Tracee Ellis Ross, on October 9, 2018 at The 26th Annual American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater, DTLA. Author Erik Melvin. Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Tracee Ellis Ross


 

Tracee Joy Silberstein was born on October 29, 1972. In professional circles she has adopted the name Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress. She is known for her lead roles in the television series Girlfriends and Black-ish. Unknown to many is that she is the daughter of famous actress and Motown recording artist Diana Ross and music business manager Robert Ellis Silberstein.

An accomplished actor, she is a recipient of 9 NAACP Image Awards among other awards, in a career period spanning 22 years and still going strong with more accomplishments to come. Here are the Top 10 Amazing Facts about Tracee Ellis Ross.

1. Her Real Name Is Tracee Joy Silberstein

Tracee Joy Silberstein. Author Timothy M. Moore at https://www.flickr.com/photos/photocology/. Wikimedia Commons

Born of a Jewish father and African American mother, her real name is Tracee Joy Silberstein, though it is said that her dad dropped Silberstein, meaning the family couldn’t use it as their surname. As she explains, “I really felt strongly that I wanted my father’s name in my name, because everyone knows I’m my mom’s daughter, but I’m also very much my dad’s daughter. And I wanted him, when my name hit a screen, to know that I was also part of him. And so Tracee Ellis Ross it is.”

2. Tracee Is Passionate about Hair

Hair care. Photo by Valeriia Kogan on Unsplash

Regarded in some quarters as one of the most beautiful persons, hair her plays a part of this. She says that since childhood, she really loved her hair and has always taken time to ensure she is on top of things. Initially it was a hobby trying out different things in her hair and soon realized that she could develop something for herself that seemed to be working. This drove her to develop a hair product that could benefit other people also. It soon became a booming business that catapulted her to being famous, building a brand for herself. Tracee is very intentional about using her platform to support black women, and building this business was one way to do so.

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3. Tracee Ellis Ross Loves to Travel Thanks to Her Mum

People would seldom refuse an opportunity to travel around the world. Tracee was not an exception. She was abit lucky to have a mother who was a performing artist. So she always used to tag along to different countries where her mother was performing. She later inherited this from her mother.

Having received her preliminary at a boarding school in Switzerland involved a lot of traveling from the onset. As a teenager flying back and forth alone to her home in Los Angeles taught her independence and how to be her own best friend. In later years she says that traveling is now one of her hobbies and thanks to her career it is a reality.

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4. Her First Time Singing on Screen Was Nerve-Wracking

Her mother was a member of a band. Through following her everywhere in her performances she also developed a passion for singing. She had to jump to the stage to do what she does best and that is performing.

Despite all her achievements, Tracee was still nervous when she took on the role of Grace Davis in the 2020 movie, The High Note. She played the role of Grace, a singing superstar facing challenges in the music industry. She did a good job playing the musical diva, and she also got to realize that she could sing beautifully and better than she thought. The movie got a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes.

5. Despite Being Worth Millions, Tracee Still Believes In Living Within Her Means

It is said that the talented actress is worth a whopping $16 million gained from a decade of hard work in the entertainment industry. But where did all that money come from? One of her the sources of her richness was from featuring on the ABC sitcom Black-ish, where she was paid $200,000 per episode. But she doesn’t squander this money, despite being a self-proclaimed shopaholic. She learned from her mother that just because she wanted something didn’t mean she should have it. So despite being worth millions, Tracee still believes in living within her means.

6. Apart From Establishing Herself In The Fashion Industry, She Is also An Accomplished Actor

 After working in the fashion industry as a model and fashion editor where she established herself as a brand, she has also spread her tentacles in the entertainment industry as an actor. Her on-screen first appearance was in the film Far Harbor, playing a black Jewish woman named Kiki. She got the job because, as she explains, “it was Marcia Gay Harden and Jennifer Connelly and they were looking for a black Jewish girl. That was me.” Just look at this throwback Tracee posted in all its ‘90s glory:

7. She Has Also Appeared In Two Kanye West Music Videos

Kanye West Coke Live Festival. Author Piotr Drabik. Wikimedia Commons

After making her big-screen debut in 1996, playing a Jewish/African-American, her popularity was on the rise and interestingly, she was accorded an opportunity to appear in two Kanye West music videos, “The New Workout Plan” and “Touch the Sky”. In this music video she played the role of the best friend of Kanye’s ex.

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8. She Looks Upto Michelle Obama As An Inspiration

Michelle Obama. Author Lawrence Jackson. Wikimedia Commons

And she looks to Michelle Obama as an inspiration. Eight years of watching Michelle Obama as a person, not just relegated to doing ‘woman things,’ provided an antidote to all the false representations of black women that have inundated us for centuries.

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9. Her Instagram Is Eye-Catching

 For any style inspiration, just turn to Tracee’s Instagram. Her bio reads “Actively compassionate advocate for freedom, equity and joy, culture of beauty expander…” and oh does her Instagram expand our style horizons and bring us JOY. As this ManRepeller article sagely puts it: “In addition to being an actor/comedian/model/black girls activist/author of a children’s book that explains sexual harassment to men/natural hair advocate/professional pep-talk giver/daughter of Diana/fun aunt to everyone on Earth including her elders, Tracee has Style. The proper noun version. Her Instagram, which you should follow, is a parade of delights…”

10. She Was Awarded An Honorary Doctorate In 2015

In 2015, Brown awarded her an honorary doctorate, “For your original portrayals of interesting and eccentric characters, your willingness to be a mentor and inspiration to young girls, and your continued desire to push the boundaries of imagination in a variety of media, we honor you with the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts…”