UB Interview: Erica Hubbard Talks “Let’s Stay Together,” “Black Coffee,” What’s Next & More

Erica Hubbard is a Chicago native. Erica attended Columbia College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in three years. After graduating, Erica already had her own television show on WPWR, a UPN affiliate in Chicago. Before Erica‘s third season was aired, she received a Regional Emmy and earned a Service To America Award from the National Association of Broadcasters. This was a result of hosting the children/teen show: Up ‘N Running. Erica Hubbard has also been nominated in ‘What Would Jesus Do‘ stageplay, for the NAACP Theatre Awards!

Erica‘s dynamic resume includes credits such as Save The Last Dance, A Cinderella Story, Light It Up and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (a New York Times Best Selling Novel) and Akeelah and the Bee alongside another Chicagoan-Keke Palmer portraying Kiana (her older sister). Erica also has lend her voice to the Disney Animation The Replacements.

Erica played Cassie Sutton on the critically acclaimed series “Lincoln Heights” for four seasons which originally aired on ABC Family. “Lincoln Heights” won the NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Best Drama Series.” Erica Hubbard is now Kita Whitmore on BET’s “Let’s Stay Together” which returns for season four this month. Erica is also currently starring in the new film “Black Coffee” with Darrin Dewitt Henson and Christian Keyes.

Erica Hubbard spoke with Aries from UrbanBridgez.com recently about her role in “Black Coffee“, the new season of “Let’s Stay Together,” challenges she’s faced in the business, what’s coming up for her and much more!

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UrbanBridgez.com: How did you get your first start in the business?
Erica Hubbard: I got my first start in the business at 9 years old. I was doing some modeling back in Chicago, I was with Ford Models for years. Then finally they were like, you need to do television & film. I was like really! So I started doing commercials at first when I was a kid. I did a lot of theater as a kid also, being from Chicago we were really serious about our theater. Later I started doing television and then film.

UrbanBridgez.com: What can we expect this season from Kita on Let’s Stay Together?
Erica Hubbard: Kita has fallen in love and she’s trying to fall in love with her job too as a cop. So she’s balancing having a relationship and being a police officer at the same time. She’s trying to be more responsible with her life.

UrbanBridgez.com: Tell us about your role in Black Coffee?
Erica Hubbard: In Black Coffee I play Mita and Mita is a young girl looking for love. A lot of people think Mita is a gold digger because she’s looking for love with financial security. I don’t want to say she’s a gold digger, I want to say she just wants to be secured financially that’s it (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: What do you want people to get out of the film once they see it?
Erica Hubbard: That love comes in all different levels. No matter where a person is at financially, you can still love them. As long as that person has ambition and is a go getter and wants more for his life then support that person. Just as the person is not down and out and they do have high hopes for their life, than a relationship can work.

UrbanBridgez.com: What was your experience like working with the cast, crew and director?
Erica Hubbard: Oh my god, the overall experience working on Black Coffee was like a dream come true. It was like we were immediately family because we all knew each other. You know from being out here in California I knew Gabrielle Dennis, I worked with Darrin Dewitt Hensen on this movie Ideal Husband. I work with Christian Keyes on Let’s Stay Together. So when we got together it was perfect. It was just perfect, perfect chemistry with all of us.

UrbanBridgez.com: I absolutely loved you in Lincoln Heights and loved the show as a whole, how was that experience for you and do you keep in contact with the cast?
Erica Hubbard: Thank you so much! I definitely keep in contact with the cast from Lincoln Heights. I talk to Russell Hornsby, I try to talk to him at least once a year, because he’s so busy doing his show and I’m doing Let’s Stay Together on BET. Also, Nicki Micheaux I talk to her a lot it’s really cool. That was a dream come true to be on there all of those years. Then to win the NAACP for Best Outstanding Drama Series was a dream come true.

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s been the biggest challenge for you in the business?
Erica Hubbard: It’s a list, let me narrow it down to one thing (laughs). Image is everything in the business, so for me going from Lincoln Heights a drama series to Let’s Stay Together which is a comedy, then I’m going back and forth with movies where I’m doing comedic roles and then drama roles; the biggest thing is sometimes people don’t know if I should stick with the drama or stick with the comedy. So we’re all trying to figure it all out right now, as we speak like with my manager and agent. Like where to take my career so I can focus on one thing. But right now, they’re like you’re getting phone calls for both. For dramatic and comedic roles and usually that’s not heard of with African American actresses in Hollywood. So it’s like just trying to find which lane I want to stay in. So right now, we’re just taking calls and doing whatever until we figure it out. But I feel blessed that people are calling me for all of these opportunities as well.

UrbanBridgez.com: Who are some of your favorite R&B/Hip-Hop artists right now?
Erica Hubbard: Right now I would say Drake, Rich Homie Quan, Jay-Z, Kanye West and I have to put Miguel in there, yes (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s next for you?
Erica Hubbard: I’m filming a movie right now called My Favorite Five that’s coming out this year. It’s with Quinton Aaron from the Blind Side, Brian White, Jay Ellis from BET’s The Game. It’s a hot cast, I’m very excited about it. I play the character Sybil. The movie is based on dating and relationships and how to find the perfect match. But you have to go through a lot of people sometimes (laughs). Sometimes you have to in order to find the perfect match and personality that fits you. It’s kind of like going through the dating game type of situation. And of course Let’s Stay Together, I want to thank everyone for tuning in and watching us on that show and supporting Kita. I just love how everyone tweets me and Facebooks me who supports that show.

UrbanBridgez.com: Anything else you want to leave with your fans?
Erica Hubbard: I just want to say thank you to everyone who reaches out to me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Those who support me, whether you like Lincoln Heights or Let’s Stay Together or Black Coffee, I just want to say thank you to everyone who supports my career. I truly appreciate it and I need that support being in the industry.