[Si] TV

For the past few years The Wire has had the ‘hood on smash like Air Jordans and matching fitted caps. Every Monday dudes build about the episode they watched the night before and talk about who was the most G'd up character of the night. Whether it was Omar, Barksdale or Marlo-everyone had their own opinion about who was the most thoroughbred. One night the scale tipped in favor of a young woman who went by the name of Snoop. In her first appearance this little lady pulled off a drive-by on the back of a cycle and showed absolutely no remorse. Since then her popularity has been growing amongst hardcore fans and shows no signs of slowing down. The babyface gangsta known as Felicia Pearson is now making a name for herself-from making appearances in hip-hop videos, records and even putting her sexual preference out there. The Baltimore, MD-raised actress is taking the underground by storm and gaining the respect that gangsta rappers only dream of.

[Si] Ent.: Man, it seems like you're one of the fan favorites on The Wire these days. How has this newfound fame affected your daily life? Is it welcome or unwelcome attention?
Felicia Pearson: It hasn't really affected my daily life yet, I can still do me. I do get a lot of attention and it's welcome. I'm saying why would I get mad at somebody tellin' me how they love the show or my character. That's one of them good problems

[Si] Ent.: How similar is Snoop's character to Felicia?
FP: What Snoop and Felicia have in common is both being from Baltimore, and we look alike (laughs). If I could change something about myself it would be my criminal history. I regret the choices that I made back then and I am working to do whatever I can to make up for my past. The fact that I now have a criminal record that follows me wherever I go is like no matter what I do I'm always gonna be that kid I was back then.

[Si] Ent.: We know that Omar Littles put you on to The Wire game, but if you weren't acting now what would you be doing?
FP: I'd be on the block lookin' for a way out and praying to God that I stay alive.

[Si] Ent.: Is acting something you find natural or hard?
FP: So far acting has come natural for me, maybe because I'm a fast learner.

[Si] Ent.: Is acting something you ever considered as a career? If so, who were some peeps that inspired you?
FP: I never thought about it seriously. I mean I just never thought about me being on TV or in the movies. But if I had to say some of the people who inspired me I would have to say Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington, Queen Latifah, Jamie Hector, Michael K. Williams and the entire Wire cast. The cast is like family for real, everybody looks out for each other. Ed Burns, his wife, David Simon are real people, for real.

[Si] Ent.: I saw you in Tony Yayo's video. Are you planning on getting into the MC game?
FP: Right now my focus is on acting, that's what I really want to do. But I do have a lot to say and there are a lot of rappers who I want to work with. Jay-Z, Luda, Young Jeezy, Lil Boosie, T.I.. I never really thought about rappin', I was in the studio with Yayo and Hell Rell, you know, when you hang with rappers you end up rappin' (laughs). Now I got people calling me for my next song. So why the hell not?! My manager heard me on a track and bugged out, talking about how hot that s**t was. To me it's just me on a track, but if everybody else is feeling me than it's good.

[Si] Ent.: Where do you wanna be in your life when you retire?
FP: I want it all, a crib in Hollywood and I plan to keep a crib in B-more too. You can't forget where you come from. I know I want to leave something behind in Baltimore where kids can go and learn about different things they might want to do. When I was growing up there wasn't no place for us to go, so we just never thought about our possibilities or if we had talent or not. There are people in my life that helped me. I think it's only right that I turn around and do the same thing for somebody else.

[Si] Ent.: If you could shoot the fair one with one of two women who would it be: Paris Hilton or Condoleezza Rice? Why?
FP: Why what? Why the hell I want to shoot 'em yo? You buggin'.

[Si] Ent.: What can fans expect from you once The Wire wraps up this season? More television? Movies? Music?
FP: Definitely more television, movies and probably more music too. I'm workin' on a book right now so you can watch for that. You got a script for me to read? Holla 

[Si] Ent.: What do you want people to know about Felicia Pearson?
FP: I want people to know that if I can do it they can too. I know we always hear stories of somebody who was so poor they couldn't go to school and had to teach themselves while raising 12 brothers and sisters and a sick mother. My story ain't like that. Didn't give a damn about school, didn't know about no family, made some serious mistakes in my life. But you can turn things around and when you make the effort then others will step up and help you get where it is you need to go.