Tia Mowry

Tia Mowry

When they grow up without one, little girls often long for a sister. The close relationship shared by actresses (and identical twins) Tia and Tamera Mowry is the embodiment of all those dreams, and America has borne witness for two decades now — ever since the 1994 debut of their popular sitcom, “Sister, Sister.”

They have since gone on to star in a number of projects, including a reality show that showcased their unbreakable bond, a role for Tia on the BET hit “The Game,” and Tamera’s central role on the group-hosted talk show “The Real.” That unstoppable drive has now led Tia to her newest endeavor: creative force behind (and star of) the Nickelodeon series “Instant Mom,” now in its second season.

“I think every project that I have done really reflects where I am in my life organically,” she said in an exclusive interview with Las Vegas Black Image. “I should say, I only like to do things that I am extremely passionate about. While I was doing ‘Sister, Sister’ for six years, it was amazing. I was in college at the time, and some of the storylines involved me going to college while I was on the show. I acted on ‘The Game’ for five years, and I felt really privileged to play a character that was not perfect. It was a real character that any other actor might have judged — because my character went through her insecurities, jealousies and heartbreak. She was a smart, educated woman — a real person.”

Today, on the Nickelodeon series, which airs Thursdays at 8 p.m., “I play a mom on the show and I am a mom in real life also,” says Mowry. “I play a character who becomes a mother of three children, because her doctor husband had three children prior. My character is a fashionable mom who traded her cosmos in for carpools. It has ‘Cosby Show’ [style] family humor, and it’s not just for children. The whole family will enjoy it. It’s a very positive show.”

With her ever-present energetic tone, it should come as no surprise that Tia is fearless in the pursuit of uncharted territory. After graduating from Pepperdine University with a degree in psychology, she jaunted around the globe and got to know herself much better.

“I traveled around the world after I graduated from college, and it was a great experience and I discovered that I loved to act,” she said. “The reality show Tamera and I did was a great way to show our fans how we live our lives. But at the same time, it also was a crutch — because when people see you in reality shows, they think they are seeing all of you. The truth of it is that the viewer only sees snippets of your life and not all of your life.”

The true reality of Tia’s life: Like her sister, she is a mother, wife and businesswoman. Staying focused, no matter what she is doing, is the key to her success.

“I really don’t believe in a balance in life,” she said. “There are days when I spend 80 percent of my time on my son, and 20 percent of my time on my career. And there are times when I spend 60 percent of my time on my career and 40 percent on my son. I have clear priorities that include my family, my husband, my son, my health, my happiness, peace, and my relationship with God. This is not in any particular order, but these are my priorities — and when I tap into them, I can enjoy what I do. Whatever I am working on at the time, I give 110 percent. I stay in the moment of whatever it is I am engaged in. If I am going to the park with my son, I give it 110 percent of my attention. If I go to the restaurant with my husband, that too has 110 percent of my attention. I try to stay in the moment of my life.”

With millions of young women still dreaming of following her career path, Tia offers this advice: “Make sure it is something that you really want to do, and without necessarily getting paid. This business is really hard. There is more rejection than there are actual bookings of acting jobs. Many people think that an acting career is full of glitz and glamour, but it is very hard work. Make sure that you have a passion for acting, and do not allow this business to define who you are. This business is very fickle, and one day you are in and another day you might be out. Don’t come into the business trying to find who you are as a person, because it will tear you apart. Perfect your acting craft and participate in plays and other productions to gain experience. But most of all, have fun.”