Marla Gibbs to Share Details of A Long Career in New Memoir

charity.nelson@blavity.com
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Emmy-nominated actress Marla Gibbs is gearing up to release a memoir titled “It’s Never Too Late.” The memoir will be released in the fall of 2024 under Amistad. The company is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers which is dedicated to publishing Black stories. In the forthcoming memoir, the 92-year-old will explore her long and illustrious career, spanning her early beginnings in Chicago to her current success in the Hollywood industry.

“My hope is that my memoir will serve as an inspiration to those that continue to show me love and support,” Gibbs said in an official statement. “I believe no matter the challenges one faces, it is never too late to turn your life around or make a difference. I am grateful and I am ready to reveal the challenges I overcame as a way of service to those who wish to transform their tests into testimonies.”

A Long Way Coming

Gibbs got her start in acting in the 1970s. She began working at local Black theaters in Los Angeles before being featured in films like “Sweet Jesus,” “Preacher Man” and “Black Belt Jones.” Gibbs played Florence Johnston, a family maid, in the iconic 1975 CBS comedy series, “The Jeffersons.” She was nominated for an Emmy in the Best Supporting Actress category for that role.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about her role, Gibbs said, “I didn’t know what it was. It was called “The Jeffersons,” that’s all I knew. And the part they wanted me to read for, Florence the maid, reminded me of my grandmother and my aunt in Chicago. So that’s how I played her. And the casting director liked it. She took me right over to the producers, and they liked it. By the time I got home, I had the job.”

Gibbs has continued to act being feature in famous projects, such as “Young Sheldon,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and many others.

Other famous Black women including Viola Davis and Michelle Obama have released seminal memoirs in recent years.

The post Marla Gibbs to Share Details of A Long Career in New Memoir appeared first on 21Ninety.