Exclusive Q & A + Fashion Editorial With Salt-N-Pepa Star GG Townson

In GG We Trust.

A Discussion with Lifetime’s Actress GG Townson

As GG walked into the studio for our shoot I was struck but her glowing skin and radiant smile. She was striking in person, effortlessly stylish even as she entered the down town studio and definitely ready to rock and roll. Her aura was bubbly with a hint of LA home grown assurance. We were thrilled to be in her presence.

The camera clicked and GG lowered her chin striking a sassy fun pose. Our shoot was going well. As time passed, at one point everyone on set began to receive a barrage of texts. There was trouble in the capital. A larger than life political event (that would be later termed the Captial Riot by many) was unfolding in the middle of our shoot.

At a time where many have become uncertain; the arts and some of our favorite entertainers have become a beacon of light and relief from dreary news headlines and unprecedented events. Celebrities are of course normal like every day people and are also living against the backdrop of new world that has seemed to be slightly off tilt since the pandemic began. For many of us, they are a lifeline providing us with stories, narrative and art that reminds of the normalcy of human interaction. Safe in our homes we watch them; often mirroring our emotions and allowing us to travel down roads of nostalgia to times we miss.

The experience on the set of Salt-N-Pepa was amazing. It went beyond living my dream to be a lead in a project and playing such an iconic person.

As Lifetime’s Salt-N-Pepa biopic flashed into televisions across the nation, the amazing performance given by GG made one thing clear—In GG We Trust. We can trust her to deliver. Townson gave us an entertaining romp across a story that most of us are familiar with but eager to see it depicted on the screen. Her sassiness and warm smile made her the perfect pick to play the legendary Cheryl “Salt” James alongside actress Laila Odom.

The story chronicles the journey of Queensborough Community College students Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton as they enter the world of rap and hip-hop after recording a song for their friend Hurby Azor. -Urban Bridgez

GG stretched her wings at a young age by sharing her love of performing with family and friends

I originally got into acting by way of my grandfather. I was the child that was always playing dress-up and entertaining my parents and their friends. So because my grandfather was already in the entertainment industry, my mom expressed to him my interest in the arts and he introduced me to his agent at the time and he signed me. That’s how I got my start.

GG has blossomed into an actress that is both talented and captivating. The actress shares interesting moments about her rise to fame and also gives us a glimpse at the mindset required to stay the course. She has certainly arrived; cementing her place officially as a hallmark name in the industry.

Cachet had a lovely time interviewing GG and learning more about what makes her tick and her pathway into acting. Check out our exclusive interview below:

When did you first start acting and how has your journey been as an actor?

I first started acting when I was seven years old. My first job was a Disney commercial. My journey as an actor has been good overall so far. There were moments where I chose to take a step back from acting to evaluate if this was something that I actually wanted to do, and without me even trying, acting found its way back to me.

Tell us a bit about your family or background:

I am the youngest in my family and I have two older brothers. I am slightly spoiled but not rotten. Entertainment runs through my family. My grandfather, Ronald Townson, was a singer in The Fifth Dimension. I chose the path of acting, while one of my older brothers chose the path of writing and producing music.

Who what inspires you?

My mom is actually the person that inspires me. She always taught me that the way you do one thing is the way you do everything. She instilled in me to strive for my best no matter what it is that I do. That is one of my core values thanks to my mom.

What are your upcoming projects?

I booked a recurring role on season 3 of the The CW’s All American. I play an artist in this project as well, and I’m really excited to see where this character’s storyline goes. You might love her and you might hate her.

What do you enjoy most about your experience with filming Salt-N-Pepa?

I enjoyed the life lessons from Cheryl and Sandy’s personal stories, but also the skills as an actor that I gained working with the director Mario Van Peebles.

How did you face any challenges?

I would say one of the biggest challenges that I have faced as an actor so far is learning to let go of the auditions after it is over. It’s so easy to get caught up in thinking that a role is for you to the point where if you don’t get it you’ll end up feeling terrible about it. I know because I used to be there. I have now adopted the saying “what’s for you will be for you.” I know that as long as I do my best that’s all that can be expected. I just have to release it, and if it comes back to me, it was meant for me.

What are you currently watching?

I’m currently re-watching Once Upon a Time, which happens to be my favorite show.

Favorite books:

My favorite book is the Secret by Rhonda Byrne.

How have you collaborated with others on social media?

I have collaborated with people on social media by doing sketches with other artist in the city. I also recently did a fitness challenge with some women that I met through Instagram.

How was the experience on set with the cast and crew of Salt-N-Pepa?

The experience on the set of Salt-N-Pepa was amazing. It went beyond living my dream to be a lead in a project and playing such an iconic person. I loved each one of my cast mates. Our cast and crew really bonded into a little family to the point that, even when we weren’t at work, we were still seeing each other. Cast and crew members went out multiple times during filming. I literally couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

You have acted alongside major actors and actresses. What lessons have you learned from them?

One lesson that I have learned from veteran actors is to give my best performance on set, but then after the performance is said and done, there’s literally nothing I can control after that point. Stay out of the comments on social media because you can’t please everybody, and if you were proud of your work that is all that matters.

Have you had fans recognize you in public and how does that play out?

I actually haven’t had anybody recognize me in public yet, which is kind of nice. I love hearing from my fans, but I still like to be able to move around without being stopped. I know once that time comes it’s going to be an experience to say the least.

What would be the ideal collaboration for you and who within the industry would it involve?

An ideal collaboration for me would be remaking the famous Cleopatra movie, which originally started Elizabeth Taylor. I would play Cleopatra and it would be directed by Ava Duvernay.

Who would be a dream of yours to work with in a television show or movie?

I would love to work with Kerry Washington! I love her work and the career that she has built over the years is something that I want to model my career after. I would also love the opportunity to work with Johnny Depp, I think he is an amazing actor and his range is undeniable. As far as a comedic actor, Vince Vaughn hands-down is the best in my book…dry comedy is everything for me.

What is a lesson learned while being in the industry?

One in particular lesson I have learned in this industry that has stood out lately is that you can’t please everyone. As long as you do great work and do what you were hired to do, the rest is out of your hands.

How have you coped with the pandemic this year? What do you miss the most? What message do you have for a lot of readers who may be struggling with feeling isolated from their peers, friends and normal life routines?

To deal with the pandemic, I had to get into a routine in order to stay sane. My village, which is what I call my friends and family, helped me maintain a schedule while being in the house.

For example, my friends and I would wake up in the morning get on Zoom and work out. Then, depending on what day it was, we would do Spanish classes together, or whatever personal work needed to be done that could be done from the house. We read books together and discussed them every night and even watched things on Netflix together just so it seemed like we still had a bit of normalcy within the pandemic.

One thing I miss the most is actually going bowling. In 2019 and early 2020 I really discovered my enjoyment for going to the bowling alley, and as quickly as I found enjoyment was as quickly as it was gone. So, in a nutshell, appreciate things while you have them because you don’t know when they won’t be there anymore. And that goes the same for people as well.

What did you do to boost your confidence when you were seeking to make your mark in the industry?

For me, it just helped knowing that within this industry what’s for you will be for you. As long as you do your best work, the opportunities will come.

What would you tell yourself at 16?

I would tell myself: Don’t think that you have to make a choice about what you want to do. If you want to do it all, do it all and don’t listen to anyone telling you that you have to pick one or the other.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In five years I see myself continuing to build my body of work, being a lead on a hot new television series, owning my first home, and really some of my passion projects to life.

What is your favorite movie of all time and why?

My favorite movie of all time is called The 10th Kingdom. It actually premiered as a series back in the late 90’s if I’m not mistaken, but by time I got introduced to it—it had been edited into a six-hour movie. That was actually one of the first DVD’s I purchased for myself.

Do the work. Do not take a shortcut, don’t be concerned with someone else’s journey…their journey is their journey. Don’t compromise your values or your self-worth for this industry, nine times out of ten you will regret it in the end.
-GG Townson gets candid and offers heartfelt advice to young artist and entertainers looking to get into the entertainment industry.

Which is your favorite app and why? Tik Tok or Instagram?!

By default I have to say that Instagram is my favorite app but that’s because I don’t have TikTok. I enjoy sharing things with my followers on Instagram.

If you could pass on one message to your fans what message would that be?

The one message that I would pass on to my fans would be, I appreciate you guys for being fans of mine! I still feel like I’m just normal, same old GG so it’s just really humbling to have fans and I just appreciate every second of it

Keep up with all things GG Townson via her Instagram page @GGTownson!