File photos
LEFT: Audrey and Oliver, from the play 'Underwriter Undercover', a Ginger Knight production.
RIGHT: Audrey Reid, star of 'Dancehall Queen'.

Misha Lobban, Contributor

Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life. (Anonymous)

She is not the typical 'dancehall queen' but her popularity soared with the release of the 1997 internationally successful film, Dancehall Queen, in which she played a lead role. She later starred in another popular Jamaican film, Third World Cop.

Audrey Reid's acting career began to soar when she joined the theatrical troupe, Oliver Samuels and Friends, with whom she toured in the Caribbean, USA and UK. She also starred in Oliver Samuels' Jamaican television series Oliver at Large.

Her close friend and confidant is local actor and well-known comedian Oliver Samuels, whom she credits as being one of the major influences in her acting career.

In this week's feature, Oliver tells us about Audrey's extraordinary sense of humour, her strength and determination, her trendsetting hairstyles, and much more.

How did you meet Audrey Reid, and how long have you been friends?

I met Audrey about 25 years ago through a late friend of ours, Kenneth Fennel. When I first met her, I found her to be extremely humorous and we just clicked right there and then.

At the time of our meeting, I was thinking about forming my own theatrical group. She, along with Kenneth, Humroy White, Ann-marie Fuller, and later Deon Silvera, were a part of this group and we would travel around the island to do performances, and later we started to do gigs in the Caribbean, North America, and the United Kingdom. During this time, the relationship between us grew.

There are few people in the world also can make me laugh, really laugh, and Audrey is one of those persons. She also sees me as a confidant, as she does not make a decision that affects her life without first seeking my advice.

Tell us what you admire most about her, and why you think you have remained friends all these years.

The thing I admire most about Audrey is her ambition. She is always striving for excellence and to improve her life. Audrey is a fighter, she doesn't give up.

Tell us something interesting about her.

Audrey is extremely terrified of flying. Anyone who sits besides her on an airplane would be left with scars on their arm by the time the plane lands. She attributes every strand of grey hair pon har head to flying.

Another interesting thing about her is that she loves to reminisce about our experiences as a theatrical group. She has the capacity to remember so many things, things that I don't even remember. She is like a theatrical historian.

What are some of the things you talk about when you are together?

We talk about so many things … like reuniting as a theatre group, and the future. We also talk about our children and the direction in which we want them to go in terms of their education, etc.

Share with us one of the happiest moments you have experienced with her.

Happy moments with Audrey are unlimited, but one of the most memorable has to do with flying. We were travelling overseas and we hit bad weather. When di plane dip, the only voice you hear was Audrey's with one big expletive, warning everybody dat di plane going down. That just mek me start laugh and forget mi fear, and I appreciated her so much for helping me through this terrifying experience.

Tell us the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of her, and why.

Hairstyles … she is a trendsetter when it comes to hairstyles. She always has these dramatic styles that make her stand out and set a trend.

What are her favourite food, favourite music and favourite sport?

Stew peas.

She loves every song by the late reggae artist, Culture.

Mi nuh tink Audrey love nuh form a sports.

Tell us the colour that you associate with Audrey:

Yellow signifying someone you'll never forget

Orange signifying someone you consider your true friend

Red signifying someone you really love

Green signifying someone you'll remember for the rest of your life.

Yellow ... I can never forget Audrey, because of all the wonderful times we have had and the laughter she has brought into my life. It's a friendship built on trust and love. We depend on each other and we believe in each other.

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