You might know her as the eclectic and dynamically hilarious TV show mom, Rainbow, from Black-ish.
Or, you might know her as the elegant fashion model and daughter of the incomparable legendary
singer, Diana Ross. However you came across Tracee Ellis Ross, there's no denying she
is a force to be reckoned with.
"Because I just, I was like a big personality, from when I came out."
Ross wanted to have an impact from the start, so at the beginning of her career, she decided
to change her name from Tracee Joy Silberstein to Tracee Ellis Ross, so she could best represent
her mother's name — Diana Ross — and her father's name — Bob Ellis Silberstein. Ross
told W in 2017:
"I really felt strongly that I wanted my father's name in my name, because everyone knows I'm
my mom's daughter, but I'm also very much my dad's daughter. And I wanted him, when
my name hit a screen, to know that I was also part of him. And so Tracee Ellis Ross it is."
Tracee Ellis Ross plays a mother of five wonderful children in the hit TV show Black-ish, which
ironically parallels her real life experience of being one of five children from The Supremes
legend, Diana Ross. Therefore, some people may find it strange to see Ross without a
family of her own. However, this is not a coincidence. Ross just doesn't want to adhere
to those traditionalist values of having a husband and his children just yet; she wants
to do it on her own time when it feels right for her journey. Ross explained to The Times
in 2018:
"The husband and the babies are the expectation of what's supposed to happen at a certain
point, and people fall back on, 'Well, that's the point of the human species, procreation.'
And I'm, like, 'I think there are a lot of babies, isn't that part of what's going wrong,
there's too many?'"
Ross went on to add:
"Some people could be working on the world being a better place, or just being happy."
This isn't the only time Ross has explained her unconventional look on life. After all,
she is consistently candid about the impact it has on her when people question her decision
to put family life on hold. During Glamour's 2017 Women of the Year Summit, Ross discussed
how her lifestyle might confuse those who are more closed-minded than she is:
"I look back and think about all the ways we're told that those two #goals: being chosen
and having kids, are what makes you worthy. [...] And the patriarchy — the patriarchy
is not pleased with me right now. I'm failing at my function."
If what Ross is doing in her career and personal life equals being a failure, we might not
even care to know what winning is. When she isn't out there racking up producer credits
and snatching up TV and film roles, Ross can be seen jet-setting to luxurious places across
the world or giving fashion designers life by embracing her role as a style icon. Ross
is a prime example of showing that you do not need the typical nuclear family lifestyle
to feel fulfilled. Ross has proven that happiness is something you have to define on your own
terms, and have fun while doing it.
Currently, Tracee Ellis Ross is having fun with no restrictions holding her back from
defining her own love life. Ross is a very private person due to her upbringing in the
public eye, which is why her dating life is rarely reported on. However, that doesn't
stop the rumor mill from spinning its little web of theories.
There was a rumor circulating in January of 2020 about Ross possibly dating Black-ish
creator, Kenya Barris, per Distractify. In August 2019, Barris and his wife of 20 years,
Dr. Rania "Rainbow" Barris, announced their intention to divorce, which led to multiple
sources connecting Ross to Barris. However, in July of 2021, Barris posted a sweet tribute
to his wife on Instagram, exclaiming that she is, quote, "the love of [his] life." So
those rumors probably are as legitimate as the Y2K internet scare.
"Actually, I've been dreading having to say that. 2000."
Even though Tracee Ellis Ross isn't always spotted with someone in her love life, it
shouldn't really matter. She is clearly happy living her life, her way — so more power
to her.
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