LisaRaye McCoy was every man’s dream girl back in the 1990s following her role as Diamond, the single mother and college student turned stripper in the movie “The Players Club.”
During a recent interview, the actress and television personality revealed that the experience caused her to doubt herself.
“I had an identity crisis after ‘Players Club,’” she told Page Six. “I felt like I had to have the long hair and look like my character, ‘Diamond,’ in order to be recognized.”
LisaRaye continued and said the movie, “put me on the map… it made me a bona fide sex symbol, and when you are a sex symbol people think that you’re sexy all the time, and that stigma follows you,” she added. “So I am forever Diamond.”
She recalled how she prepared to get mentally and physically ready for the 1998 film.
“They gave me a trainer for a good six weeks so that helped me feel more confident about my body. So when it was time to do a striptease, Ice Cube was so great, and [was] there for me as a new actress.”
LisaRaye McCoy reflected on her experience working with Ice Cube, who wrote and directed the classic 90’s movie. She broke down how he delicately handled the intimate scenes.
“He was so professional,” she said. “I didn’t even see the rapper then. I saw the father, the businessman, the director. He was gracious enough to set up multiple cameras, and I did the strip scene maybe twice. So he allowed me to what I needed for a green new actress.”
Watch LisaRaye McCoy In “The Players Club” Below
However, at age 54, she is glad how the experience played out. “I’m an older ‘Diamond’ now,” she offered. “But diamonds always shine, so I am here for it. I did not know what sexy was at the time… I think it was best for me not to really know, because I probably would’ve tried to play it up in my role and messed it up.”