Lela Rochon decided to pop out and remind people that she is a certified “original baddie” on the blue carpet at an awards show this past weekend.
The days of Rochon being one of Black Hollywood’s go-to actresses may have passed, but her beauty has done anything but fade. According to fans who cannot get enough of her jaw-dropping appearance on the culture’s biggest night, she has only gotten better with time.
The “Waiting to Exhale” star, 60, stunned thousands when she stepped out in a black, crystal bejeweled gown with a thigh-high slit. Her natural and flawless glam makeup look and perfectly styled loose curls from the 2024 BET Awards transported many of her followers to her past projects such as “Boomerang” and “Why Do Fools Fall In Love,” as they complimented her aging in reverse.
A shocked Instagram user wrote, “Gorgeous! I thought the first picture was a throw back baby black dont crack!” when Rochon shared a carousel of photos from the outing.
Someone else told the star, “Please remind these people who ORIGINALLY set the bar!!!” Another flattering compliment left in the comments stated, “F—k a stereotype. YOU are the perfectly crafted prototype.”
A fourth said, “You look the same as you did in 1995 in ‘Waiting to Exhale.”
For countless others, Rochon’s presence at the event was the perfect addition of sass, graciousness, and class.
For others who felt there was “something new and fresh going on” with the ’90s leading lady, it may be that ever since shedding a bit of weight, Rochon has been stepping back into the spotlight and reclaiming her time as the star she has always been.
In April, she showed off a snatched waist as she strutted in a leather cowgirl inspired dress for her 60th birthday. “Stepping into my next trip around the sun like… embracing all of it!! Aging is a Blessing and a Privilege!!” she captioned a post from the festivities.
She was flooded with dozens of remarks acknowledging her transformation. For years, hecklers attempted to shame her with snide comments about her weight gain, some even alluding to appearance being a reason that her husband, director Antoine Fuqua, was caught kissing Nicole Murphy in 2019.
Movie star Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife would later say that moment they shared in Italy was a mistake. In the aftermath, Rochon, who has been married to Fuqua since 1999, briefly deleted her social media accounts.
She has never publicly addressed the scandal and on occasion is snapped with a ring on her left hand. The parents of two children, daughter Asia and son Brando, were last observed together when they attended their son’s high school graduation in June 2023.
Now, with both her and the “Equalizer” director’s children in college, fans think that too may be contributing to the extra sunshine that has her glowing.
“Hunty, this empty nesting done brung hot mama back outside!” a follower wrote. Another person chimed in with, “I been waiting for your return glow up.. I knew you was gonna be killing em…love it!”
Rochon is currently gearing up for an even bigger return to the spotlight as production on her next project, the BET+ series “The Family Business: New Orleans,” is underway.
