Hello Nicole, how are you?
I’m good, how are you doing?
I am good. I’m very excited to interview you. You are so intriguing to me.
Oh really? Well thank you.
The reason I say that, is because I don’t know much about you. I Googled you and there isn’t a lot about you before Eddie Murphy. So, where did you grow up?
I grew up in Sacramento, CA.
What type of kid were you growing up?
I was really quiet and shy. I have 3 brother and no sisters. My mom is from England, she’s this little white British woman and my dad is black. They met over in London, they got married and came over to Sacramento, CA. I was more or less a tomboy because I hung out with my brothers and I always wanted to be with them.
Were you ever a model?
Yes, I started modeling when I was like 12 or 13. I entered a teen contest and was 1st runner up. I won a scholarship to a modeling school called Mannequin Manor in Sacramento. So that’s how I got into modeling. They entered me into a contest in New York. I didn’t take it seriously, but I won the whole competition. I won a contract with Ford Modeling Agency then I ended up going to back and forth to Europe. I was all over the place, that’s when I met Eddie.
That was my next question. Where did you meet Eddie Murphy?
We met at an event at the NAACP Image Awards.
Were you familiar with him at the time you met him?
Oh yeah, I knew who he was.
Was it love at first sight?
Not at first sight, you know. I thought, “Oh that’s Eddie Murphy.” Back then I thought, “He probably gets a lot of girls.”
How did you two become a couple?
Well, basically, we exchanged numbers and he would have me come visit him. That happened for like a year or so. Then eventually I ended up getting pregnant with Bria. I was still living in Sacramento, but eventually it all just fell into place.
While you were with Eddie did you ever do an interview?
No, I was more or less quiet.
Did you ever want to have your own image in entertainment?
No, I never even thought about it back then. I was content with who I was.
Once you separated from Eddie, what did you do for work?
I started a jewelry line called FLP it means Friendship, Love, & Peace with a girlfriend of mine. Now, I’m also working on a clothing line called Open Hours.
Why did you decide that you want to be on a reality show now?
I was asked so many times to appear on different reality shows and I always turned them down. When this one was brought to me, it was interesting because it involved other girlfriends of mine. So I thought that actually might be fun. I talked it over with Michael and I thought, why not.
I love you & Michael Strahan as a couple. You seem so much more happier with him, is that the case?
I’m happy and I was happy when I was with my ex-husband. I have five beautiful babies, so I can’t complain about any of that. I’m in a happy place as well with Michael. The main misconception about me is that people expect me to be this stuck up ice queen, but when people get to know me they say, “You’re really cool and down to Earth.”
So, do you think you can be yourself in front of the cameras?
It is funny, because when you do get to know me, I’m the girl that can go down to the hood and hang out with the hood people and I can go to the White House and hang out there.
Were you upset with Mayte when she threw the glass at Jessica in the restaurant?
If you look at the footage I was really in shock! I was laughing in disbelief that that was even happening. If I’m upset about something I’ll talk about it, not act out my anger. I’m not accustomed to people throwing things, but people handle their anger differently.
Reference:
- https://www.tocsinmag.com
