Tia Mowry Was Rejected From A Legendary 1990’s TV Show

Actress Tia Mowry has taken account of her life’s many components while filming her new reality show, “Tia Mowry: My Next Act.”

The former teen idol is opening up her home and her heart to viewers, revealing the range of emotions she has experienced while navigating her newfound relationship status. Mowry and her former husband, Cory Hardrict, split up in 2022 after nearly 15 years of marriage.

Viewers also receive insight into the “Seventeen Again” actress’ relationship with her sister, Tamara. Fans of the sisters will remember their side-by-side rise to fame on “Sister, Sister” back in the early nineties. The dynamic duo also starred in multiple TV movies and a reality show.

Cameras capture countless moments in the “Family Reunion” actress’ new life as a single mother. Tia and Hardrict share two children, a 13-year-old son Cree, and six-year-old Cairo.

A certain new reality of the actress’ life received a great deal of attention on social media.

Following the release of a “My Next Act” trailer wherein the “Sister, Sister” actress shared that she and Tamara aren’t as close as she would like, fans on social media were eager to find out why. When clarifying the reason was only due to distance, Tia went on to explain that life sometimes pushes our loved ones in different directions, and that is simply a reality many of us have to come to terms with.

Tia went on to discuss the social media uproar with Us Weekly, revealing she wasn’t “surprised” by it.

“When you’ve been in this industry for over 30 years, things are always taken out of context and it is what it is. But the only thing that I can do is control my behaviors and be the best person that I could possibly be. And that’s what both of us are. And we are incredible, inspiring examples, and we have been that all our lives,” she said. “So, why change that now?”

The Mowry sisters are always together on Tia’s Instagram as the actress seems fond of posting throwback pics with her sister!

“She’s just not as accessible, but I literally just talked to her yesterday,” Tia explained, before going on to explain her sister’s family commitments keep her from being able to chat as much as she would like.

“She is a mother, her children need her. She is also a wife. Her husband needs her. She’s in a different place in her life, she wants to do her thing and I’m doing my thing.”

Tia almost made her way into our hearts as a cast member in a very different sitcom!

Before the first season of “Sister, Sister” in 1994, the up-and-coming actress was busy making her way through audition rooms as an aspiring starlet. She landed in the audition room for a show known as “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” reading for the part of the Banks family’s young sister.

Decades later, the TGIF-staple is recalling how she felt after being passed on for the role of Ashley Banks. The role eventually went to Tatyana Ali, and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” ran from 1990 until 1996.

In a poignant revelation to People Magazine, Tia discussed how she faced rejection at a young age.

“I think [rejection] never gets easier,” she said. “But I was really, really young. And I remember I had tried out for ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.’ I believe the character was Ashley, and I didn’t get it and I just felt dejected.”

Of course, Tia would eventually become one of the most recognizable faces of 1990s TV, but time and perspective would teach her a valuable lesson about the famous show she would eventually star on alongside her sister.

Even though the young actress felt really “dejected” after losing out to Ali for Ashley Banks, she eventually realized the rejection brought her closer to where she was meant to be, and to the television show many of us know and love her for. Viewers would watch her and Tamara grow up on “Sister, Sister” as well; the show ran from 1994 until 1999.

The “Instant Mom” actress continued to People, “But as time went on, I realized that if I wasn’t rejected, then I wouldn’t have been able to do ‘Sister, Sister.’ You just have to trust the process and trust the journey and trust that what is for you is for you, and what is for you will never miss you.”

The former child star is getting candid with her fans about some painful aspects of life, and she is being honest about the methods and “cliche” realities of life that have helped her to cope with divorce.

“You strive to be a role model, teaching them resilience and self-care. You try different things to soothe and release emotional build-up – exercise, journaling your thoughts, meditation, and seeking therapy to cope with the break-up and the dreams you had for the future,” she said.

“It may sound cliche, but time does truly does have a way of soothing pain. Someday, I believe I’ll be able to look back on this time with nothing but warmth and gratitude for the beautiful children brought into my life and the stronger version of myself that emerged from the experience.”

“Tia Mowry: My Next Act” airs on Fridays on WE TV.