Things are going great in the world of Tracee Ellis Ross!
The Black-ish actress is expecting a niece from her baby brother Evan and his new wife Ashlee Simpson, her Black-ish cast swept the NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 6 (nabbing the Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series trophies), and she’s the March 2015 cover girl for Essence magazine.
Ross showcases two different sides on the duo covers. One image shows Ross, whose mom is legendary singer Diana Ross, in a body-concious Byron Lars Beauty Mark dress and sexy Sophia Webster heels. For the other, Ross models a Jay Godfrey skater dress and canvas platform sneakers. The sole constant is the actress’ big, bold, hair.
Ross, 42, told the magazine that feels like she is “living the dream,” after finally striking it hot with a sitcom that everyone seems to love. “I like being the ‘hot mommy,'” Ellis said. “Also, I find that on TV, marriage gets a really bad rap. It’s this thing that you never want to do, and the comedy comes of what people hate about being married.” Ross added, “What drew me to black-ish is that this couple loves each other and the comedy comes out of that.”
She also said her role is enough to hold her over until she has a family of her own. “I want to have a family, so until that time comes, this show is a brilliant substitute,” Ross said.
Ross also opened up about her relationship with her mother on Late Night with Seth Meyers, which aired on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Ross sported a lime-green silk jumpsuit with ruffles, a dark cranberry lip, and wore here hair in bouncy ringlets. “She was a great mom but my mom would also say to us, ‘I’m not leaving you nothing, I’m going to spend all of this, this is for me,'” Ross joked. “‘Y’all better get yourselves a nice job.”
She said her mother claimed her hair products alone was a bill too much to bare. “She wouldn’t even leave you hair money?” Meyers asked. “No. Not even hair money, maybe money for a roof over our head and medical,” Ross joked.
