In an emotional interview withComed Hype,FridayactressAngela Meansgives a tearful side of the story about her iconic role as “Felicia,” aka Felisha (as spelled in the official list of casts), and how fans of thecult classicseemingly cannot disassociate her from the character.
The hit 1995 film produced a number of memorable characters, including Felisha, who was known for being in an abusive relationship with Deebo (the late Tiny Lister) and who asked to borrow a car and then a joint. After Smokey (Chris Tucker) repeatedly refuses her requests, Felisha turns to Craig (Ice Cube) who promptly quipped the now-famous line, “Bye, Felicia.” The phrase, which is used to dismiss someone from your presence, is still used to this day. It was so popular that in 2014, VH1 even started airing a TV show calledBye Felicia.
However, despite how iconic the role and popularity of the phrase, Means has a different story to tell when it comes to how her character was treated within the film and by fans, including being called a “dirty b***h” by some.
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Angela Means Explains Her Feelings for the Character Felisha
During the interview, Means shares her thoughts on the person she was to play who was dismissed or disliked within the film and the ordeal she has gone through personally.
“I was really feeling her emotions, I was feeling a lot of fear, a lot of things that happened to Felicia. Maybe people were tired of her. Why was there so much hate for such an obviously beautiful woman? She’s kind, you didn’t hear her using any profanity…Why would they be so unkind to a family member? Why would they be so dismissive? Why would no one defend her? And I’ve asked this question for 30 years. Why is it so easy for us to dismiss each other like that? When people come at me and even to this day, I’ll see people saying, ‘Bye, you dirty bh, you dumb bh.”
Earlier in the interview, Means talks about having gone as far as writing a biography for her character.
“I wish I still had Felicia’s bio. At the time I was in intensive actor workshop…[and] I wrote a bio on Felicia, and it was an amazing process. It was one of the greatest processes that I’ve ever been allowed to be a part of. I wrote a very intense bio on her. Some of the things that had happened to her. Her background…where she went to school, everything about her. I put everything down on paper, and then I put it inside. I trusted it and Angela went away and this person, Felicia, emerged.”
As for what audiences came to know about Felisha/Felicia, she was a girl from the ‘hood who meant no one any harm but hilariously got on Smokey and Craig’s nerves.
