Tracee Ellis Ross wasn’t recognized during ‘Blackish’ audition

[TMC]

http://pagesix.com/2017/10/10/tracee...ium=SocialFlow

Despite being the daughter of a musical icon with a hit TV show under her belt, Tracee Ellis Ross claims she wasn’t recognized when auditioning for “Blackish.”

“It was very humbling,” she told the crowd during a Paleyfest panel at the Paley Center for Media on Monday night. “I had to audition, it’s part of the job, I understand that, but there were a lot of people who were unaware of my work, which is fine.”

Ross, the 44-year-old daughter of Diana Ross, starred in “Girlfriends” from 2000 to 2008.

“I thought ‘Girlfriends’ was going to open up the pearly gates of Hollywood,” she admitted to panel moderator, Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief, Elaine Welteroth.

But during a voiceover audition for her hit ABC show, Ross recalled the sound technician — who claimed to know everyone in the business — was shocked at how funny she was.

“He’s like ‘I mean, you are just funny! Where have you been?’ and I’m like ‘I was on a show called ‘Girlfriends,’ and he goes ‘But it wasn’t on like network television,’ and I was like ‘Yeah, it was,’ he goes ‘But it wasn’t a comedy,’ I was like ‘Yeah, it was’ and he goes ‘Well you weren’t like a lead’ and I was like ‘Yeah, I was’ and, it just went on and on,” she told the crowd.

Three years later Ross has won a Golden Globe for her performance as Rainbow Johnson; a success she attributes to both the authenticity of the ABC show and herself.

“I don’t know if relatable is really the goal, but honest is usually the intention behind things and [being] authentic and sort of true to what is in my heart,” she said told Page Six before heading into the event. “I think its also what our show does incredibly well.”

“We’re not trying to make anyone laugh,” she explained. “We’re not trying to teach any lessons, but instead we’re being honest and true to what the characters are to this family and to this very singular point of view, that is not really expressed on television all the time.”