Actress Laci Mosley On Her Breakout Role on 'Lopez vs Lopez'
Laci Mosley is one of the hardest-working fresh faces in Hollywood. The 31-year-old Texas native is an actress, comedian, improv actress, and podcast star. In 2021, she joined the cast of HBO's A Black Lady Sketch Show.
The same year, she joined the cast of the revival of iCarly--news that unfortunately prompted racist online attacks by fans who assumed she was replacing one of the original stars, Jeannette Mccurdy. But, her character--Harper, who is Carly Shay's (Miranda Cosgrove) roommate and friend is a brand new character to the show.
Yet, Mosley thrived in the series which is currently in its second season.
She also joined the cast of the new NBC series, Lopez vs Lopez which stars comedian George Lopez and his real-life daughter, Mayan.
In the series, George and Mayan--which are also their characters' names--are a once-estranged father and daughter who are navigating dysfunction, reconnection, and all the headaches and joy in between as they make up for lost time. Mosley plays Brookie, Mayan's quick-witted friend, and co-worker.
Additionally, Mosley is the host of a popular podcast--Scam Goddess. The hilarious show features the comedian trading quips with guests as they discuss modern and historical scams and cons. Scam Goddess has earned two Webby Awards and an iHeartRadio Podcast Award for the show.
BET.com: I actually spent most of the day today listening to your podcast, Scam Goddess. And I have to say, I love a good scam too. What was the inspiration behind it?
Laci Mosley: Oh man, I feel like life is a scam. I didn't ask to be born and that's when it started (Laughs). So, throughout life, I've just started realizing I was super interested in cons and grifters and scammers because it's such an art form. I'm an actor, a scammer puts on costumes too, and they perform, they perform lies. And I just started getting really interested in it. And I decided to make a podcast about it. It's been really fun. You know, sometimes I love the scammers and I'm rooting for them, and other times not so much.
BET.com: I love that. And I love how you talk about playing different roles. This particular role in Lopez vs Lopez is really interesting. You're playing a supportive character on a show with people who are related in real life. Can you tell me kind of what that dynamic is like?
Laci Mosley: I love the set of Lopez vs Lopez, because everyone there is so--and I feel like sometimes people say this and don't really mean it-- but on this set, everything felt like a family from day one of the pilot. Working with Mayan and George has been so much fun, and yes, maybe it's because they are real family, but their family dynamic kind of enveloped all of the performers on the show. And we all felt like family like from day one.
George is so kind. He's spoken so much positivity to me, and we have so much fun, and it does really feel like a family, and part of it actually is.
BET.com: I'm such a fan of George and he's really a comedy legend. Has he given you some advice in that area?
Laci Mosley: I will say I grew up watching George Lopez and watching George Lopez do stand-up. I would say that I get a lot of information-- I wouldn't call it advice, but I get a lot of inspiration from just watching him work and how he works.
And, you know, when you are a legend like George Lopez, you could easily just start phoning it in, you know, and just show up and people automatically are gonna enjoy and love your presence. But, George really works hard to make sure that the joke is funny. He loves to improv. He's constantly surprising everyone and really making us laugh. I love that because as I grow as a performer and, God willing, become older in this game. I want to keep that same fervor and passion. It's really dope to work with him.
BET.com: That's awesome. There are people of color all throughout the entire cast. What does that mean to you? And what do you think it means for the audience?
Laci Mosley: I really love the inclusion on the show because sometimes when we talk about diversity, it feels like this kind of vanity thing where we are props as people of color or people of different abilities or you know, people of different sexual orientations.
But when you have it behind the camera, like with Kelly Park, who directed the pilot, and when you have it in the writer's room, like with Debby Wolfe--who is a Latina woman, and has an extremely diverse writer's room, which I had the privilege to visit and talk to, it really makes a difference because you're seeing these people of color on screen, but the words that they're communicating the culture that's coming through feels authentic, because it's coming from a real place.
BET.com: That's outstanding. I'm really glad to hear that. What do you enjoy most about this character?
Laci Mosley: Brookie is fun. And I really enjoy that Brooke is unapologetically herself. There's not a lot of shame coming through. She just says things point blank period, and she loves herself. And, it's nice to see a dark-skinned Black woman on television who is really into loving herself. I really like the way that she's written. She's positive, she's fun, and she's having a good time. And I love her interactions with Mayan. Because you can tell that they genuinely have a great time.
BET.com: That's awesome. So you're doing this show, and you've done so many other interesting and comedic things, what do we have to look forward to in the future from you?
Laci Mosley: There's a lot of stuff in the works. I am currently working on a book that is about scams and comedy, which I'm really excited about. You'll be seeing me back on Lopez and I'm actually at iCarly right now. So season three of iCarly will be coming out soon.
BET.com: We're fresh off the Golden Globes the other night and if you're anything like me, you were rooting for everybody Black. What were some of your favorite wins? And how do you feel about this season that we're in with some real superstars rising to the top?
Laci Mosley: Yes, always rooting for everybody Black. I was over the moon watching, you know, Abbott when so many awards. I did a movie with Tyler James Williams. He's one of the sweetest people I've ever met. Quinta and I know each other from A Black Lady Sketch Show, and that's how we became friends. Sheryl Lee Ralph, I used to hang out with her son. I've been in Sheryl Lee Ralph's house and she doesn't know it.
BET.com: She might know now.
Laci Mosley: (Laughs) True. Her son, Etienne would occasionally throw--like parties or kickbacks. So, I had been in her house looking at the Dream Girls posters looking at all this iconic history. And it just makes me really proud to see so many Black people winning but also knowing these Black folks and knowing that they're good people who are hardworking, who take care of folks. They know people's names on their sets from top to bottom. That's great to me.