ALICIA RANCILIO, Associated Press
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Tracee Ellis Ross says her upcoming role on the ABC comedy “Black-ish” allows her to be who she really is: a biracial woman.
“I am both (black and white) and yet I identify as a black woman,” said the 41-year-old actress Tuesday at the Television Critics Association annual summer press tour. Ross’ parents are singer Diana Ross and music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein.
“It’s really fun for me to actually play a mixed girl on television. I am actually out (pause) as a mixed woman,” she laughed.
On “Black-ish”, Ross is the wife of Anthony Anderson’s character, who worries they’ve lost touch with their ethnicity.
She said their TV marriage is rare because it’s a happy, healthy relationship, rather than dysfunctional.
“The comedy between this couple does not come from them hating each other,” Ross said.
“Black-ish” also stars Laurence Fishburne, who has a role on NBC’s “Hannibal.” Fishburne says he won’t do a full season of either series so he has time for both.
“Black-ish” premieres in September.
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