A conversation with Pam Grier
Grier holds talks and signings tonight at Outwrite Books at 5 p.m. and Borders Buckhead at 7:30 p.m.
Pam Grier is a tough and beautiful actress who, for nearly 40 years, has successfully managed the turbulent thrill ride of maintaining a career in Hollywood. Beginning with her fierce portrayals of determined women fighting to bring change to their communities in 1970s action films such as Coffey, Foxy Brown, and Get Sheba Baby, to her recent roles on groundbreaking shows including the Showtime series, “The L World” and “Smallville” (on the CW), Grier has played a range of roles that embody the various personalities of modern women.
Currently on tour promoting her new memoir, Foxy Lady: My Life in 3 Stages (Hachette Books), the iconic diva is in Atlanta this week for multiple book signings: Grier holds talks and signings tonight at Hammonds House Museum from 6:30-8 p.m.; and tomorrow at Outwrite Books at 5 p.m. and Borders Buckhead at 7:30 p.m.
What was your motivation for writing your autobiography?
I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to tell my story and reveal who I am to my fans. I also wanted to set the record straight regarding the triumphs and heartaches of my life and career. It took me over a year to complete because I wanted to get everything out, but with much encouragement, I finally did.
How did you deal with becoming a sex symbol and cultural icon after Foxy Brown?
My work as an actress has represented the next stage in a continuum that began with other women like Josephine Baker, Lena Being, Dorothy Dandridge, Ruby Dee and Diahann Carroll. Being a sex symbol is a perception — a label that other people have assigned to who I am. For me it’s just a hat that I use for work, but that image was never the perception that I had of my work. My image has had a different meaning to different people and would in fact be considered almost conservative today.
Which incarnation of “Pam Grier” have you liked the most?
All of them. I am a character actor and as such I do not wish to be the same in every film. I invested a lot in all of my parts, but I am attracted to work that pushes me further. I feel like my career is still evolving.