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Tia Mowry tearfully recalls being denied a magazine cover with her sister Tamera for being black


Tia Mowry-Hardrict revealed she and her identical twin sister Tamera Mowry-Housley were once told they could not appear on the cover of a popular teen magazine ‘because we were Black and we would not sell.’

As she reflected on the painful experience, the 42-year-old child star divulged to  ET’s Unfiltered that being devalued over her skin color, at such a young age, ‘still affects’ her to this day.  

‘It was around Sister, Sister days,’ Tia said, referring to their hit sitcom, which aired from 1994-1999. ‘The show was extremely popular. We were beating, like in the ratings, Friends.’

Still affected: Tia Mowry-Hardrict tearfully recalls being denied a magazine cover due to her race at the height of her and identical twin Tia's stardom

Still affected: Tia Mowry-Hardrict tearfully recalls being denied a magazine cover due to her race at the height of her and identical twin Tia’s stardom

‘So, my sister and I wanted to be on the cover of this very popular magazine at the time — it was a teenage magazine,’ she recalled. ‘We were told that we couldn’t be on the cover of the magazine because we were Black and we would not sell.’

The mother-of-two tearfully continued that even ‘as an adult’ remembering being demeaned by her skin color makes her emotional. 

‘I will never forget that. I wish I would have spoken up. I wish I would have said something then. I wish I would have had the courage to speak out and say that isn’t right,’ she said.  

Hurtful: As she opened up about the painful experience, the 42-year-old actress revealed being devalued over her skin color, at such a young age, 'still affects' her to this day; pictured in 2012

Hurtful: As she opened up about the painful experience, the 42-year-old actress revealed being devalued over her skin color, at such a young age, ‘still affects’ her to this day; pictured in 2012

'It was around Sister, Sister days,' Tia said of their hit Nineties sitcom, which became available to stream on Netflix. 'The show was extremely popular. We were beating, like in the ratings, Friends'

‘It was around Sister, Sister days,’ Tia said of their hit Nineties sitcom, which became available to stream on Netflix. ‘The show was extremely popular. We were beating, like in the ratings, Friends’ 

While she can’t go back in time, the Family Reunion actress has worked hard to pass down self-worth to her two children – son Cree, 9; and daughter Cairo, 2 – with her husband of 12 years, The Outpost action star Cory Hardrict. 

‘To this day, I’m always telling my beautiful brown-skinned girl that she is beautiful,’ Tia said. ‘And the same thing even with my son. I tell him how handsome he is, I tell him, you know, he is smart.’ 

She added: ‘Because I know what it feels like for someone to devalue your worth, and I don’t want my children to ever, ever, ever, feel that. And not have the strength, or the foundation, to not believe it. To believe that they are worthy.’ 

'We were told that we couldn't be on the cover of the magazine because we were Black and we would not sell,' she revealed; seen in 2012

‘We were told that we couldn’t be on the cover of the magazine because we were Black and we would not sell,’ she revealed; seen in 2012

'To this day, I'm always telling my beautiful brown-skinned girl that she is beautiful,' Tia said. 'And the same thing even with my son. I tell him how handsome he is, I tell him, you know, he is smart' (seen in 2013)

‘To this day, I’m always telling my beautiful brown-skinned girl that she is beautiful,’ Tia said. ‘And the same thing even with my son. I tell him how handsome he is, I tell him, you know, he is smart’ (seen in 2013)

From ages 15 through 20, the German-born Army Brats starred in the successful sitcom, which aired for six seasons spanning 1994-1999 on ABC and The WB.

Thanks to Netflix, younger generations can now stream all 119 episodes of Sister, Sister. 

Mowry-Hardrict’s ‘dream’ recently came true when she closed a ‘three-picture deal with the A+E network to star in and produce three holiday movies for their It’s a Wonderful Lifetime slate.’ 

Meanwhile, the Daytime Emmy winner announced on July 13 that she quit Fox’s The Real following seven years as co-host of the all-female panel talk show. 

Child stars: From ages 15 through 20, the German-born Army Brats starred in the successful sitcom, which aired for six seasons spanning 1994-1999 on ABC and The WB

Child stars: From ages 15 through 20, the German-born Army Brats starred in the successful sitcom, which aired for six seasons spanning 1994-1999 on ABC and The WB



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