Debbie Allen has done it all-and then some.
In the eighties, she became a household name, dancing and choreographing on the hit series Fame, forever defining our love for the arts. She then revitalized the beloved HBCU comedy A Different World in the nineties, a series she’s currently rebooting for Netflix.
She founded the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, a nonprofit organization that has been nurturing young talent for a remarkable 25 years, a major milestone, especially in the current climate of struggling nonprofits. Her annual Hot Chocolate Nutcracker is hosting a holiday gala on December 11 with an all-star cast.
Toss in her many producing, directing and acting credits over the past six decades, it’s easy to see how she’s fit a century’s worth of accomplishments into her 75 years of life, which is documented in the film 100 Years of Debbie Allen.
And now, the award-winning actor, dancer, singer, choreographer, director, producer, and author has been immortalized in 11 1/2 inches of iconic plastic with her own Barbie Tribute doll from Mattel. The impact isn’t lost on her. “At my school, they all want a Barbie now,” Allen exclaimed. “I’m excited to have an image of a Barbie that is someone that they really respond to, not just the kids in my school, but around the world.”
From the dance floor to Barbie Land, Allen continues to inspire. Here, she chats with EBONY about her tribute doll and its impact, her most iconic past projects, and what’s on her very full schedule for the future.
EBONY: You’re a Barbie! How did this honor come about?
Debbie Allen: It started with the celebration of 25 years of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, over conversations with Mattel about recreating characters from our Hot Chocolate Nutcracker. And they mentioned that there might be interest in me being a Barbie! I was nine years old when Barbie first came out, and it was great because we loved our dolls. And Barbie was hot; she was mature and embodied everything about a young woman. Barbie puts me in a legacy group of women that I so love: Ava DuVernay, Misty Copeland, Shonda Rhimes. There’s a long laundry list of this brand that represents diverse women who have made quite dynamic accomplishments in their lives. I am thrilled.
How did you decide on the iconic outfit for your tribute doll?
When asked, I said, “Let’s go with the Fame look.” That’s the look. She has her belt. She has her big earrings and dance shoes, and there’s a little stand that you can use to make her stand up and pose. My shingle pants back in the day, and those tops, I wore them in every color and wore them around the world. It’s a reflection of the great work and the international appeal of what I do and who I am. Fame went around the world. When I went to London, Israel, South Africa, the Middle East, Italy — I couldn’t even walk down the street. I hardly had to pay for a meal because of Fame and what we represented. Music and dance can help change the world. And we really did.
What significance do you want this doll to have on young Black girls?
For young girls, maybe they’ll look into my story and see a path that’s wide open for them to take and make their own. If you can see yourself doing it, it can happen. They’ll probably learn about my challenges in becoming the dancer I was and the choreographer and director I am. As a woman and a Black woman, this will give many people inspiration and hope. That’s what I hope it will do. It’ll make them turn around and look into my life. And what they’ll see is a lot of hard work.
That’s in perfect alignment with the documentary about your life, 100 Years of Debbie Allen. What’s your secret to a century’s worth of accomplishments?
We had a screening recently, and I couldn’t believe how much this reaction it got from the audience. It’s quite funny. I didn’t know it was gonna be so funny. And it’s just a glimpse, because there’s a lot more to my life. We realized it’s been 25 years since the Debbie Allen Dance Academy was founded, which is an incredible accomplishment for any nonprofit. Nonprofits across the country have been closing due to a lack of funding and the problems we’re currently facing in the dance world. But we are standing strong. And then I’m turning 75, which a lot of people still don’t believe. I’m not shy about saying that out loud and in public because I’m still as vibrant as ever. I’ve never had more job opportunities, my brain is functioning well, and I’m still somewhat the little queen of dance around the world. I said 25 years and 75, that’s a hundred years, we could say a hundred years of Debbie Allen. I said it as a little joke. And then they said yes. That turned into the whole promotion of our film.
What has been one of the most meaningful work projects in your life?
Producing Amistad with Steven Spielberg. If I never did anything else in life, I could have stopped right there because that was something that belongs to our cultural history. I’m talking about the DNA of America, not just Black America — all of America. That shared story was very difficult to get done. But we got it done with an incredible team of people who are still my best friends.
You’re bringing back A Different World, a show that gave viewers a genuine glimpse into HBCU life. Where does the upcoming Netflix reboot stand now?
We’re making sure we’re the best we can be. We’re refining some of the pilot and making it even better. And I’m excited about that. The show is gonna be amazing with original cast members like Jasmine Guy (Whitley), Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne), Darryl M. Bell (Ron), Cree Summer (Freddie), Charnele Brown (Kim), Glynn Turman (Colonel Taylor) and all the characters that people love so much coming into recur. And we want to have Sinbad. We were so proud to see him in the movie Tyler Perry’s movie Straw with Taraji P. Henson. I’ve been in touch with him the whole time, and he has done so well in his recovery. We expect him to be on the road soon.
Now that you have a Barbie doll, does your sister, Phylicia Rashad, want one in her own image?
She should definitely be next in line. Phylicia’s such an inspiration. She directed Purpose, which won the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award. She is a two-time Tony Award-winning actress on Broadway, and she is wonderful in The Gilded Age—I could choke her, which is so good! She’s directing Grey’s Anatomy right now, and it’s been just wonderful having her here and being the one to help her find her way as a director for the first time in television. The actors need it. Too often, you have directors who think about shots and not enough about character and narrative. She goes deep with the actors, which I love so much.