Lex Scott-Davis steps into the shoes of a living legend
|||IT isn’t often that a novice gets to play a living legend so Lex Scott-Davis is very grateful for the opportunity to play the lead in Lifetime’s biopic, Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart.
The two-hour film is based on the seven- time Grammy award-winning R&B icon’s memoir, which documents her meteoric rise to fame, her guilt over going solo and excluding her sisters, her very public divorce, experiencing the pitfalls of fame when she had to file for bankruptcy and being a mother to an autistic son, among other personal and professional challenges.
On pursuing a career in such a cut-throat industry, she offers: “I have wanted to act since I was a little girl. I’ve always been infatuated with the art of storytelling via all mediums of expression. At the age of 3, I was introduced to acting and dancing and fell in love with the latter. It was only recently that I found the courage to actually explore acting again.”
Despite Hollywood being saturated with aspiring actors, she threw caution to the wind in pursuit of fulfilling her dream.
Scott-Davis admits: “My overall mindset during the move was, ‘this better be for a good reason’. For me to leave my family on the East Coast in search of ‘something greater’ was a big step and I had no other choice but to make sure it was worth it.”
Her first priority when she arrived in Hollywood was to forge the right connections.
She says: “First things first: I needed to find some sort of representation because I had none prior to moving. I made the necessary steps that eventually lead me to my current manager. Simultaneously, I was taking classes and that allowed me to meet other new actors like myself as well as some who had already established themselves. In the first year I was here, I did three plays, acquired management and started auditioning for film and TV. And the rest is history.”
Fate smiled on her when she landed Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart. She not only exuded confidence in her performance, she looked every inch the singer from a physical perspective.
She enthuses: “Initially, I had run out of words to describe how great I was feeling. I told my parents that I needed to read the dictionary in order to broaden my vocabulary so I could express all of the emotions I felt. But once the excitement settled in, there was an honest moment of fear. I thought, ‘my gosh, Toni is a legend’ and because I was a rookie, I questioned myself and if I was ready for it.”
As for prepping for the part – especially with belting out those vocals, she admits: “From the moment I received the news that it was going to be me playing Ms Braxton, a few friends and I binge-watched all of Toni Braxton’s music videos on YouTube. It was definitely a trip down memory lane. I then flew to Vancouver so that I could begin rehearsing songs, dances and her biggest concert moments.”
Of course, channelling the spirit of a icon like Braxton left an indelible impression on the actress.
Scott-Davis offers: “I learnt that we have a lot more in common than I thought. Small things about our personalities were very similar. Her sister, Towanda, was always there for me, validating my choices alongside the director which was amazing.”
What was the crowning moment of glory, though, was receiving praise from the legend herself.
She says: “Toni was actually one of the first people who gave me feedback during post- production. I was so nervous to know her thoughts. I just wanted to make sure I did her story justice. But she constantly reassured me that I did just fine, which was a major weight lifted off of my shoulders!”
The awesome thing about landing this role is that it has helped open more doors for the newcomer.
She shares: “I am shooting a pilot for CBS called Training Day, which I’m super excited about. I’m really looking forward to what this year has to offer me.”
In the meantime, whatever remorse the real Braxton had about pursuing a solo career sans her sisters has been remedied with their reality TV series, Braxton Family Values.
Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart airs on Lifetime (DStv channel 131) on May 3 at 3.30pm and on May 4 at 10.20am.