Lovie Simone Read Forever “In One Sitting” Before Starring In The Series

Lovie Simone is a force to be reckoned with — and not just because her sun, Venus, and Mercury are all in Sagittarius. “It’s a lot of fire,” the 26-year-old Bronx native jokes during our virtual interview. “I’m an Aries moon too, but the Pisces rising kind of calms me down.”

Astrological birth chart aside, the actor has proven herself as someone to watch this year. She stars in the Netflix series Forever, an adaptation of the 1975 Judy Blume novel of the same name. The show premieres on May 8, and Simone has already been nominated for a Gotham TV Award for her performance, alongside Hollywood legends like Kathy Bates and Sterling K. Brown.

The reimagined classic follows high schoolers Keisha Clark and Justin Edwards, two childhood friends who reconnect at a New Year’s Eve party and fall in love during their senior year. “I read the book in one sitting,” Simone says. “I love young love, so being part of a coming-of-age love story was something I was looking to do.”

Viewers may recognize Simone from her supporting roles in 2016’s Greenleaf or 2024’s Manhunt, but portraying Keisha was the first time she was able to explore the depths of a character as a main protagonist. “I've played the girlfriend before, but it wasn't the girlfriend like this. This was a story that was mine to tell as well,” she says. “It was nice to have that space and have a story to dive into and empathize with.”

Acting alongside Michael Cooper Jr., Simone says filming together meant embracing teenage awkwardness and remembering what first love felt like — even the messy parts. “The hardest part about first love is letting go of it,” she says. “It’s a grieving process. A lot of the time, you only refer to grief when you're thinking about actual physical death. But there's so much grief in life, like the death of self or a relationship. It’s really intense and painful.”

Beyond Keisha and Justin’s relationship, Simone says Forever embraces Black love in all its forms. “You don't just see romantic Black love. You see family, friends, and so much community love,” she says. “I love to see Mara [Brock Akil, the showrunner] create another banger showing how beautifully Black people can exist with one another, even if there is drama.” Brock Akil is also known for her work on the 2000s sitcom Girlfriends.

“I wish my prom was as good as Keisha's prom.”

One major moment in the show revolves around prom, and who Keisha ultimately decides to go with. While her character in Forever has a few options to choose from, Simone’s real-life experience was a little different.

“I wish my prom was as good as Keisha's prom,” Simone says. “I experienced a culture shock when I transferred from my school in Harlem to a school upstate. It was really different. I love Black love — that's the only love I'm going to have in my life — and I definitely did not see anybody I wanted to take to my prom. I ended up taking my godbrother with me, and it was really chill.”

As Simone waits to find out if the show has been renewed for Season 2, she’s focusing her energy on a new film project that she says is unexpected for her. “It’s maybe scary a little bit,” she says. “I'm going to be excited to tell everybody about it because this is not Keisha — this is somebody completely different.”

Below, Simone reveals the love advice she’d give to her character, plus her favorite teenage rom-com and comfort show.

Elite Daily: What’s your idea of a perfect first date?

LS: Anything that was planned intentionally. I like activities. So maybe if I were to be picked up and taken to a rage room first, then dinner and a drive.

ED: What love advice would you give to Keisha?

LS: Trust people more.

ED: What's your favorite teenage rom-com?

LS: [The 1980s-’90s sitcom] A Different World, Dwayne Wayne and Whitney [Gilbert-Wayne]. It might not be a movie, but it's a forever rom-com.

ED: The music in the show is top-tier. What artists are you going to have on repeat this summer?

LS: I’m going to check out some Daft Punk. Their music was a really big player in Forever.

ED: Speaking of summer, do you have any fun plans?

LS: Relaxing with my sisters, blood and not.

ED: You post so many great outfits on Instagram. What's one trend that you love right now?

LS: I don't like trends. I still don't have a TikTok. I just love colors on brown skin.

ED: Do you have a favorite color to wear?

LS: Probably green or orange.

ED: What’s your go-to comfort show?

LS: Criminal Minds. If it's a movie, it's going to be Coraline.

ED: Who's your favorite Criminal Minds character?

LS: Spencer or Garcia.

ED: You grew up in the Bronx. What’s the best pizza spot in New York City?

LS: Any pizza spot.

ED: Even dollar pizza?

LS: Especially a dollar pizza.

ED: What type of project would you like to work on next?

LS: Literally anything and everything. I'm a storyteller, so I want to tell as many stories as I possibly can.

ED: Who is your dream co-star?

LS: Denzel Washington.

ED: What are you manifesting right now?

LS: Like two free days so I can sleep. It's going to be so good when I get it. You’ve got to start small, you know? You don't have to do big manifestations all the time.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.