If anyone knows how to work-life balance, it's La La Anthony.
Despite the ongoing pandemic, the TV host, best-selling author, businesswoman, producer and actress is juggling a multitude of projects right now — and there isn't a single stress line on her face.
"That's probably because I have a lot of makeup and concealer on!" she joked, while chatting with us this week.
Currently on her many the burners is her NYT best-selling book, "The Love Playbook", currently being turned into a miniseries.
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View Story"Yeah so I’m excited," she gushed. "That was my first book I wrote. It went number 1 on the New York Tims Best Seller List, and we're turning it into a TV series which is all about dating, and love, and relationships in 2021 with the pandemic, with social media. Like how do you meet people? How do you keep your relationships intact? All of these great issues are going to be tackled on the TV series."
Then there's the upcoming horror comedy film "Juju", of which she is an executive producer, teaming her with the incredibly talented Issa Rae.
"It's my first feature film I’m producing with Issa Rae who's absolutely incredible, and just a creative genius," she said. "So, to partner on a film like 'Juju' is something we're really excited about and can't wait to bring to you guys."
Having wrapped "Power" with 50 Cent, the pair are also reteaming for a new Starz project called "Intercepted", based on the life of a sports star's wife, which of course La La has a little insight into; she's also back filming for season 4 of Lena Waithe's "The Chi", even amid Covid. Whether or not 90210 will return yet again (in which she played the Brian Austin Green's wife) has yet to be seen — "We'll see what happens," she hinted. "We might have something for you."
(As it happens, BAG, Jason Priestley and Ian Ziering were all spotted lunching together in Beverly Hills on Wednesday).
"I just started back filming 'The Chi', I'm in Chicago now," she explained. "When you're on these sets it's a different world. I'm happy to be on sets, but it's different setup with Covid protocol, and masks, and what you can do."
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View Story"It's different, but it's so great to be back at work and be on set," she continued. "It's cold in Chicago, it's so cold here! So, being outside, filming outside has been tough... but again I’m just so happy to be back at work and just be around people and have interaction, and see people that I'm like, 'You can put me in the cold and you won’t hear a complaint out of me!'"
Another of La La's labors of love has been moved to the backburner by Covid: her brand new Facebook Series "La La Anthony: Reclaim Your Life" got started just as the pandemic did; production on that will restart as soon as we get a firm handle on the coronavirus.
And it's not just TV, La La is working on; she's also hosting a hair masterclass with celeb stylist Arrogant Tae on March 7:
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So how does she balance it all, not flip out AND stay looking amazing?
"I try to do better with balancing my schedule. I try to do better with prioritizing," she said. "I think COVID really gave us a chance to focus on what’s important. I really felt like I was running myself in the ground before. So, selfcare, me time whether it’s five minutes a day of unplugging devices. Whether it's watching a movie with my son and not answering my phone. It could just be going to get my nails done, a massage like doing something for me.
"And then the main thing is not feeling bad about it. Not feeling guilty about it when it comes to eating. I'm a snacker. I was like everyone else, just eating everything in quarantine, and I came across these Kellogg's Special K keto friendly snack bars which have been great because I love chocolate," she went on. "And for me it makes me not feel guilty about snacking. And I'm on set now, I can put them in my bag. I can eat them so I'm sharing it with the world in case you want a snack that you can feel good about and not beat yourself up for."
Despite her choc-full schedule, La La also makes sure there's enough "me time".
"Go at your own pace, and use this time to re-center, refocus. Think about what’s important. Think about what your future looks like, and just go for it because I think before all of us collectively it was just go, go, go, run, run, run. No one's stopping. No ones talking. Everyone's just going, going, going and this really forced us to take a look at the world, and a look at our own lives."
She added: "My dad has always told me, 'You have to love yourself from the inside out. It starts with you.' Whatever that means to you. Doing something nice for yourself. It could be positive affirmations, it could just be closing the door on the bathroom for five minutes and just be alone by yourself. You know, whatever it takes."
"But all of the success — from jobs to just how you feel and look — starts with who you are on the inside, and that's just so important."