Tia Mowry-Hardrict is opening up about a painful experience from her past.
During an episode of Entertainment Tonight's video series Unfiltered, Tia became emotional while recalling a time when she and her twin sister Tamera Mowry-Housley were denied a magazine cover due to their race.
"It was around Sister, Sister days," Tia said of her and Tamera's '90s sitcom, which is now available to stream on Netflix. "The show was extremely popular. We were beating — like in the ratings — Friends."
"So, my sister and I wanted to be on the cover of this very popular magazine at the time — it was a teenage magazine," she recalled. "We were told that we couldn't be on the cover of the magazine because we were Black and we would not sell."
Wiping away tears, Tia said the memory "still affects" her to this day.
"But here I am as an adult, and it still affects me how someone can demean your value because of the color of your skin," Tia continued, tears streaming down her face. "I will never forget that. I wish I would have spoken up. I wish I would have said something then. I wish I would have had the courage to speak out and say that isn't right."
Tia said that the experience has pushed her to make a point of instilling self-confidence in her children. The actress shares son Cree, 9, and daughter Cairo, 2, with husband Cory Hardrict.
"To this day, I'm always telling my beautiful brown-skinned girl that she is beautiful," Tia said. "And the same thing even with my son. I tell him how handsome he is, I tell him, you know, he is smart. Because I know what it feels like for someone to devalue your worth, and I don't want my children to ever, ever, ever, feel that. And not have the strength, or the foundation, to not believe it. To believe that they are worthy."
As of Sept. 1, all six seasons of Sister, Sister are available on Netflix. The beloved sitcom, which originally aired from 1994 to 1999, starred Tamera and Tia as twin sisters Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell. The show followed the sisters as they reunited 14 years after being separated at birth and moved in together, blending their families.
I’m in heaven. Watching #sister,sister with my son Cree! Thank you @netflix 🙌🏽
— Tia Mowry (@TiaMowry) September 4, 2020
Netflix announced that it had acquired the show in July. In addition to Sister, Sister, six other classic comedies led by Black actors are rolling out on the streaming platform as part of the Strong Black Lead programming.
Brandy's Moesha launched Aug. 1, followed by the first three seasons of The Game on Aug. 15. Up next, Girlfriends launches on Sep. 11, and The Parkers debuts on Oct. 1, followed by Half & Half and One on One on Oct. 15.
Last week, Tia shared she's been watching episodes of Sister Sister with her son.
"I'm in heaven," Tia tweeted. "Watching #Sister,Sister with my son Cree! Thank you @Netflix."
