A Dash of Stacey

When you think of Stacey Dash, you likely remember her role as Dionne in the teenage comedy, Clueless. But a second thing to clue into is her youthfulness. ‘How does this gorgeous gal still genuinely look like she’s in her 20s, when she’s approaching 43?’

Well, that’s exactly the question I asked her when I spoke to her on the phone last week. She says that her secret to keeping her radiance is to truly focus on being happy. Along with the known preventative measures like eating healthy, exercising, not smoking, drinking lots of water, and using sunscreen, Dash says that happiness is the core for remaining youthful and vibrant. “Being centered is also key for me,” she says.

“I pray to remain centered. I’m a Catholic Christian, and when I pray I feel like I’m close to God,” she says. Her faith helps her to maintain balance. When she doesn’t pray she says that she feels frazzled.

Stacey Dash was born in the Bronx, New York, on January 20, 1966 and grew up in New York. It was her father, a Bajan from Barbados, who gave her the Catholic upbringing that she seeks solace in today. Her mother is Blackfoot Native American and Aztec, and gave her a more earthy form of spirituality, one that believed in the influences of good and evil spirits.

 While growing up, she learned from both of these worlds and attended Native American pow wows with her mother and her immediate family. Her family is currently researching their family tree, so she hopes to gain more knowledge about her Indigenous roots.

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Dionne (Stacey Dash) and Cher (Alicia Silverstone) in Clueless

The roots of her career can be traced to other impressive pursuits, with some of her earliest roles including debuts on The Cosby Show and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, as well as opposite Damon Wayans in Mo’ Money. But the role that brought her fame was when she played a 16-year-old Dionne Davenport while she was actually in her late 20s.

Dash fondly remembers her time on that film. “It was so much fun, with literally everyone being in the right place at the right time,” she says. As for any hopes of a Clueless 2, she quickly dashed them. “There’s no Clueless 2,” she says straight up. 

Cher (Alicia Silverstone), Tai (Brittany Murphy), and Dionne (Stacey Dash) in Clueless

 She did stay in contact with Brittany Murphy after the filming of the original classic, but hadn’t been in touch with her for a while before her passing in December 2009. “It was shocking, tragic, and very sad,” she says. She learned of the news while she was working with a Catholic church, giving bikes away to homeless children. She said it took her about twenty minutes for the news to settle in. “It was a bittersweet moment,” she says.

One of the photos from her Playboy shoot at the age of 40.

 

A moment that will forever be encapsulated in the public’s memory is her shoot for Playboy at the age of 40. When the magazine approached her she was excited and wanted to do it. After gaining permission from her then 17-year-old son, she went ahead with it. “I’m proud of my body and comfortable with myself,” she says. To keep that fit body, Dash works out consistently to keep herself not only in physical shape but also too maintain her positive mental state. She points to the wonders of natural endorphins.

Next week is her 43rd birthday and her girlfriends are planning the whole affair. She hopes to spend it dancing the night away. The longer term plan is a bold move toward taking her film destiny into her own hands, as she sets her sights on producing film and television. “I’m being proactive, instead of waiting around for someone to call,” she says.

Stay tuned for her next movie, House Arrest, a dramedy which casts her as a high-maintenance girl who meets a money scheming man, played by The Game. Omaha Native American actor Rodney Grant will also be featured in this flick, so be sure to keep a sharp eye out for it this summer.

by Lisa Charleyboy from Urban Native Girl Stuff