Vivica Fox: Guest Judge, 2011 Miss Universe Pageant

Vivica Fox said it plainly: "I'm taking my career to the next chapter by choice, and I've worked on branding and working smarter, not harder. I can't…" — and Premier Guide Miami was in the room when it happened.

Actress and television producer Vivica Fox — known for Independence Day, Set It Off, Soul Food, and Why Do Fools Fall In Love — joined the 2011 Miss Universe Pageant as a guest judge in São Paulo, Brazil. Speaking with Premier Guide Miami's Daedrian McNaughton from Jamaica, where she was promoting her hair line and participating in Fashion Night Out, Fox shared her beauty philosophy, pageant insights, and thoughts on her evolving career.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: What do you do to keep your skin refreshed and looking young?

VIVICA FOX: Once a month I do microdermabrasion facials. Especially for a woman like me who is over 40 — I make sure, because I love to be in the sun, I work out, and I sweat — so once a month I always get a microdermabrasion facial. And hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, ladies. Drink plenty of water. It's good for flushing and for just keeping you looking refreshed.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Have you ever participated in a beauty pageant before?

VIVICA FOX: No. The closest to a beauty pageant that I've ever got is I've modeled before. I've participated in tons of modeling shows over the years, and the one thing that I always suggest — whether you're modeling or in a pageant, because they're very familiar — is that whatever happens, the show must go on. If you slip or if something falls over, keep putting your best face forward and the show must go on.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Have you ever had a wardrobe malfunction?

VIVICA FOX: I didn't have a nip slip or anything like that, but there was one time that they didn't tuck my tags and that was a little embarrassing — the tags were showing. But I was a young model at the time. I love the commentators who said, "Well, that's all right, we know that she's modeling fashions from one of the local stores" — but I kept strutting like nothing was going on.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Can you share anything about your wedding plans?

VIVICA FOX: The only thing I can tell you is we're trying to keep it a little bit private, and that it will be around the holidays and it will definitely be special — got to put that Hollywood touch in there.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: And what will you do?

VIVICA FOX: My wedding will be very romantic and intimate. I'm not looking to do something that's over the top and a spectacle.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: How did you know your fiancé was the one?

VIVICA FOX: We're friends, and I took the time to get to know him. I didn't rush into something feeling the pressure as a single woman needing to be married or validated — that kind of relationship.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: The Miss Universe pageant is a big fashion and beauty night. What are you doing to prepare for this event?

VIVICA FOX: I am preparing even as a judge. I'm not one of the participants, but as a judge you want to make sure that you show up pageant-ready. So I worked with stylists and I've got a beautiful gown that I'm going to wear. I've been dieting here in Jamaica, participating in Fashion Night Out, and I've been letting everybody know that when I leave Jamaica I'm headed to Brazil and how excited I am — because it's my first time coming to Brazil, and also being a judge for the Miss Universe Pageant. So I'm up in Jamaica working on my fitness, drinking my water, and I've got my hair and makeup beauty squad with me so that I show up camera-ready.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: How did you get involved with the Miss Universe pageant?

VIVICA FOX: They reached out to my manager, Lita Richardson — and this isn't the first time that they've reached out to me to ask would I participate, but this time my schedule was free. And it worked out perfectly because I'm here in Jamaica promoting my hair line and participating in Fashion Night Out, which is something that's celebrated internationally and has been brought to the Caribbean. It worked out perfectly for me to go from Jamaica to Brazil. And so it's going to be a whole week of beauty and fashion for me, which is wonderful. Also, the fact that they said, "We're going to be in Brazil this year" — and I've never been to Brazil. You always hear the most sexy and romantic and beautiful things about Brazil. So I have to be honest with you — that was definitely a draw. I said, "Absolutely. Sign me up. It sounds so fabulous."

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Any basic beauty tips for women?

VIVICA FOX: Whether or not you're going to a big event, a party, or getting ready for a wedding — always make sure that you don't force fashion. Just because something's trendy or the in-thing, if it's not fitting your silhouette, your body's frame, or the look that you're going for, don't force it. Be honest with yourself. Make sure that it's something that you're comfortable in and that looks good on you.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: What is your favorite part of the Miss Universe pageant?

VIVICA FOX: The gowns. I love gowns. Being an actress we have a lot of red carpet events. To just see the pageantry when it comes to the gowns — the colors, the fits, the styles that come from 89 different countries that these ladies are representing — the fashions that are going to come from around the world are going to be wonderful to look at.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: How would you advise these contestants to overcome bad press?

VIVICA FOX: The first thing I would say is to breathe. To not put so much pressure on yourself that you freeze up, and to just be yourself, be likeable. I think that sometimes you can tell when someone has an answer that's already pre-programmed. I don't know about you, but personally I don't like to see a stiff Barbie doll. I like to see a beautiful woman that can be relatable, that's down to earth — because you have to realize that Miss Universe is going to be representing and dealing with something that is affecting the world worldwide, with HIV, AIDS, and awareness. She's going to have to embrace some situations that are probably going to be a little uncomfortable for someone who's used to always being perfect, always being beautiful — she's going to see people that are suffering. So for her to be likeable, approachable, and down to earth and relatable is something that is going to endear her to me, besides her outer beauty.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: As a judge, what will you be looking for in the contestants?

VIVICA FOX: A sense of humor. If she can make me smile — because she isn't only beautiful on the outside — and the moment that she opens up, if she's not beautiful on the inside and doesn't care, that matters. She is representing the universe, so she really has to have the qualities that a lot of people can relate to all around the world.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Do you think pageants like Miss Universe have made a comeback?

VIVICA FOX: I think they've made a little bit of a comeback. There was for a while that it had the statement of being plastic, that no one cared about it. But we must give props to the organizers of the event — they want the girl to be more than just skin deep. They're asking for the women to be intelligent, to be charitable, to give back to the community. They're a little bit more involved in the community instead of just showing up with the Crown on and not being relatable. There are services that they have to provide to the community for the entire year, and I think that's made them a little bit more down to earth, more relatable, and it's helped to bring back their comeback.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Have you already selected a question in particular that you're hoping the contestants will be able to answer?

VIVICA FOX: I want it to be something that happens organically with me after I come down to the final choices — something that organically happens. If I'm prepared already then I'm going to be looking at that too early. I want to look at them and figure out something that I want to ask them that comes from their heart, or something that I need for them intelligently to move me.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Have you ever had an embarrassing fashion moment in your life?

VIVICA FOX: Life is about living and learning. None of us are perfect. I can't particularly pick out one exact moment, but sure — I've looked at a photo shoot and gone, "Oh, I should have had on a different pair of shoes," or "Oh, I should have answered it this way." But my advice to give to these young ladies who are going to be exposed in front of billions of people is to put your best foot forward — and when I say put your best foot forward, that means do you. Do what's best that can represent yourself, your country, and from that point hopefully it will take you to the Finals and perhaps to the Crown. But you can always live and you can learn. Don't beat yourself up — none of us are perfect.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: So you are in Jamaica for Fashion Night Out — how are the Moss Solomons treating you?

VIVICA FOX: So far, so good. This morning I did CVM at Sunrise and that was really fun. I'm here promoting my hair line as well as fashion and makeup. It's a different way to start off the day. This has been a week of beauty. The fact that I shot here in Jamaica celebrating beauty and fashion and makeup, and I get to promote my hair line and introduce my hair line to the island girls — and then after I leave here I'm going to judge some of the most beautiful women in the world at the Miss Universe contest. What a week I'm having.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Since we're on the topic of Jamaica and fashion, do you think that Yendi Phillips, Miss Jamaica World for 2010, was robbed of her Crown last year?

VIVICA FOX: Miss Jamaica World — who was the host of CVM Sunrise? She told me she was involved. She didn't tell me that. That's amazing. I'm sorry, I'm so blown away because she didn't tell me that — because when I told her that I was going to Miss Universe she just told me that she had been involved. Wow, that's awesome. What I like about her so much is that she had a sense of humor and she was so well versed and likeable. So that is awesome that she was from Jamaica. See, she didn't even shove that down your throat.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: What's in the works for the future in terms of new projects?

VIVICA FOX: I've been very blessed. It's been a year of blessings, but it was because I took the time to step back and take charge of my career. My hair line is doing fantastic. I did the episode of The Protector with Tisha Martin-Campbell. I did an episode of Femme Fatale, and before that I was on the road with a play for 14 months that I produced as well as starred in. So I'm taking my career to the next chapter by choice, and I've worked on branding and working smarter, not harder. I can't keep playing the same roles over and over and doing the same things over and over. I'm evolving as a woman, and so I've been very blessed that I've been able to do that.

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