Glamour: If you could become more involved down the line with the songs for Menage a Trois, your character's girl group, would you change their sound or want anything new?
JV: I would want their sound to be a little bit edgier.
Glamour: The big introduction moment for your character is when Hakeem discovers Laura singing in the bar. What it was like to film that?
JV: It was a blast. I had a really fun time. It was the first time I had met Danny Strong, who directed the episode and created the show, so it was nice to meet him and meet Yaz too. The scene went by really quickly. We shot it and got it done really early in the day, but it was awesome. I felt like it was the perfect introduction to my character because it was her first time singing, and she starts out all shy and not sure if she can really sing that well and then all of a sudden lets go and goes into the song.
Glamour: Did you have that "discovered" moment in your own life?
JV: No, unfortunately.
Glamour: Out of all of the characters, who were you the most surprised about when you met them?
JV: I guess Terrence Howard. He's the sweetest person. He's definitely not Lucius at all.
Glamour: What about Taraji?
JV: She's incredible and so fun to work with. She brings all the laughs on set, and she's just so funny and pulls so much energy. It's great to work with her.
Glamour: Going back to Laura and Hakeem, a couple episodes ago he had your character prove that she deserves the leadership of the group by singing acapella in a crowd. Were you nervous at all to do that in real life?
JV: Yeah, it was intense. I was definitely nervous in the days leading up to that because I couldn't wait to get that done. I had to sing a cappella live in front of the crowd, but it went so well. The director was so happy with it, and it was so fun being out there with the extras dancing along.
Glamour: Laura and Hakeem also kissed after that performance. So, will we get to see more of what Cookie's thoughts are on their relationship?
JV: I think we'll see. I think she's pretty OK with it. I don't think Cookie really cares about the girls that Hakim pursues. She's just so over it by now.
Glamour: As long as it's not Boo Boo Kitty. When you came in for this role, did they give you the whole background of your character or did you develop that on your own?
JV: When I first got the part, I only thought I'd be in about three or four episodes, but my character kind of developed as they were writing new episodes. So they kind of take little parts of my personal life and put it in her, like Laura and I are both from the Bronx.
