Tiffany Boone firmly believes in all the good that Baltimore has to offer. The Charm City-born actress, who stars in the hit Fox television series, “The Following,” certainly has overcome some of the city’s toughest obstacles.
At just three-years-old, Boone’s father was murdered, forcing her mother to raise the reclusive young girl as a single parent.
“Baltimore is a violent place, there are a lot of issues,” she said. “I’ve lost a lot of people that I care about. There’s poverty, drug use. It’s a complicated place.”
However, Boone makes it clear that she is not throwing her favorite city under the proverbial bus, nor has she given up on it.
“There’s a great soul to the city and I was lucky enough to have the arts in a community where I could flourish because of the arts,” said Boone, a graduate of the Baltimore School of the Arts, which also boasts such alumni as Jada Pinkett-Smith and the late Tupac Shakur.
“I love my childhood. I have mixed feelings, but I’m always thinking about how I can give back to my city.”
Boone has already given back in a large way: she has licked adversity to become a successful Hollywood actress.
One of many to have made it out of Baltimore, she has been dubbed, “a star in the making,” and “a rising star,” by several Hollywood insiders.
The online Hollywood magazine, “Hello Beautiful,” said Boone is the next, “it girl.”
Writer Abiola Abrams said Boone has the smarts, looks and the acting chops to take Hollywood by storm.
Her acting career kicked-off with an appearance in the 2006 film, “Hamilton.”
A couple of other productions followed before Boone landed the role of “Crystal,” on the TNT drama, “Southland,” which starred Regina King and Michael Cudlitz. Boone then tackled one of her defining roles as “Savannah Snow” in, “Beautiful Creatures,” where she starred alongside two-time Academy Award nominee, Viola Davis.
“Savannah Snow is a member of the group of popular girls in school and is best friends with Emily Asher, Ethan’s [the main character] ex-girlfriend,” Boone said. “She is part of the campaign to make Lena’s life in Gatlin unbearable.”
While she doesn’t mind talking about her own roles, Boone expresses a sincere reverence for Davis, who has starred in such films as, “The Help,” and “Doubt.”
“To me, Viola Davis has this presence when she walks in a room you could feel her aura and she has this quiet strength that makes you feel so comfortable,” Boone said. “To watch her, she can just sit there and do nothing; she doesn’t have to say a word. That’s what I love about her. Lord knows I’m not there yet, but I really look up to her ability.”
Boone says that she is enjoying her latest role alongside Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Natalie Zea and others in, “The Following.” She plays the character of Mandy Lang in the series about a brilliant but psychotic serial killer who communicates with other serial killers and activates a cult of believers who follow his every command.
“This has been my favorite series so far,” Boone said. “What drew me to Mandy is the real innocence she has and that father and daughter relationship she has with Joe Carroll [Purefoy]. I was drawn to that need to have a father figure.”
Boone says that she hopes that her character wises up before something bad happens to her on the show.
“She does have a bit of darkness to her, trying to figure out who she is and right from wrong,” she said. “At the same time, she’s impressionable and makes you want to sit down and ask her why is she doing certain things. Why is she making bad decisions?”
“The Following” airs on Mondays at 9 p.m. on Fox.