Tatyani Ali says that Rose McGowan had her back on the set of Jawbreaker when she was getting bullied by a co-star.
The former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor took to Instagram to reflect on working on the 1999 film and opened up about McGowan’s impact on her.
“These are from Jawbreaker (1999),” Ali wrote, sharing stills from the movie. “I was the only one actually in high school when we shot this, and I dealt with a little bullying on set from one actress in particular. But one day, she tried it in front of everybody… and [Rose McGowan] told her to [shut the fuck up] in front of everybody! I will always love her for that!”
McGowan saw the post and hopped in the comments to say that she’d “do it again.” The actor then followed up by saying that Ali has that “[forever] combo” of “dignity, brains and beauty.”
Ali’s been in a reflective mood lately. A few days ago, she opened up about her mother preventing her from attending Hollywood after-parties in the ‘90s.
Ali shared images of her younger self standing in front of her mom’s minivan and explained the circumstances.
“Funny story lol, that’s my baby sister in the window of my mom’s minivan ... Only way I could go to my teen actor friends' club bday parties was if my mom drove me… and waited outside the whole time,” she wrote. “No after-parties for me... she was parked out front, ready to take me HOME!”
Ali also reflected on her upbringing and the support she received from her parents as a child actor in a recent interview with First for Women magazine.
“I am from New York and grew up in Long Island. I started acting when I was four years old and when I auditioned for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, it was from New York,” Ali recalled. “When I got that part, we all moved to California. It was a wild ride.”