GARCELLE BEAUVAIS

Born in St. Marc, Haiti, Beauvais and her family emigrated to the United States. Her transition from Haiti to the US was a huge culture shock. She arrived at age seven, in the dead of winter, into Massachusetts and didn't speak a word of English.

Garcelle says if she wasn't in her present career, she would be an entertainment journalist - sort of like what Mary Hart does on Entertainment Tonight. She'd planned on going to college to study journalism, but her interests turned toward modeling and acting.

She started modeling in Miami. Friends and family members would tell her mother that she should get Garcelle into modeling. She got a job as an extra for an orange juice commercial in Miami, and from there she went out and got herself an agent.

Garcelle moved to Los Angeles (where she currently lives with her 8-year-old son, Oliver) so that she could be in the right place to prosper as an actress. Outside of her career, Garcelle's main interest is her son.

"He keeps me busy. We like to rent movies at home, go bike riding, going to the beach, and to his baseball games. I also like to go to the movies or to dinner with my friends.

She says the hardest part about being a single parent is balancing the career, and being a good mother.

"I want to be there for every event that I can, and sometimes I just can't. That's hard, trying to make him understand."

Her first acting job was a guest-starring part on Miami Vice. She also mad appearances on "The Cosby Show", "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "Dream On," "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" and "Family Matters."

Last summer, Garcelle made the transition to the big screen with a role in the feature film Life, starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. Recently, she made a cameo role in this past summer's blockbuster film, Wild, Wild West. Garcelle says she found the transition from modeling to a acting a somewhat difficult transition.

"I've been very lucky, but people think that if you're a model you can't act. I've been very lucky getting two series that prove that I can act, first with Models Inc. and then the Jamie Foxx show."

The hardest part of acting, she says, is the rejection. There were parts that she just didn't get because were not right for her, or because they want someone else. But she says you can't take it personally.

Luckily, one the part of Fancy Monroe on "The Jamie Foxx Show" is perfect for Garcelle.

One of the perks of being on "The Jamie Foxx Show" is that we have such a good time. Sometimes the line between work and having fun is very thin! It's like you're getting paid for laughing."

When confronted with the critics cry of negative stereotypical depictions of blacks, Garcelle give a straight, no-nonsense answer:

"I don't think our show has any stereotypical depictions of blacks. It just happens to be a black ensemble cast. I think the show has a positive image. We speak intelligently. It's an entertainment show and I think our show does a good job."

You can check out Garcelle Beauvais every Friday on the WB network as she lights up the screen as the sexy front desk clerk, Fancy Monroe on "The Jamie Foxx Show".