EXCLUSIVE: Nzinga Imani is Conquering Hollywood One Role (and Body Positive Message) at a Time

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Nzinga Imani is a multifaceted force in the entertainment industry, seamlessly navigating the worlds of acting, modeling, singing, and entrepreneurship. In a recent interview with The Curvy Fashionista, Imani offered a glimpse into her current projects, her philosophy on career diversification, and her passionate advocacy for plus size representation, particularly within the plus size community.

You know her as Angela, from BET+’s Zatima; however, Imani is also on the cusp of another exciting venture.

“I start filming next week for a new project! It’s the second season, called ‘I Got a Story to Tell.’ It makes me think of Black Mirror, but of BET versus Netflix. I am the lead of one of the episodes, and it is a really intense story. I’m really excited,” she shared.

This upcoming role promises to be a challenging one, requiring her to portray a character undergoing a significant personality shift, allowing Imani to showcase her emotional range as an actress. Beyond her television work, Imani is also actively involved in bringing other projects to fruition. Putting on her producer hat, she executive-produced and starred in an upcoming film, Friend Zone.

“We’re still shopping it around, but I’m hopeful that it’ll be picked up soon,” she revealed.

Furthermore, she is venturing into writing, developing a project with her younger sister that explores the contrasting experiences of women in the industry – Imani as a plus size individual and her sister as a standard size model. This project aims to dismantle assumptions and highlight the unique challenges faced on both sides of the size spectrum.

Through this project, she is reminded that though her struggles as a plus size woman are valid, everyone has insecurities.

“As a plus-sized person, I can look at what someone else is dealing with and assume that they don’t have certain issues, when on the other side of the spectrum, there’s still plenty of other things that they have to deal with,” Imani explained, emphasizing her commitment to telling meaningful stories that challenge narratives and encourage deeper thinking.

Embracing Diverse Paths: A Journey of Following Opportunities

Imani’s career trajectory has been anything but linear, and she embraces her multitude of talents. She is literally a jack of all trades: Actress, singer, model, makeup artist, producer, businesswoman, and a TCF-certified style icon! When asked how she decided to pursue so many different paths, she explained that she lets her creativity guide her. She is driven by the opportunities presented to her.

“For example, I’ve been a singer my whole life, and that led me into acting and introduced me to acting, but then acting introduced me to makeup. But then at the end of the day, and then makeup introduced me to modeling, but it’s funny how the modeling is what pushed my makeup to be a bigger business, which in turn pushed my acting to be a bigger business,” Imani explained.

This natural evolution highlights Imani’s adaptability and willingness to explore her various gifts and talents. She sees her diverse skills as interconnected assets rather than singular pursuits. She also suggests that others do the same and be open to every opportunity.

“There’s never been a time where I’m just like, ‘I won’t do that or I won’t do this.’ It’s just kind of like, where are you leading me, Lord? I’ll follow you.”

This open-minded approach has not only broadened her horizons but also provided stability, allowing her to thrive in different areas when opportunities in one field may be less abundant. Not only does it help her take care of herself, but she is also fulfilled.

“Do it all and don’t be scared to do more. Particularly when it comes to the art industry, you have to be able to do more than one thing,” Imani stated.

She acknowledges the old adage: “Jack of all trades is a master of none,” but counters that in the creative field, versatility is often essential, especially in the early stages of one’s career.

“Sometimes you have to be that one-woman team before you have a team, before you can afford that team, you have to be skilled enough to know and put things together on your own.”

While advocating for a focus on primary goals, Imani stresses the value of exploring other crafts, as these experiences can often enrich and inform one’s main pursuits.

Championing Natural Hair and Plus Size Representation

In addition to being a total boss, Nzinga Imani is also a vocal advocate for natural hair and plus size representation in the media. The actress has become known for consistent natural hairstyles in her on-screen roles. While some may assume this is a production choice, Imani says she made the call. Why? It all boils down to Black hair being beautiful.

“I love the way natural hair looks. It’s so beautiful to me,” she stated.

Beyond aesthetics, Imani emphasizes the importance of showcasing natural hairlines and diverse styles to counter narrow beauty standards.

“Also showing girls that you don’t have to have a middle part bust down to be beautiful. Come out with the curls. Even if you got a little extension, even if you got a puff stuck on, come out with your look.”

Period.

The decision to present natural hairstyles is more meticulous decision that it may appear. As a plus size model and actress, Imani is acutely aware of the responsibility she carries.

“I know that I’m representing a community — girls, people, grown women from 70s all the way to 10-year-olds come up to me and thank me for just representing for us.”

While acknowledging the pressure that comes with this role, especially concerning fluctuating weight and public perception, Imani remains steadfast in her self-love and her message to others:

“You don’t have to look one particular way…You can have the apple body, you can still get the parts, and you can still make an impact.”

Though the plus size industry has made strides of progress, there are still some things that concern Imani. As a model, she acknowledges the disheartening trend of straight-sized models padding their bodies to mimic the bodies of plus size women. Plus size representation is already hard enough to come by, and Imani is concerned we’re regressing.

“It’s heartbreaking to see, even though we’ve come so far, how much we’re slowly tiptoeing back,” she stated. “We notice. and it’s not the same because when you make plus-size clothing, there’s a different understanding of how thick the straps can be, where the back can dip, all types of things because we’re also considering undergarments and things like that.”

Looking towards the future of plus size fashion in a society seemingly regressing in body positivity, Imani remains optimistic, believing that “the pendulum always swings.” She emphasizes the continued presence and purchasing power of plus size consumers and predicts that brands will eventually recognize the economic imperative of catering to this demographic.

She also highlights the importance of community support for size-inclusive brands that are doing it right, “We really do have to come together and elevate those brands so that the other brands can see we’re missing some major money over here.”

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Imani’s commitment extends beyond her on-screen work and advocacy. She actively participates in initiatives like The Plus Strut Run/Walk, an annual event in Atlanta celebrating plus size fitness and community.

“This year, because it’s year five, they’re doing a three-day weekend. It’s a really great deal,” she explained.

Nzinga Imani is a dynamic and inspiring figure who uses her platform to not only entertain but also to advocate for greater plus size representation and inclusivity. Her insights into the entertainment industry and her passionate commitment to body positivity make her a vital voice in shaping a more equitable and diverse future.