The Mowry Twins

Seeing Double: Straight Talk from the Mowry Twins

CBN.com -

Paramount studios in Hollywood has become a second home for twin actresses Tia and Tamara Mowry. Their hit sitcom Sister,Sister is now in its 6th season.

Tia Mowry: We always claimed five years: "It's going to be five years. We claim it right now in Jesus name." And it happened. And then all of a sudden, six years came, and we didn't even know. We were like, We got picked up again Cool. So we're just riding it out and having a lot of fun. But we never expected six years.

Sandy Engel: You girls have grown since we last talked. Tia, in what way do you think you've changed the most over those four years?

Tia: I think the only thing that has changed is my looks. That's the only thing. I'm just a little more mature.

Tamara Mowry: But we have grown. We've grown spiritually. We've grown, I guess you could say, physically. We're women now; we're twenty years old, and by going to college that had a lot to do with it.

Sandy Engel: You are famous now. How has fame changed you?

Tamara: It really hasn't changed us. We're the same as when we first started, but we travel a lot now, and we get to meet a lot of people. And we've become role models. So I think that's the biggest thing.

Tia: And it's really neat because people are willing to talk to us, and it's easy for us to witness to other people.

Tamara: That's the way we use it.

Tia: We talk about God to any individual we come up to, whether they're little, even babies. And when we hug them, we pray for them.

Tamara: And they have no idea we're doing that.

Tamara: We believe that's why we're in this business. God put us here not to glorify ourselves but to glorify God in it. So we pray: Our number one prayer is to help people and talk about our number one love -- and that's Jesus Christ. So definitely in everything we do we try to witness.

Sandy Engel: I see a picture over here of your brother Tahj. He has his own sitcom, Smart Guy, also very successful. It must be wild around your house with three siblings on two sitcoms!

Tia: It is so funny.

Tamara: That is so true.

Tia: When our cousins come over they're like, 'How do you do it! You guys are going everywhere all over the place Washington, NY It's like, 'When can I spend time with you?'

Sandy Engel: I know that you come from a Christian family. But was there a point where you as an individual developed a relationship with Jesus? And I want to ask that to you separately because that is a very individual thing -- Tia?

Tia: Well, I didn't know why I was going to church. I didn't know why I was reading my Bible. I didn't really know why I was praying. But I can remember 14 years old actually 15 years old. I said, You know what? I've made my decision. I'm going to walk with Jesus Christ. It's the only way to go, and I want to know Him for myself."

Tamara: Our grandmother always taught us that. You've got to know Jesus for yourself. You've got to get into that Word for yourself! But I think I was about 15 or 16 when I realized --You know what? I have to be real for Christ! Although we did go to church, we didn't have that personal one-on-one relationship with Jesus Christ. And thats when you grow. I remember when I received the Holy Ghost, and that's when it started. It gave me power, and I really knew that Wow, Jesus is real! I am in the Presence of Him! And since then weve been striving higher and higher and nothing can stop us.

Sandy Engel: You're at an age where there's a lot of temptation just for people who aren't on television.

Tamara: Oh, yes!

Tia: He says that you're going to be tempted, but He will give you the power to overcome that.

Tamara: Sometimes He won't remove the problem, but He'll help you deal with it. Yes, by being twenty, we have to sit here and be real. Sometimes it can be hard, but we always say, We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Sandy Engel: You now have permanent boyfriends on the show. Do you have real life boyfriends?

Tia and Tamara: Noooo!

Tamara: We're just taking our time. There is a time for everything. We're in a training process right now. We have to know who we are first. We know that God will bless in due time. But the coolest thing about having boyfriends on the show, and by being Christians, is we want to portray to the youth how to have a clean relationship. And I think we're doing a wonderful job. (To Tia) Wouldn't you say so?

Tia: Um-hum.

Sandy Engel: Last time we talked, both of you were planning to become--

Tia and Tamara: criminal lawyers!

Tamara: Oh my gosh!

Sandy Engel: Is that still your plan?

Tamara: Nooo!

Tia: Things change. Tamara and I really love what were doing now. And we believe this is our purpose. So we're going to college now for business, not law, and what we want to do [is] we want to pursue a production company that produces family films.

Sandy Engel: Tia and Tamara also plan to pursue a career in music. They're now in the process of recording a gospel album. You have spent most of your adolescence in front of millions of people. Do you feel like you've missed out on something, or do you have any regrets?

Tia: No regrets! This is a blessing from God.

Tamara: Thank God for our mother.

Tia: I don't regret any of it.

Tamara: She made sure that we stayed normal.

Tia: We had chores and we still have chores! My friend she got a camera and she took a picture of Tamara and I cleaning

Tamara: on the floor, sweeping.

Tia: She said, 'Tia and Tamara they're humble.'

Tamara: 'They're real.' So we thank God for our mom.

Sandy Engel: You have a very busy schedule. You're doing this. You're in college. How do you stay focused and centred on Jesus?

Tia: I'm telling you, He helps us with everything that we do. Everything.

Tamara: And we put Him first. And everything else follows. And we've learned to take everything a day at a time and keep our minds focused on Him.

Tia: We ask for His help, because you can't do anything on your own.

Tamara: And that's what we have learned. We are nothing without Jesus! Nothing!

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The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. © 2001

(The Christian Broadcasting Network had a partnership with Christianity.com, to provide shared content between the 2 sites.  When Christianity.com was sold off, this content vanished from the Christian Broadcasting Network website. Here is the text from the original page I had stored in my archives - Webmaster, Baptist Surfer)