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It's 6:10 p.m., and Hollywood actress Suzzanne Douglas whisks into the lobby of a Chicago hotel with her two-year-old daughter, Jordan, perched on one hip. Both are dressed in bright orange, and when I comment on their matching clothing, Suzzanne flashes me a warm smile. "I love dressing Jordan in similar colors. That way, people can see this Sweet Pea belongs to me!" As soon as Suzzanne reaches the check-in counter, hotel staff greet her like an old friend, asking how her flight went and commenting on how much Jordan has grown. The camaraderie reminds me of a typical scene in The Parent 'Hood, Suzzanne's current family-oriented sitcom where she plays spunky wife and mother Jerri Peterson.
Suzzanne's in town to be honored for her educational work with children by the Boys and Girls Club of America—and to have dinner with her mother, grandparents, and siblings who still live in Chicago, her hometown. As she stops to greet more hotel staff (and a few teen fans), it's obvious that Suzzanne is more than a beautiful, award-winning actress with twenty-something years of silver-screen credits (i.e., The Inkwell, Into the Woods, and Tap ), starring roles in Broadway theater (Threepenny Opera and The Tap Dance Kid), and a one-woman show Harriet Tubman. She's also authentically warm and real.
Once settled in her room, Suzzanne calls her husband, Jono, a neurological radiologist in New Jersey, to let him know they arrived safely. She then energetically unpacks, keeping an eye on Jordan while we chat. I half-expect show biz talk and Hollywood hype—but what I hear instead are refreshingly honest revelations about the challenges of being a Christian in Hollywood (married to a non-Christian), her childhood in the Chicago projects, and her joy at becoming an adoptive mom.
Suzzanne, is Hollywood as rough an environment for a Christian as it appears to be?
Years ago, I read a book that described Hollywood as the glamorous but wicked Old Testament city of Babylon, and it's an apt description. Hollywood's all about glamour, beauty, having the right car, the right zip code. What's easy to forget is that as glitzy as Babylon looked, it fell—hard.
There are many outwardly beautiful women in Hollywood, but few who are inwardly beautiful—and that's far more important. I've discovered that true beauty only comes when I know and love God, and let him work through me. As Christians, God calls us to be in the world and yet apart from it. That's a difficult balance, because the world can be very seductive. But with God's help, we can be discerning. For instance, in Hollywood, I'm surrounded by people who drive all sorts of exotic cars. But my red Plymouth Voyager runs well, and it's paid for. That's good enough for me.
Every day I have to put on the armor of Christ. Reading God's Word helps—it protects me, guides me, and gives me wisdom and strength. When you put Christ first, you experience real beauty, great joy, and abundant life. But the minute you fall into the trap of thinking all that glitters is gold, you'll be out of sync with God's will for you—and that affects every area of your life, including work.
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