Eve has spoken about her personal journey and the unexpected bond she developed with fellow rapper Nicki Minaj while co-starring in the 2016 film Barbershop: The Next Cut.
In a new interview, Eve revealed that previous experiences with women projecting their insecurities onto her in the music industry prompted her to seek therapy before working with Nicki Minaj.
“I’ve lived through what happens when women project their own insecurities onto other women,” Eve explained. “It happened at the start of my career and continued in waves as my fame grew.”
When Eve learned she would be sharing the screen with Nicki Minaj, she initially anticipated potential tension or rivalry. However, to her surprise, their on-set interactions were positive and collaborative.
“Nicki and I were actually fine on set,” Eve said. “We got along well and shot our scenes together with no problems. It was nothing like what I had expected, but again, I am thankful that I prepared myself for it.”
Eve’s preconceptions were shattered as she witnessed Nicki’s work ethic firsthand. She described watching Nicki balance a hectic schedule that included writing songs on her tour bus, rushing off to perform show dates over the weekend, and then returning to shoot lengthy twelve- to sixteen-hour scenes.
“It was at that moment that I didn’t envy her, and I kind of wanted to give her a hug,” Eve admitted, reflecting on how her feelings towards Nicki shifted from anxiety to empathy. “I thought I was going to resent her, and all I felt was compassion. I remembered being that person, the girl who felt like she had to do it all. The girl who was pressured to do it all because it was all eyes on her.”
Despite their different personalities, Eve and Nicki Minaj’s time together on the Barbershop set was epic!
