In our community, rest and relaxation have become more than just a getaway. It’s a way to celebrate our freedom and our right to leave the demands of our world behind, a luxury that wasn’t afforded to our ancestors. In Eat Slay Love, four celebrity girlfriends—R&B singer Nivea, model and actress Eva Marcille, reality star Tammy Rivera and comedian London Hughes—embark on the ultimate getaway: an unforgettable journey to Vietnam.
This worldly girls’ trip, a chance to celebrate Nivea’s birthday, refreshes everyone’s spirits and helps them discover new sources of inspiration. Along the way, they immerse themselves in the vibrant culture, explore breathtaking sites and gain fresh perspectives on life.
Nivea, Marcille and Rivera had an animated conversation about the joy of filming Eat Slay Love and their unforgettable experiences in Vietnam. Of course, they invited EBONY along for the ride. Here, they discuss being Black in Vietnam, the importance of nourishing your cultural soul and how this show returns to the realness of reality.
Eva Marcille: It’s not your typical reality show. There wasn’t any “hit these beats.” We went back to old school reality, which was like: here’s a camera and follow these people. Do your thing.
Tammy Rivera: Being Black in Vietnam was an eye-opener for me. I’m not used to that. I saw someone grab this girl’s braids.
Marcille: Yes, people were fascinated with locs. We looked so different. It wasn’t them being racist; it was just like, “I’ve never seen this.”
Nivea: I will say that I didn’t experience or see any prejudice. There was nothing weird. Vietnam was absolutely beautiful. Understatement.
Rivera: Everything there is a piece of art. I think it’s one of the most artistic places I’ve ever been. Those temples? I’ve never in my life seen anything like that.
Marcille: Thank God for Nivea for bringing us together. We get to a point in life where everyone’s in their own bubble. She took us out of our bubble. It was really dope for her to take us to Vietnam because the ideas that we had of Vietnam, I think, as Black Americans, mostly are our parents and grandparents having fought in the war.
Nivea: I feel like you’re supposed to never let that kid in you die, not to be immature, but to be able to laugh and have fun. We should stop in the moment to say, “I’m alive,” and celebrate that. However, that looks.
Marcille: It’s great. What you will see [on Eat Slay Love] is a lot of sisterhood. There are some tears—I’m the emo one. Is going through a divorce. There are a lot of tears, a lot of bonding and a lot of love.
Eat Slay Love is streaming now on Peacock.
