On Monday Dec.23rd, I got a chance to catch up with Love & Hip Hop star, Tara Wallace at her Toy Drive charity event in Harlem New York. The reality star mother of two has had her life flipped upside down as her thirteen year relationship with her child’s father came to an end on live television after learning that he had a longstanding affair with his music artist and secretly married her shortly thereafter.
However, Tara is finally moving on. Throughout our chat, Tara talked about the highs and low of reality tv, pursuing her acting career, her current relationship woes, and the process of moving on from a long-term relationship.
So let’s get into it.
On Why She Decided To Do A Toy Drive In Harlem:
” The first -place I ever lived in New York was Harlem. What I love about Harlem is that at any given summer day you could walk five blocks from my apartment and hear someone playing Billie Holiday, there’s the museum… there’s just so much culture here in Harlem and you know I think that sometimes when you move to the next borough you don’t get to appreciate it so I think it was awesome to comeback in this space and do it. “
On Her Workout Regimen:
” Before I had children I was a five-day a week gym person.. Since I had the boys I have not been going to the gym as much as I should. ” People say nursing [breast feeding] would help you get skinny again but I had found it to be the exact opposite. When I’m nursing I would eat ALOT; and alot of carbs but as soon as I stopped I’d go back to my natural make-up and build.
” I also found that trying to eat healthy as much as I can, and drinking ALOT of water helps, and working out is something that I’m looking forward to getting back into… The good thing about working out before or after you have children is the muscle memory. So I’m relying on my muscle memory when I start working out. “
On Her Relationship With The Other Female Cast [Minus Amina] :
” I’m just a fun free spirited person in general and just by nature so I think that helps with my relationship with the other girls on the show…. Something as simple as I like stole a lipstick from one of the make-up artists and I was like let me re-buy this lipstick from her and I found out it was Erica Mena’s [another cast-mate’s] lipstick. This was like the best lipstick that I ever put on my lips. I didn’t know that while we were filming and I couldn’t wait to tell her that I love her lipstick.
On Pursuing An Acting Career:
” I’m so excited. I just booked my first off-broadway play called “Vixens” that should be starting in March. I was more nervous about that audition than meeting with Love & Hip-Hop producers. I remember the director was like can you speak up? …To be here again [NYC] at a point to where I can do what I moved here for which is my craft. I spent like three years in Graduate school and student loans [you know] and its a great feeling to be stepping on that path and I’m very excited about that. “
“I’ve always wanted to do TV & Film and having my family [you know[ life happens and you have to support children] and we all know ACTING is a GRIND and huge SACRIFICE.”
On The Criticism Of Reality Television and Having Her Life On Public Display:
” Listen I have to be honest, It’s definitely different sides to me in terms of dealing with this but its so important that since I’ve been going though this to try and find every positive thing I can and focus on that. Not being upset an not being able to get into a very depressed state. It a physical and mental choice. “
” If I allow my self to wallow in the pain then I’ll be depressed. But if I get up and start doing things and putting myself out there and honestly doing this show its an opportunity no matter how negative it is or what’s being filmed; its a platform and so you have to choose what you want to say on that platform. “
” They’re are people who look at that show…. and they use me as you know [even if I don’t want to be somebody’s role model] it is what it is and you accept that when you sign those papers….. And the fact that I do have children I can’t allow myself to be a certain way. I have to stay positive for them. I’m not just responsible for myself. “
On Her Public Love Triangle, Moving On, & Advice To Other Persons Going Through A Similar Experience:
” If your dealing with something like this this you have to first understand that its not about you; It’s about the other person and them not being were they should be to be in their lives or just that you two are on different plane fields. I think becoming a mom I grew up really quickly although I was 31 when I became a mother; I grew up. And, I can’t allow his choices to bring me down, so I focus on the POSITIVES.”
” I’ve learned to except the fact that the years that we did had were great and we were in love and that those years were not in vain and out of that love the result is our two children. And again, its an active choice to come out of that and find things that your interested and really discover who you really are because moving onto the next relationship, they’re some things you just won’t TOLERATE, and your able to stop it from the very beginning and not let it linger thinking its going to get better. And, to focus on yourself and putting yourself first in everything. “
On Being Intimate With Peter After His Public Infidelity & Marriage To Amina:
“Relationships happens in levels and you break-up in levels especially when you been together as long as Peter and I have. And its not that I’m not moving on or trying to move but sometimes if it feels good to [in that moment ] we’re hanging out and it ends that way but then the next day -reality is still there.
As long as the goal is very clear of what you know you need to do then you have to keep pressing forward. It’s very human to go back sometimes and I chose to share that with the cameras ….it doesn’t make it right but I’m still moving forward. “
Hit the play button to here the rest as Tara expresses that the love between her and Peter is more than the drama that we see on television.
Be sure to catch Love & Hip Hop on Monday nights on VH1 8pm est.