Just in time for Spook SZN, we sat down with multi-talented actress/producer, Denise Boutte. The Meet the Browns lead actress is now starring alongside Master P, in the thriller, #Unknown which is now streaming on Amazon Prime. We sat with Denise to learn a little more about the intense film and what the starlet has in store.
Jasmyne: First things First, here at SwagHer Magazine, we’re clearly big on swag, so we’d love for you to describe your SwagHer, what that means to you, how do you express it?
Denise: Well, I’m definitely not going to use it in clothing; my daughter told me the other day that I live in yoga pants (Thank you COVID for doing that!)- So I’d say that’s probably not my swag, fashion-wise. But I would say I’m just an easy-going girl. I’m a loner and the voice of reason. So I guess you would call that my swag, just going with the flow – simplistic.
Jasmyne: You have an amazing catalog – 15 years STRONG in the game, to be exact! From your role as the sweet, nurturing Sasha Brown in Meet the Browns, to the not so sweet, notorious frenemy Trina, in Why Did I Get Married?! — (Expound: In the meme pop culture era, have you come across some of the funny digs at your shady character, Trina?!)
Denise: All the time! People will tag me in posts; in fact, somebody did it not that long ago. Anytime there’s a reference to Trina, [people are like] “I’m still mad at Trina for what she did to Shelia!” For me, it’s so flattering, I used to get cussed out from time to time, and I’d just be like, “Thank you”! For you to still be passionate about this. I’m happy that I’m still top of mind in some way. Such a compliment. Oh, and wait! I’ve heard that Tyler is possibly doing a Why Did I Get Married 3, so y’all need to tell him you need some Trina up in there!
Jasmyne: It’s clear you have tremendous range, so a thriller doesn’t seem out of reach for you to tackle. And just in time for Spooky SZN, you teamed up with the incomparable legend, Master P, who, along with his son Romeo produced the thriller/mystery #Unknown that debuted earlier this month on Amazon Prime. (Definitely adding to my Halloween movie List)! Tell me how the casting for this film came about and your character, Helen Rawlings?
Denise: Well, you know what LazRael (the director) was like “wow, I knew you had it in you, but whoa!” And I’m like thank you! So obviously, I made him a believer on the first movie [that he directed, produced by P Miller & Romeo], which was Never and Again and was a phenomenal experience. [At the wrap party] I got to have a dialogue with, P and I’d see him at Saints games, and the commonality was Louisiana. He was always cordial, always sweet, so once we got to work together, it was like a homegirl, homeboy kind of effect. I think that unto itself made us really cool with one another, so when the opportunity came up. Laz’ and I said we definitely want to work together again! It was really great to work together. I’m a DA, P’s a mayor, and Laz’ pretty much let us make it our own. P’s very insulting to me in here, basically. You can tell we both shady!
Jasmyne: From the trailer, and like most backstories in Horror/mystery films, there’s always an element of revenge that drives the evil entity. Without giving too much away, what does that look like in this film?
Denise: What’s so cool about it is that we have seeds that are dropped within the movie. We didn’t know the whole theme. There’s a bigger story to come. Laz’ wouldn’t tell us entirely. We only got our roles and our scenes. A lot of the movie was actually surprising to ME. I haven’t seen anything like this before, call me slow, but I didn’t put a lot of the pieces together until, like, three quarters in to it because you’re scared out of your mind. There’s a lot of CGI that comes out of nowhere – so it is perfect for Halloween. I was just like, “whoa, I don’t think I want to be in Laz’s mind ’cause this is some twisted sh*t”! So it’s very unexpected, and it’s a journey. In the end, you’re still left on the edge of your seat. It’s a thrill ride!
Jasmyne: In your personal opinion, why do you think the representation of Black actors and actresses isn’t more prevalent in this genre of film?
Denise: Black people don’t like to be scared. We are already scared! I think it’s great when we can live it vicariously through characters, but I like inspiration.
Jasmyne: So the film’s premise is the main character, Michael receiving jarring calls from the “unknown.” Ever got a call & wondered, “who dis”?!
Denise: Girl, if you’re not in my contacts, you are NOT getting answered. You’re going straight to voicemail, period! The only thing I would say that are kind of freaky are my DM’s, because you don’t know who the hell they are! They either have nothing in their profiles, it’s usually set to private, and the photos that they put up probably aren’t them, so that’s the only thing that’s #unknown and.. *sits back in shock*
Jasmyne: I know you’re a “Weeziana Girl,” and the culture in Louisiana, specifically in the Creole community, has long been associated with voodoo and this kind of suspenseful – black magic, potion filled culture. What stereotypes can you debunk about the beautiful Creole culture?
Denise: There’s a positive and negative to all of it. And honestly, a lot of it came from religion. There are certain things that we do or originate from that practice, but again, it’s all in how you use it. Now, I’m not saying I use voodoo and all of that. Personally, I haven’t witnessed some of the more extreme things, but I firmly believe certain supernatural [practices], like picks in your hair to stop a nose bleed, certain teas people do for your immune system. A lot of is based in scientific fact, but when you sensationalize it, embellish it and give it another name. Then it becomes something different. But, yeah…that sh**t’s real!
Jasmyne: Any Halloween traditions, pumpkin patches, costume parties, haunted houses?
Denise: My daughter wanted to go to a haunted house! And I’m like, “Baby, you gotta wait on your daddy for that one, mama can’t hang!” [But] I’ll go trick-or-treating in the neighborhood!
Jasmyne: Favorite horror/mystery film?
Denise: Still to this day, what freaks me out is Fredy Krueger. Between Candy Man (I ain’t ‘gone say it three times!) and that Freddy, that still scares the crap out of me! I will never look at that by myself or at night.
Jasmyne: What can your fans anticipate next from you?
Denise: I love the work of acting, of being on camera. I’m in a place where if an opportunity is presented, my God, I will be more than happy to walk through and take it, but on the other side, I like control. So I have aligned myself with a team of people with which we as a team can control our own destiny, in that we have our own projects that we are pitching and getting deals for. Producing for me seems like a natural fit. It feels good. I do my “Weeziana Wednesdays” show at 9 pm [on live every Wednesday]. I have my spice line, “Weeziana Girl Spices,” and we have another product we’re going to introduce [as a test run] soon. I’ll be in the movie Angie’s Cure (slated for next year). I’m in season 3 of The Family Business, which airs on BET+ streaming. This girl [her character] is something! And I’ll be in A Rich Christmas, where I play Biel Bellamy’s significant other, really awesome story. And I always forget the voiceover for Young Justice. I’m a superhero! I do [the character] Rocket/Dr. Lynn Pierce.
Jasmyne: On a scale of 1- Super Scurred! How on edge will we be for this film?!
Denise: Super SCURRED! At least I was!
Article Written By: Jasmyne Seed | Hailing from Brooklyn, NY by way of NC, the self proclaimed, “City Slicker with Southern Hospitality” attributes her love for all things creative and eclectic taste, to the many faces and places she’s encountered in her lifetime. After graduating in 2015 with a degree in Fashion Merchandising, she embarked on the entrepreneur route and developed JAS PR, a boutique-style, public relations agency in the fall of 2018. Rallying behind rare gems in the fashion, beauty and non-profit industries, her intent with, JAS PR is to craft compelling stories and campaigns for emerging brands and their owners, that spark awareness and unearth their greatness to the masses. Holding significant support for Black-owned businesses.
Jasmyne lends her communications and writing skills to contribute pieces for publications and blogs, while pursuing other entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavors. In her leisure she’s a foodie, (aspiring) travel buff and 90s sitcom’s binger!
