La La Anthony Loves Her Life

Former MTV VJ La La Anthony is juggling many roles these days. She has her own reality show on VH1, La La’s Full Court Life, which follows her daily life as she moves back to New York City after her husband, Carmelo Anthony, is traded to the New York Knicks. She will soon be seen in the film Think Like a Man and is currently part of the rotating cast of Nora and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore at the Westside Theatre. TheaterMania caught up with Anthony to speak about her stage debut, her personal take on fashion, and seeing shows with her son.

THEATERMANIA: How did this role come about?
LA LA ANTHONY: I’m expanding into acting, and I wanted to show people that I am credible and that I know what I am doing. When I heard that Love, Loss, and What I Wore was looking for new people, I went in and auditioned. Theater is the perfect medium.

TM: Are you finding theater different from television?
LA: Absolutely. It is completely different. I was speaking with my friend, Ciara, about this today. It is such a great feeling you get from the audience. You feel the energy. The hustle and bustle backstage right before show time is incredible.

TM: The production is currently celebrating its two-year anniversary Off-Broadway. What do you think keeps this show going?
LA: Women can relate to this show. There is a story everyone can relate to. My cousin, a breast cancer survivor, came to see it, and there is a story about breast cancer. My husband didn’t stop laughing from beginning to end. I expect to see him in the audience a couple of more times!

TM: How would you describe your personal style?
LA: For me, every day is different. It all depends on how I’m feeling. If it’s a day where I feel great in sweats, I can make that style fun and look good.

TM: If you had to create your own monologue for the show, what item of clothing or accessory would you talk about?
LA: Actually, one of the monologues I have is about shoes and deciding whether to wear heels or flats. That’s actually something I go through everyday.

TM: Is it true you have designed a shoe for charity?
LA: I did design a shoe for ShoeDazzle and the proceeds went to charity. It was an amazing experience. I was able to put my own design together, and the shoe sold out. I hope to do more of that in the future.

TM: Would you consider developing your own clothing line?
LA: Anything is possible. I’d prefer to start with shoes. I’m actually exploring that right now and will see where it goes.

TM: Who are your fashion icons?
LA: My go-to answer is Jennifer Lopez. I am best friends with Kelly Rowland and Kim Kardashian, and I love being able to raid their closets.
TM: What was the last show you saw on Broadway?
LA: Spider-Man, because of my son. I’ve seen The Lion King more than any human being in America. We have traveled with the cast! I like to expose my son to theater.

TM: Do you think La La’s Full Court Life will return for another season?
LA: I’m not sure yet. It was a bit nerve-wracking in the beginning because you don’t know if people will have an interest in your life, but people are interested. So, I’m very happy. But I want to see where my acting career is going to take me.