Singer, actress, and "Dancing With the Stars" alum Brandy Norwood is back again on Season 4 of "Drop Dead Diva." She first appeared in Season 3, playing Elisa Shayne, an ex-girlfriend of J. Parker's, who as it turned out is the mother of his young son. Of course, this all came as a surprise to Parker. She's back for two more episodes this season. The first aired on June 24 and the second will play out on July 8. In a recent conference call interview Norwood discussed her character on the show and why she can relate to her.
Brandy Norwood Was Bitten By the Acting Bug Again.
Norwood got her start on TV in the '90s in series like "Thea" and "Moesha." But when her recording career skyrocketed, television and movies were put on the back burner. She said that a few years ago, when the acting bug bit her again, she contacted Craig Zadan who had directed her in "Cinderella" and is the creator of "Drop Dead Diva." He gave her a copy of the series. She recalled, "I fell in love with the show, and they wrote the character Elisa Shane for me. I relate to her so much in so many different ways, and I'm just happy they gave me the great opportunity to be a part of such a great show and a great cast."
Brandy Norwood Relates to Her 'Drop Dead Diva' Character.
Norwood has a lot in common with her "Diva" character. To start with, they both became moms at a very young age, and she understands the demands of motherhood. She also has had her shares of ups and downs that make playing Elisa a little easier.
The actress remarked, "Priorities mean everything to me in my life. I relate to her in that way. I've been through a lot in my life. I've struggled. I've gone through so many different things to pull from to prepare for this kind of a character."
When viewers first met Elisa she was still broken-hearted over Parker and was keeping their son a secret from him. Norwood admitted to knowing what it's like to have a relationship gone wrong, giving her another common bond with her character. She understands why Elisa is hesitant to get involved with Parker again, but deep down she knows it's what's best for her son. Plus, she might still be a little bit in love with him, which always gets complicated.
She remarked, "Like all women out there who've had their heart broken, sometimes they're afraid to try again and trust the same person that actually broke their heart. And that's never good when you have a child together."
Norwood professed that she loves the character and is, in fact, inspired by her. As a nurse she had dedicated her life to helping people and would go to the ends of the earth for her son, two qualities the actress admires. "I just love the love that she has for her son. And so to see her go after what she wants as well as take care of her child to the best of her ability is amazing to see."
Brandy Norwood Has a Plan for Season 5 of 'Diva.'
And while Norwood has only two guest spots this season, and there is no discussion yet of any appearances in Season 5, Norwood has an idea brewing. Since the show often incorporates musical numbers and since the star of the series, Brooke Elliott, is also a singer, she has a little bribe to propose. Elliott can sing a duet with Norwood on her next album if Elisa is written into a musical number in Season 5. Sounds like a fair trade, no?
Watch Norwood on "Drop Dead Diva" on Sunday, July 8 at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST on Lifetime.
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