This is not her job … or is it? Yvette Nicole Brown exclusively gave Us Weekly the inside scoop on her personal life — and it’s every bit as entertaining as the actress herself.
Whenever the Mayor alum, 51, is recognized in public, she told Us, “The most common thing fans say to me is a quote from Drake & Josh or Community.” Nickelodeon fans loved her as Helen, Josh Peck’s movie theater boss, while Community viewers were here for her role as Shirley Bennett on the fan-favorite sitcom. “I get told, ‘That is not my job!’ or ‘That’s nice!’ once a day if I’m out and about,” Brown explained, referencing her Drake & Josh and Community catchphrases, respectively.
The actress — who has lent her voice everywhere from adult animations like Family Guy and American Dad! to the family-friendly Pound Puppies — has so much fun both on and offscreen that her friends have actually had to tell her to chill … particularly when it comes to board games.
“Taboo is one of my favorite games, but I’m so competitive I’m banned from playing at some friends’ game nights,” she told Us. Sundays, however, are reserved for “my fellow Blerds,” Brown said. “We’re a group of Black actors, writers, executives and directors who are as nerdy as can be.”
The Odd Couple alum is also sure to make family a priority. “The person who made me laugh the most is my mom,” she shared with Us. “I lost my mom recently No one made me laugh more than her.” Now, Brown said, as her father’s caregiver, her “favorite way to wind down after a long day is by spending time talking to my dad.”
Keep scrolling to learn more about Brown’s life:
1. One place everyone should visit is Paris.
2. The most common thing fans say to me is a quote from Drake & Josh or Community. I get told, “That is not my job!” or “That’s nice!” once a day if I’m out and about.
3. After “making it,” I allowed myself to go to Target and buy whatever I wanted. That’s still my favorite splurge.
4. I was the most starstruck meeting Betty White for the first time. I cried like a baby.
5. Taboo is one of my favorite games, but I’m so competitive I’m banned from playing at some friends’ game nights.
6. No one naps better than me. If it were an Olympic sport, I’d get the gold.
7. I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know how to swim. I hope to learn by next summer.
8. My favorite movies are It’s a Wonderful Life, All About Eve, The Princess Bride, While You Were Sleeping and Coming to America.
9. I have a [beloved] denim jacket collection that is becoming a problem.
10. The best advice I’ve ever received is, “Kindness will open doors [that] looks and talent can’t even budge.”
11. If I weren’t an entertainer, I would be a kindergarten teacher for sure.
12. The person who made me laugh the most is my mom. I lost my mom recently. No one made me laugh more than her.
13. My No. 1 beauty tool is from my makeup artist Camara Aunique, whose lash line makes my eyes sing!
14. My favorite way to wind down after a long day is by spending time talking to my dad. I’m his caregiver.
15. A common misconception about me is that I’m taller than I am. I’m a peewee 5′ 2″.
16. The meal I make the best is my meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
17. The first concert I ever attended was Luther Vandross and DeBarge when I was 12. I’m friends with El DeBarge now and pinch myself about that dang near daily!
18. On Sundays, I have brunch with my fellow Blerds. We’re a group of Black actors, writers, executives and directors who are as nerdy as can be.
19. I spent three months shooting Disenchanted in Ireland. I loved it so much, I would consider living there.
20. Anytime I have to do a lot of prop work, it’s an embarrassing day on set. I’m not a walk-and-chew-gum-at-the-same-time kind of person.
21. My first car was a Nissan Sentra I named “Nate.” I drove it until the wheels fell off.
22. If I want to dive into a good book, it’s usually an autobiography of a person I admire. Currently, it’s Viola Davis’.
23. My advice for young actors is to live below your means. Realize competition is a myth. Make friends with your peers, support each other and share information.
24. I adopted my cocker spaniel, Mister Harley Brown, after filming Lady and the Tramp. He was one of Lady’s doubles.
25. I looked up to Janet Jackson and Kim Fields the most growing up.
