Monica Calhoun's Weight Loss Journey For Best Man Holiday

Actress Monica Calhoun reprised her role as Mia Sullivan, the wife of Lance Sullivan (Morris Chestnut), in the 2013 film The Best Man Holiday. Calhoun's character, Mia, is terminally ill and dies at the end of the film. While it is unclear if Calhoun lost weight specifically for the film, she has had a successful career spanning over 18 movies and 28 television roles.

Monica Calhoun's career

Monica Calhoun is an American film and television actress, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 29, 1971. She moved to California in the late 1970s and began her acting career in 1985, at the age of 13 or 14, with her debut in the TV film "Children of the Night" as Wanda. Calhoun attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and has since built an impressive career, with over 18 movie and 28 television roles to her name.

Calhoun is best known for her roles in "Bagdad Cafe" (1987), "The Players Club" (1998), "The Salon" (2005), "The Best Man" (1999), and its sequel, "The Best Man Holiday" (2013). She portrayed Mia, the wife of Morris Chestnut's character, in both "The Best Man" films and received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture in 2000 for the original film.

In addition to her notable film roles, Calhoun has also appeared in several television series and sitcoms. She has guest-starred in "The Wayans Bros.", "A Different World", and "The Jamie Foxx Show", playing the role of Jamie Foxx's sister. She has also taken on more dramatic roles, such as in "The Best Man", "Love and Basketball", NBC's "Sweet Justice", and HBO's "Rebound", where she is often the "voice of reason".

Calhoun has also ventured into comedy, appearing in "Bagdad Cafe", "Everybody Hates Chris", "The Jamie Foxx Show", "Amen", "Fame", and "Wayans Brothers". She has worked with various networks, including ABC, CBS, Fox, and BET, showcasing her versatility and range as an actress.

In addition to her acting credits, Calhoun has also produced and written. She earned her first credit as a co-producer with "No Regrets".

Calhoun's thoughts on her role in The Best Man Holiday

In an interview, Monica Calhoun shared her thoughts on her role in the 2013 movie "The Best Man Holiday", in which she reprised her character Mia Sullivan, the wife of Lance Sullivan, played by Morris Chestnut. Calhoun described her initial reaction to the sequel, directed by Malcolm Lee, as being "all in", despite her busy schedule at the time. She felt that she was able to balance her commitments and channel her own life experiences into her character's journey in the film.

Calhoun described the role as a challenge, as she wanted to accurately portray the complexities of life, new life, reuniting with friends, and transformation. She admitted to being highly critical of her own performance, but overall, she felt that director Malcolm Lee did a wonderful job of capturing the themes of reunification, healing, and forgiveness.

The film also had a personal impact on Calhoun's life, inspiring her to reconnect with family and friends, especially those dealing with illness or loss. She began to use social media platforms like Facebook to reach out and share more personal aspects of her life, breaking down the barriers of how people perceived her.

When asked about balancing her career and personal life, Calhoun emphasised the importance of taking things step by step and planning in advance. She also advised aspiring actors to live their lives to the fullest and be business-savvy, as their life experiences would bring authenticity to their craft.

The Best Man Holiday's plot

The Best Man Holiday is a 2013 comedy-drama film and a sequel to the 1999 film The Best Man. The movie follows a group of college friends who reunite after 15 years during the Christmas holidays. The friends are Mia Sullivan (Monica Calhoun), Lance Sullivan (Morris Chestnut), Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs), Robyn Stewart (Sanaa Lathan), Candace Sparks (Regina Hall), Julian "Murch" Murchison (Harold Perrineau), Jordan Armstrong (Nia Long), and Quentin "Q" Spivey (Terrence Howard).

Mia, Lance's wife, has invited everyone to spend Christmas together. The gang catches up, and old tensions and rivalries resurface. Harper, who is facing writer's block and financial troubles, is secretly writing a biography of his former best friend, Lance, a New York Giants superstar. He awkwardly tries to mend their friendship while also gathering research for the book. Meanwhile, Shelby, a prominent reality TV star, tries to rekindle her relationship with Murch, and Jordan struggles to bond with Robyn, knowing her history with Harper. During a fun pajama party, the men dance and lip-sync to New Edition's "Can You Stand the Rain", which helps heal old wounds between Lance and Harper.

However, the mood shifts when Harper finds Mia vomiting blood downstairs. She reveals her terminal cancer diagnosis and asks Harper to help Lance accept her illness. The next morning, Shelby and Q accidentally switch phones, and Shelby finds a video of Candace, Murch's wife, stripping and accepting money for sex at a fraternity party. She tries to coerce Murch into rekindling their relationship, but he refuses. Candace confronts Shelby, leading to a physical fight, after which Candace leaves with the kids. Later, she returns and reconciles with Murch.

As the group prepares for a spa day, Mia collapses, forcing Harper to reveal Mia's condition to everyone. While wrapping Christmas gifts, Lance and Harper reminisce about their college days and seem to reconcile. However, Lance soon discovers Harper's secret biography project and angrily confronts him. Mia fails to calm Lance down, and he takes her home. Q comforts Harper and vows to take care of his debts. Mia challenges Lance to face reality and accepts responsibility for his longtime feud with Harper due to her one-night stand with him in college. Mia takes off her wig, forcing Lance to acknowledge her illness.

On Christmas Day, Jordan apologizes to her boyfriend, Brian McDonald, over the phone. Lance is scheduled to play a game but refuses, believing that caring for Mia is more important. Mia convinces him to play, and he ultimately wins, breaking the all-time rushing yards record. The friends hurry home to care for Mia, who dies shortly after. At the memorial service, Harper delivers a heartfelt eulogy, and Lance thanks him and affirms his faith in God.

The movie concludes with Robyn going into labour and Lance, Harper, and Candace rushing her to the hospital, where Lance delivers Robyn's baby girl, named Mia in tribute to Mia Sullivan. Ten months later, Harper and Lance are closer, and Harper has written Lance's biography.

Calhoun's personal life

Monica Calhoun, the American film and television actress, was born on July 29, 1971, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of Lorine Calhoun and began acting at the age of 13 while in sixth grade. Calhoun made her acting debut in the 1985 TV film Children of the Night, starring as Wanda. She went on to portray Phyllis, the daughter of CCH Pounder's character, in Bagdad Cafe (1987). Calhoun was the only cast member of Bagdad Cafe to return for the television series adaptation, although her character's name was changed to Debbie. The series lasted for two seasons before being cancelled.

Calhoun has had a successful career, starring in over 18 movies and 28 television roles. Some of her notable film credits include The Players Club (1998), The Salon (2005), The Best Man (1999) and its sequel The Best Man Holiday (2013), and Love & Basketball (2000). She has also appeared in numerous television series, including guest-starring in sitcoms such as The Wayans Bros., A Different World, and The Jamie Foxx Show. In 2009, she appeared in Diary of a Single Mom, Seasons I, II, and III, directed by Robert Townsend.

In addition to her acting career, Calhoun has a son, born in 2000, who is blind.

The Best Man Holiday's filming and production

The Best Man Holiday is a 2013 American comedy-drama film and a sequel to the 1999 film The Best Man. Written, co-produced, and directed by Malcolm D. Lee, the film stars Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Monica Calhoun, and Melissa De Sousa, all reprising their roles from the previous film.

The project was announced in October 2011, and principal photography began in April 2013 in Toronto, Ontario. The film was released on November 15, 2013, by Universal Pictures, receiving positive reviews from critics and grossing $72.8 million worldwide on a production budget of $17 million.

The film follows college friends who reunite after 15 years over the Christmas holidays and discover how easily long-forgotten rivalries and romances can be reignited. Mia Sullivan, the wife of Lance Sullivan, is terminally ill and dies at the end of the film.

The film received multiple accolades and nominations, including four nominations at the 45th NAACP Image Awards. It was also nominated for Best Movie at the Acapulco Black Film Festival and received a rare "A+" grade from CinemaScore.

The Best Man Holiday is a successful and well-received sequel that built upon the original film, exploring themes of friendship, lifestyles, acceptance, and the complexities of relationships.

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