Everyone loves a good diva! Whether you’re admiring her elegance on a TV show or film, or witnessing the sometimes audacious behavior out in the real word, there will always be a diva walking among you somewhere.
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For a handful of Black celeb women in particular, they walk the line of displaying that class both for entertainment purposes and as their natural disposition and if we’re being completely honest: we’re here for it! So it’s in that vein that we thoughts we’d take a look at a handful of beloved Black celeb divas in real life and on the big and small screen that snatch our edges, make us aspire to be just like them, or who are just all around fabulous.
And while we do know that the word “diva” can sometimes have a negative connotation, for the sake of this article, let it be known that we mean it in the most positive way possible.
Lynn Whitfield
If there’s one thing we all know about most, if not all, of Lynn Whitfield’s roles: she may play a crazy woman, she play a gold digger, she may play a First Lady, but she will NEVER play broke. If that’s not the ultimate diva move, we don’t know what is. And what makes it all even better is that per real-life persona is the total opposite of the crazy characters she’s played. She may be a diva on the small screen, but she’s down to Earth IRL and we love to see it!
Aretha Franklin
Do we really have to say much here? The late Aretha Franklin was such a diva, she couldn’t even find words to compliment Taylor Swift on her vocal abilities. She’s also the woman who never went anywhere onstage without her purse because she wanted to ensure that the cash she was paid for her appearance would always be in safe hands. What a(n iconic) diva.
Grace Jones
There’s a reason why the avante-garde genre of fashion is a thing now and it’s all because of Grace Jones. There was truly no one like her and as such, the diva-like behavior she displayed could be excused on more than one occasion. (Yes, we know you don’t like that term Ms. Jones but it kinda fits).
Eartha Kitt
The late Eartha Kitt quite literally purred her way into diva history with her sultry voice, sensual grace, and sharp wit. Whether she was playing a sexy villain or being unapologetic in what she was looking for in love and relationships, her combination of glamour, boldness, and class made her one of the most timeless divas ever.
Diahan Carroll
When you think about a star who just oozed elegance, it’s the late Diahann Carroll. From her roles on “Julia” and “Dynasty” to the myriad of interviews she did, if there was ever a diva to aspire to on-camera and off, it was her.
Diana Ross
Though many know Diana Ross as The Boss, they also know her as one of the music industry’s biggest divas. And we truly do mean this in the best way possible. From the larger-than-life gowns to her grandiose performances, Ross does life in the move luxe way possible and there’s no one doing it better.
Mariah Carey
All it took was for Mariah Carey to utter “I don’t know her” one time to cement her status as a diva. That, in tandem with her ultra glam and slightly perfectionist ways when it comes to her singing, make her one of the best divas we know. (And one of our favorites, too).
Naomi Campbell
While it’s true that Naomi Campbell turned the catwalk into her personal kingdom, her blunt attitude and the unfortunate moments where her attitude got the best of her (like the time she threw her phone at a maid) can sometimes make the rest of think she’s taken being fashion diva a bit too far. She can still slay a runway though and for that, we’ll always give her her 10s.
Gabrielle Union
Although Gabrielle Union has called her own self out for displaying some of the more negative traits that a stereotypical diva would have, she still does a phenomenal job of playing one in TV and film. Who could forget Isis from Bring It On? Or Conny Spalding from “Two Can Play That Game?” Her side eye in the former film and stank walk in the latter one still lives in our minds rent-free.
Jill Marie Jones
You already know Jill Marie Jones, who famously played Toni Childs on “Girlfriends”, perfectly crafted the diva archetype to a “t.” Fans still quote some of her lines to this day and aspire to present themselves out in the world similar to how she did back then (just minus the sometimes self-centeredness).
Phylicia Rashad
There’s a reason why we still all collectively refer to Phylicia Rashad as Mrs. Claire Huxtable. The amount of class and dignity she displayed then and the wisdom and grace she exudes in her real life entitles her to the label of a diva, just one of the more elite ones.
Jenifer Lewis
All you ever really need to see if Jenifer Lewis kick one leg up at the drop of hat during any random function and that should quickly tell you what type of time she’s on. There are countless times that she’s let her diva flag fly whether she’s playing someone’s mom in a movie or just being her iconic true self on a carpet and we’re so happy she’s not changing for anybody!
Patti LaBelle
Known as the “Godmother of Soul,” Patti LaBelle can belt out a song beautifully and she’ll do it all while rocking some seriously nice heels. Whether she’s later kicking those same shoes off mid-performance or throwing some slight shade on TV LaBelle blends talent with sass in a way only true divas can.
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