Tracee Ellis Ross Shares the Moment She Felt Like Giving Up in Hollywood

Tracee Ellis Ross looks stunning on the cover of Essence‘s October hair issue, on newsstands later this month.

Here’s what the 46-year-old actress had to share with the mag:

On being relatable to fans: “The truth is, I’m glad they can identify with me, because I identify with them. I feel like we are a community of sisters out here. That kind of makes me cry a little bit, because we are a community of sisters told by mainstream society that we are not the thing, and I know I’ve had to make my own way through that messaging. I look out and see other sisters and think, I see you. Do you see me? Because I see you.”

On feeling like giving up in Hollywood: “There were moments of that. I really thought when Girlfriends finished that the pearly gates of Hollywood were going to open, and they were going to be like, ‘What movie would you like, ma’am? Please, choose whatever.’ That did not happen. It forced my soul to continue to search for what it longed for, dreamed of, wanted to be.”

On when she knew Black was beautiful: “It took me way longer than I wish it had. I’d catch glimpses of people who saw beauty in ways I had missed because of the blinders society gave me. Then one day I was watching a Nina Simone documentary and I thought: Wait. It should be her name next to the word ‘beauty.’ Why was I sold the wrong vision? My heart knows that’s beauty.”

For more from Tracee Ellis Ross, visit Essence.com.