LOVIE SIMONE: A PERSONAL JOURNEY

For actress Lovie Simone, stepping into the role of Keisha Clark in “Forever”, Amazon Prime’s contemporary adaptation of Judy Blume’s iconic coming-of-age novel, marked a turning point. It was more than just another project. Rather, it was a deeply personal journey. “Keisha is a force,” Simone says. “I couldn’t resist wanting to understand her.” In this role, portraying Keisha meant navigating the emotional terrain of first love, identity, and growing up. Simone approached it with the kind of layered intensity that has become her signature. “She’s passionate, caring, and assertive,” she adds. In fact, qualities that mirror Simone’s own grounded charisma.

The series, which reimagines a classic through the lens of Black teenage experience, resonated with Simone immediately. Indeed, every scene, she says, felt authentic. “I could always relate to the emotions,” she explains. “I’m always more excited than nervous to dive into roles like this.” Furthermore, for Lovie Simone, Forever centers youthful romance, yet it’s also about grief, independence, and the longing for emotional safety. Complex themes Simone portrays with a rare softness and strength.

Rooted, Raised, and Ready

Born and raised in the Bronx to African American and Ghanaian parents, Simone credits her cultural roots with shaping how she moves through the world and builds character. “My roots have made me aware of many versions of Black life,” she says. Consequently, that perspective has fueled her performances, from the hyper-controlled Selah in Selah and the Spades to the supernatural grace of The Craft: Legacy. Even when diving into fantasy, Simone makes her characters feel real.

Notably, her earliest professional education came on the set of Greenleaf, where she was promoted from a recurring role to series regular. “It taught me the foundational rules of being on set,” she recalls about her experiences with Lovie Simone. “It gave me space to grow as an actress and make different choices and helped me grow in my personal life too.”

That growth is evident in Forever, which she describes as a dream cast experience. “It was like working with family every day,” she says. “We all had so much admiration for one another.” For Simone, being part of a predominantly Black ensemble was something rare and vital, especially one telling a story of young, vulnerable love. 

Off set, Lovie Simone learned how to protect her creativity by setting boundaries. “When I’m working, I give it my all,” she says. “When I get home, it’s about rest, enjoyment, and being with the people I love.” Her performances are fully immersive, but she keeps her life grounded and intentional.

Jacket: Sculptor Worldwide @sculptor_worldwide, Top: Los Angeles Apparel @losangelesapparel, Pants: Bohn Jsell @bohnjsell, Boots: MASHIZAN @mashizanofficial

Power, Perspective, and Parallel Paths

Simone gravitates toward roles layered with pressure, intensity, and psychological tension. Both Keisha and Selah, she notes, carry the weight of their mothers’ expectations and the way that weight shapes their decisions. “They relied heavily on their mothers’ respect,” she explains, “and that pressure influenced the choices they made, problematic or not.” Lovie Simone’s choice of characters reflects those who don’t always make the right choices, but who always feel real. “I love characters with flesh,” she says. “Characters who have goals and desires—the type that carve out their every move.”

Moreover, even fantasy gives her something grounded to hold onto. Playing a witch in The Craft: Legacy fulfilled a childhood dream. “It didn’t feel too different from being a woman,” she says. “The intentional movement, the caretaking of people and projects. All of it.”

Expression Beyond the Screen

Outside of acting, Simone turns to photography as another form of expression. “Being able to make a movie in your head based off a picture is a beautiful thing,” she says. Likewise, her photography evokes the same connection to humanity that acting does for Lovie Simone: “It brings me back to human life in a way similar to acting.”

Creativity runs in the family—her twin sister, Reiyo The Giant, is a musician. Growing up alongside another artist gave her both perspective and reassurance. “She’s in another industry but going through similar creative experiences,” Simone says. “It’s a blessing.”

Looking back, Forever offers her a form of emotional closure. “It gives the girl I once was closure, to a certain extent,” she reflects. “It allows me to look at love in a way where I can grieve the person I once was, while having excitement about where I’m headed.”

Above all, Lovie Simone isn’t just acting. She’s evolving out loud. Her characters may be fictional, but the emotional truths she channels are entirely her own.

Lovie Simone on the Global Goals That Matter

At IRK, we proudly support the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development as outlined by the United Nations. A shared blueprint for peace, people, and planet.

When asked which goals resonate most with her, Lovie Simone didn’t hesitate: “I align with Goal 1: End Poverty, Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, Goal 5: Gender Equality, Goal 8: Decent Work for All, and Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.”

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PHOTOGRAPHER: Miranda Penn Turin @mirandapennturin
Stylist: Branden Ruiz @brandenruiz 
Hair: Carlos Ortiz for Cloutier Remix –  @haircarlitos
Makeup: Golden Shyne (independant) – @goldensunshyne
Photo Assistant:Rachel Gray – @rachelgraystudio

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