

By Katelyn Mensah\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 15 April 2024 at 15:34 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Marisha Wallace has been grafting in the theatre world for a decade and in the West End for seven years, which has seen her become a leading lady in the likes of Dreamgirls, Hairspray and, more recently, Guys and Dolls \u2013 which led to an Olivier Award nomination.<\/p>\n

Over the course of her career, Wallace has portrayed a number of different characters, all with different personalities and minds of their own \u2013 something Wallace has made an effort to do in moulding her career as an established West End star.<\/p>\n

In an exclusive chat with RadioTimes.com<\/a>, Wallace explained her reasoning for her different roles, admitting: \u201cI think that my goal is to show, especially Black women, that we have so many different sides to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of just being the typecast \u201cfunny friend\u201d, Wallace wants to show that Black women can be \u201cfunny, sexy, sassy or modest\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Marisha\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Marisha Wallace performing on stage during the Olivier Awards 2024.<\/span><\/figcaption> Jeff Spicer\/Getty Images For SOLT<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

She continued: \u201cI just love bringing so many different dimensions to what they think that we can do. So that\u2019s why I challenge myself to try new roles, and Adelaide pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way \u2013 but also incorporated the things I knew.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really love doing that and just breaking down those barriers and those walls. That\u2019s my goal in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wallace\u2019s portrayal of Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls saw her receive her second Olivier nomination. In a previous interview with Metro<\/a>, Wallace explained she was given the chance to \u201cchange\u201d how Adelaide can be viewed in theatre.<\/p>

She added: \u201cI\u2019ve never seen a major production that\u2019s had a Black Adelaide. So when this opportunity came around, I was like, \u2018Oh my gosh, I have the chance to change the type [of person] this role is usually done by.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans recently saw Wallace living it up in the Celebrity Big Brother<\/a> house, during which she found out she had been nominated for the Oliviers.<\/p>\n

Speaking of that moment, Wallace told RadioTimes.com<\/strong>: \u201cI think that was what I was really most proud of, to bring some light to our theatre community and show that we\u2019re here.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important and seismic!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Olivier Awards took place on Sunday 14th April 2024 at the Royal Albert Hall.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Visit our TV Guide<\/a> and Streaming Guide<\/a> to find out what\u2019s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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