Cousins!

Some of the best actors and actresses have a signature role that follows them no matter the countless projects they commit to after. One of the fan favorite fictional characters of the 90s has to be Diamond played by the multitalented LisaRaye!

The Ice Cube original movie the Players Club , marked LisaRaye’s debut into the world of film as she fully brought the role of Diamond to life by fully understanding the assignment. However beyond the lens she admits that there were certain expectancies she felt she had to follow in order to continuously appeal to her fans.

In a recent interview with Pagesix, LisaRaye revealed that she had an “identity crisis after ‘Players Club’ because I felt like I had to have the long hair and look like my character, ‘Diamond,’ in order to be recognized.”

“Players Club’ put me on the map… it made me a bona fide sex symbol, and when you are a sex symbol people think that you’re sexy all the time, and that stigma follows you. So I am forever Diamond.”

She went on to recall the process she underwent to prepare for the film and how helpful and professional Ice Cube was.

“They gave me a trainer for a good six weeks so that helped me feel more confident about my body. So when it was time to do a striptease, Ice Cube was so great, and [was] there for me as a new actress.”

LisaRaye continued, “He was so professional. I didn’t even see the rapper then. I saw the father, the businessman, the director. He was gracious enough to set up multiple cameras, and I did the strip scene maybe twice. So he allowed me to what I needed for a green new actress.”

At this point in her career as well as her life, LisaRaye accepts the role of Diamond as being apart of her story. “I’m an older ‘Diamond’ now, but diamonds always shine, so I am here for it. I did not know what sexy was at the time… I think it was best for me not to really know, because I probably would’ve tried to play it up in my role and messed it up.”