Vivica Fox biography

"I ran into this guy on Sunset Boulevard," she says. "He was like, 'Are you an actress?' I said 'No.' He told me, 'You've got a really good look and you should try acting.' I thought he was trying to hit on me at first because you know how these devils out here are. But Trevor Walton was legit,

and I fell into it."

Fox's first role was a television commercial for Clearasil. Months of rejection then followed before she made her TV show debut in 1988 with a recurring role on the ABC drama China Beach. Fox followed that with a role on the popular daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives and a bit part as a prostitute in Oliver Stone's 1989 Vietnam War film, Born on the Fourth of July. Fox slowly graduated to roles on more popular prime-time shows. She made appearances on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1991), Beverley Hills, 90210 (1991) and Family Matters (1992), and then landed a starring role as Patti LaBelle's daughter on the NBC sitcom Out All Night (1992-1993).

Mainstream Success

Nevertheless, Fox was discouraged by her inability to land more prominent film and television roles. "I was getting down to the last call and then sometimes they would pick a person with a bigger name," she remembers. "That's the politics of the business." Fox finally landed the breakout role she coveted opposite Will Smith in the 1996 blockbuster, Independence Day. Fox played Jasmine, a loving mother who works as a stripper at night and becomes the film's heroine when she saves the first lady from an alien invasion. Propelled by the success of Independence Day, Fox landed a series of starring roles in feature films such as Booty Call (1997), Batman & Robin (1997), Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998) and Idle Hands (1999).

Already a potent Hollywood sex symbol, Fox sought to create a more positive image with the 2001 film Two Can Play That Game. Fox portrayed Shanté Smith, an advertising executive and black female professional role model. Fox said, "What we're trying to prove—and we're on a mission with this film—is that you can open up a film with an African-American female and that the images can be positive." Since then, Fox has continued to land prominent film and television roles. Her most notable recent film credits include Juwanna Mann (2002), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Ella Enchanted (2004). Fox's notable television credits include City of Angels (2000), Alias (2004), 1-800 Missing (2004-2006) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2007-2009). Fox also competed on the popular reality dance competition Dancing with the Stars in 2006, and she has hosted the reality TV shows Glam God with Vivica A. Fox (2008) and The Cougar (2009).

Personal Life

Vivica Fox married singer Christopher Harvest (who performs under the name Sixx-Nine) in 1998, and they remained married for four years before divorcing in 2002. Fox also briefly dated the rapper 50 Cent in 2003.