Continue to Hollywoodlife () SKIP AD
Hollywood Life Logo Image

Hollywood Life

Today's Top Stories

  • ivanka trump bikini
    See Pics

    Ivanka Trump Frolics On A Yacht In A Bikini With Family Amid Capitol Insurrection Investigation

  • elin nordegren tiger woods kids
    See Pics

    Tiger’s Kids Sam, 13, & Charlie, 11, Pictured For 1st Time With Mom Elin Since Dad's Car Crash

  • lengthening mascara
    SHOP

    Get The Longest Lashes Of Your Dreams With These 7 Lengthening Mascaras

Hollywood Life
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Celebrity Bios
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Shopping
  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
ALL NEWS
  • lady gaga

    Lady Gaga: See 1st Photos Of The Singer After Robbery Of Her French Bulldogs & Shooting

  • Kim Kardashian Wears Rare Pair Of Kanye’s Yeezy Sneakers Following Their Divorce: See Pics

  • Andrew Cuomo Apologizes To Female Accusers For ‘Any Pain I Have Caused’ — ‘I Am Embarrassed’

  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • TV
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Holidays
  • Entertainment Features
  • Podcast
  • Oscar Contenders
ALL ENTERTAINMENT
  • Michael B. Jordan, Lauren London

    Michael B. Jordan Kisses Lauren London’s ‘Baby Bump’ In Gripping ‘Without Remorse’ Trailer – Watch

  • ‘Married At First Sight’ Preview: Virginia’s BFF Tells Erik To Not Be ‘Controlling’ — Watch

  • ‘Southern Charm’ Original Cast: Where Are They Now? Cam Wimberly, Thomas Ravenel & More

  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Selena Gomez
  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Khloe Kardashian
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Harry Styles
  • Kourtney Kardashian
ALL CELEBRITY BIOS
  • Ciara, Cardi B

    Ciara Twerks To Cardi B’s ‘Up’ On-Board A Luxury Yacht — Watch

  • Lady Gaga: See 1st Photos Of The Singer After Robbery Of Her French Bulldogs & Shooting

  • Stay Hydrated With These Top-Selling Smart Water Bottles That Track Your Water Intake

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Beauty Features
  • Skincare
  • Makeover
  • Diet & Fitness
ALL BEAUTY
  • Best Smart Water bottles

    Stay Hydrated With These Top-Selling Smart Water Bottles That Track Your Water Intake

  • Over 9,800 People Swear By This Kettlebell To Get Fit For Summer & It’s Under $100

  • 6 Weighted Hula Hoops That Will Help You Get Toned Abs For Summer

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping
ALL FASHION
  • Kylie Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian

    Kylie Jenner & Kourtney Kardashian Wear Nothing But Oversized Dress Shirts In Sultry New Pic

  • Kim Zolciak’s Lookalike Daughter Brielle Biermann, 24, Straddles A Jet Ski In Thong Bikini — Pics

  • Emma Roberts Rocks Short Shorts To Kick Off The Morning 2 Mos. After Giving Birth – See Pic

  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Next Up

Taylor Swift’s Mom Looks Happy & Healthy In Rare Photo After Singer Revealed Her Cancer Returned

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
  • Search Close

Trending

  • Bonnie Says
  • Celeb Babies
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • Golden Globes
Search

NewsExpand Menu

  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
  • Rock The Vote

EntertainmentExpand Menu

  • Entertainment Features
  • TV
  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Podcast
  • At Home With...

BeautyExpand Menu

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Skincare
  • Beauty Features
  • Diet & Fitness
  • Shopping

FashionExpand Menu

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping

TrendingExpand Menu

  • Bonnie Says
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • Golden Globes

About UsExpand Menu

  • About Us
  • Writer Bios
  • Scoops, Tips & Corrections
  • Subscribe To Newsletter
  • Contact Us

Celebrity ProfilesExpand Menu

  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Selena Gomez
  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
Alerts & Newsletters
  • Jobs
  • Scoops & Corrections
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Rights
  • AdChoices
  • Data Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
© 2021 Hollywoodlife.com, LLC.
  • Entertainment
  • Entertainment Features
Exclusive Interview
November 6, 2019 4:21PM EST

‘Tina’ Musical Star Dawnn Lewis Reveals How Her Experience With Abuse Helps Her Portray Tina Turner’s Mother

Dawwn Lewis
Paige Kindlick
Icon Dawnn Lewis visits HL to talk about her latest acting role, on Broadway in Tina Turner The Musical as Tina's mom.
Icon Dawnn Lewis visits HL to talk about her latest acting role, on Broadway in Tina Turner The Musical as Tina's mom.
Icon Dawnn Lewis visits HL to talk about her latest acting role, on Broadway in Tina Turner The Musical as Tina's mom.
Icon Dawnn Lewis visits HL to talk about her latest acting role, on Broadway in Tina Turner The Musical as Tina's mom. View Gallery View Gallery 8 Photos.
Ali Stagnitta
On-Air Reporter & Writer
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk

As the highly-anticipated Tina Turner musical makes its way to Broadway, actress Dawnn Lewis spoke to HL about portraying Turner’s mom, Zelma.

Dawnn Lewis has returned to New York City and the Broadway stage in the role of Zelma Currie, Tina Turner‘s mother, in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Ahead of opening night on November 7, 2019, Dawnn visited HollywoodLife and spoke about Tina’s complicated relationship with her mother and revealed how her own experience with abuse informed her portrayal of the character. “A lot of it resonated with me because I grew up in a violent household. I grew up with a mother that had to make choices that were hard choices for her, but at the end of the day, they were the best choices that she could have made for us where she had to step away for a minute to give herself a stronger foundation,” Dawnn revealed in an EXCLUSIVE interview with HL. “I can imagine that the fact that her mother stepped away from the family when Tina was young to save herself and leave her child — there was probably a part of her that thought, ‘I will never do that.'”

Recall, Tina Turner’s 16-year marriage to Ike Turner was incredibly violent, but Dawnn surmises that she stayed with him early on as a result of her childhood trauma, when Zelma left her back with her abusive father. “You deal with self-worth, with abandonment issues, with relationship issues, with seeing violence in your home and ending up being in a violent relationship yourself,” the actress explained. “There’s a part of you that as much as you know that it’s wrong, recognizes or maybe even possibly believe that this is what love is, that this is just what happens in relationships and you just kind of power through it. You work through it because of the kids.”

While Zelma and Tina didn’t have the strongest relationship, Dawnn revealed that Zelma was very proud of her daughter. “There’s a documentary piece that included Tina, Zelma and her sister Alline, and what you learned was that they all kind of sound alike — this little raspy edge to their voices. They have very grounded personalities., and my impression was that while they can probably be fun in the right setting, they’re also very serious people,” she detailed. “I got that they are very self confident and self aware. They are very proud and aware of what Tina has accomplished, but at the same time I think they want to be known for their own personal character and identity, as well.”

Paige Kindlick for HollywoodLife

Dawnn continued, “So, I try to bring that to Zelma when I portray her within the show because everybody has challenges. So no one is all bad. No one is all good. There are different facets and sides, so wherever I’m able, I try to incorporate that into the various lines and opportunities that I get.”

Tickets are currently on sale now for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York!

Click to Subscribe to Our HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get more celeb news.
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Broadway

More Broadway News:

  • Reneé Rapp Transforms Into Regina George In 'Mean Girls' On Broadway 1 Year After Winning Jimmy Awards
  • Kristin Chenoweth Reveals The Next Role She'd Love To Play On Broadway & It's A Perfect Fit
  • Beth Leavel -- Pics Of The Broadway Star

Most Read

Tiger Woods’ Kids Sam, 13, & Charlie, 11, Pictured For The 1st Time With Mom Elin Since Dad’s Car Crash

elin nordegren tiger woods kids

Ivanka Trump Frolics On A Yacht In A Bikini With Family Amid Capitol Insurrection Investigation

ivanka trump bikini

Tom Brady Reveals The Hilarious 1st Thing Gisele Said To Him On The Field After Super Bowl Win

tom brady gisele bundchen

Amelia Hamlin Cuddles Up To Scott Disick On Romantic Boat Trip & Wears Pink Bikini Top To Match His New Hair

Scott Disick, Amelia Hamlin

Stormi Webster, 3, Looks Too Cute Posing In Front Of Kylie Jenner’s $400K Lamborghini — See Pic

Kylie Jenner and Stormi Webster

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

More From Our Brands

  • Kim Kardashian to Get Hidden Hills Family Home in Divorce From Kanye West
    SheKnows

    Kim Kardashian to Get Hidden Hills Family Home in Divorce From Kanye West

  • Excuse Me While I Wear These Commando Faux Leather Trousers With Absolutely Everything
    StyleCaster

    Excuse Me While I Wear These Commando Faux Leather Trousers With Absolutely Everything

  • TVLine Items: SAG Awards Go Shorter, No Activity Return Date and More
    TVLine

    TVLine Items: SAG Awards Go Shorter, No Activity Return Date and More

  • Bob Weir and Wolf Bros Plot St. Patrick’s Day Livestream Show
    Rolling Stone

    Bob Weir and Wolf Bros Plot St. Patrick’s Day Livestream Show

  • The Collabs: Reef Celebrates the Return of Baseball With New MLB Sandals + More News
    FootwearNews

    The Collabs: Reef Celebrates the Return of Baseball With New MLB Sandals + More News

    HollywoodLife

    • About Us
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Advertise With Us
    • Careers
    • Scoops & Corrections
    • Contact Us

    Legal

    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Rights
    • AdChoices
    • Terms of Use
    • Data Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    News

    • Celebrity News
    • World News
    • Exclusives
    • Celebrity Babies

    Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
© Copyright 2021 Hollywoodlife.com, LLC.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP
ad