It’s that time of year when some couples go all out for love, and others keep it close to home. No matter which path is chosen, it’s all about celebrating the people we care for the most: our partners, family, friends and ultimately ourselves. EBONY reached out to four TV actors to discover their best Valentine’s Day moments past (or, in one case, the future!). And, of course, we had to ask what they would want for their characters for this Valentine’s Day.
Heather Headley, Helen in Sweet Magnolias (Netflix)
“The truth is, every day is Valentine’s Day at my house, so it was a little difficult to pick one memory. I know that sounds a little corny, but it’s true. But there was this one Valentine’s Day when my husband had gotten us a reservation at this great restaurant. We were both very dressed up and as we got ready to leave, things started happening around the house. It was all causing us to stop and stall – the kids needed our attention, phone calls were coming in, someone needed this, another needed that – and suddenly, we were late and knew we couldn’t make it to the restaurant on time.
We decided to check a few restaurants in our little town and maybe get into one of those; nobody could fit us in. Finally, when we were tired and running out of time for our babysitter, we found this little taco place. I was all dressed up in my heels, and we walked up to the counter, ordered a bunch of food, took our food on the little trays, sat down with our Styrofoam cups and fountain drinks, and had the best time. I still remember it because we ended up just doing what I love doing with him the most: hanging out with him, talking to him and giggling with him—I guess pretending that we were back in college. It was a perfect Valentine’s Day.
Helen would love to get a ring on it!”
Spencer Stevenson, Elliot in The Z-Suite (TUBI)
“I’ve actually never had a Valentine, so it’s always kinda been a normal day for me, BUT I am talking to someone now, so maybe, just maybe, this year will be a bit different!
Well, this is not confirmed by my showrunner, Katie O’Brien or Tubi, but it is confirmed by me in my head [laughs]. Elliot has a sugar daddy, so I think he’s expecting to be showered in materialistic items like a new bag, new heels or new makeup. Actually, he’ll definitely be expecting all of that.”
Tamara Lawrance, Millie-Jean in Get Millie Black (Max)
“Surprising my girlfriend with a trip to Paris to see Ezra Collective was a Valentine’s highlight for me. It was a whole operation. I asked her to send me a copy of her passport the month before for some made-up reason, which was clearly innocuous because I’d forgotten it. She’s a big lover of jazz, and it just so happened that one of her favorite UK jazz bands was playing in the city of love, so I thought, why not? I told her to pack some clothes that were NOT tracksuits (her default) and bring them because we were going somewhere nice, but I made it sound like it was dinner and a hotel, which it kind of was… but in Paris.
I’m proud of how well I kept the secret because even when, much to her confusion, we got a cab to St Pancras on Valentine’s Day morning, she didn’t suspect a thing until we got to the Eurostar gates! She was spun at how extra I am, but she loved it, and the pure joy and shock on her face was worth all the sleuthing. It was our first time away together, but that trip laid the foundation for many more amazing memories with her and set the tone for how much fun we always have traveling.
Depending on her mood, Millie might avoid a Valentine’s offer from Ritchie because it’s way too soon for things to feel intense. Or if she felt like letting off some steam, she might tell him to pull up with some beers after work so they can cut the niceties and get straight to dessert. Another day, she might want Galentine’s with her sister Hibiscus, or if that plan fails, she might just stay up late fixating on a case. It’s just another day, after all!”
Krys Marshall, Nicole in Paradise (Hulu)
“Valentine’s Day can be such a crazy day, with impossible-to-get reservations and overpriced prix fixes. My husband does this thing we call ‘indoor picnic’ where he pulls all the cushions off the sofas, lays down a ton of blankets, lights a ton of candles and turns the living room into a picnic. We get into our cozy clothes and watch old movies, and just eat, sleep, snuggle and repeat. I feel like my life is constantly on the go, so it’s nice to slow down.
“Robinson is having an affair with the President, a relationship that hinges on secrecy. So, I’d imagine the perfect Valentine’s Day for her would be going anywhere and doing anything where she and Cal could express their love out loud. That would be huge.”
