Photography Fadil Berisha
Styling Derek Warburton
Grooming Kellie Robinson
Blair Underwood has continued capturing the hearts of audiences since his 1985 musical film debut in Krush Groove. Since then, his career has reached extraordinary heights with several accolades under his belt, and starring roles in hit television shows and films, all while mastering the art of reinvention.
With numerous projects in the works, such as his leading role in the hourlong series Three Women based on the nonfiction bestseller by Lisa Taddeo and the reprisal of his role in the rebooted version of L.A. Law, the Emmy winner is showing no signs of slowing down.
NEW YOU caught up with the multi-hyphenate 57-year-old to discuss his evolution personally and professionally since stepping onto the Hollywood scene in his early twenties, all things health and fitness, personal style, and the lasting mark he hopes to solidify, presently and for years to come.
NEW YOU: How do you define success?
Blair Underwood: I would say it’s different for everyone. Success for me is doing what you love and monetizing it without selling your soul and integrity. Without breaking the laws, being moral and ethical while being of service to people and giving back is success to me, especially if you’re happy and doing those things.
NY: You brought up several good points, with one being “If you’re happy.” So what does happiness mean to you?
BU: That’s a great question! Happiness is being able to live with yourself and uplift other people around you. It’s also similar to the metaphor of being on a plane when they tell you first to give yourself the oxygen mask before you provide it to someone else. You have to be in control of yourself before you can help others. It’s important to know what makes you tick. What makes you work? What makes you happy? How do you need to be loved? How do you need to be seen? What is important to you? All of that is critical to understanding yourself. If you can do that, that’s the path to happiness.
NY: If you could talk to a younger version of yourself, what would you say?
BU: I would say don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s going to be okay. Continue to create bonds with people. I’m 57 now, and I lost my mother when she transitioned in October 2020. Many of my friends’ parents are gone now as we reach our mid to late 50s. You become more experienced, and you become more mature. If you’re paying attention, you become wiser and gain a deeper understanding of how life works. You also understand everything is temporary; no matter how wonderful or terrible it is, it’s temporary.
I would tell my younger self to pay attention to those relationships and build them because they will not always be here. We all have an expiration date, and we all have to check out at a certain point. So make the most of these life moments and these lived experiences while you have them.
NY: Switching gears for a moment, how would you describe your style in three to five words?
BU: Confident, casual, and cool. Cool is feeling comfortable in your skin. Being casual for me is wearing a T-shirt and jeans 90% of the time. I think the best confidence is interwoven with humility. Humility is important because absent humility is arrogance, and arrogance is one of the things I hate more than anything.
NY: NEW YOU is all about health, so what does your health and fitness routine consist of?
BU: I can’t always get to a gym, but I will run up a set of steps if I see a stairwell. It sounds like a minor thing, but it keeps your heart rate going, and it’s good all around. I also try to watch what I eat because if you want to stay fit, it’s easier to maintain than lose yourself and try to get it back, especially the older you get. And I take four pills of my OmegaXL every day, I find it works for me in terms of joint health. I also started intermittent fasting, and I drink a lot of water in the morning and a good cup of black tea.
NY: What does the next chapter of Blair Underwood hold?
BU: The next chapter of my life professionally is pushing the envelope and challenging myself like I’ve never been challenged before. I can tell you that there will be challenges that I delve into headfirst. I love being challenged, and I love being pushed to do the things I’ve never done before because you come out on the other side stronger and better for it.
Also, my kids are now 23, 24, and 20, so part of the next chapter of my life is seeing where that takes me personally. The last 20 years of focus have been on raising my kids and building that family construct.
NY: Speaking of your children, what have your children taught you?
BU: I constantly listen to them and learn from them. Their generation is much more free, open, accepting, and tolerant of other people from different cultures’ and perspectives. I learned many things they will or won’t accept and why. There is a great benefit in that, and it is beautiful. I respect their opinions because they’re from a different generation. I want to hear what they have to say and truly understand their feelings.
