I've Never Been HAPPIER

The veteran actress and entrepreneur talks about her career and her life today VIVICA A. FOX

When Vivica A. Fox was offered the opportunity to host the new true- crime series The Interrogation Room, she jumped at the chance. “I’ve always loved these kinds of shows so much that I had to stop watching them before I went to sleep because they would creep into my dreams!” she tells Closer. “So when they contacted me, I was like, ‘I love it!’”

This new show takes viewers behind the scenes of what happens when investigators apprehend a suspect and sit them down for questioning. “I was like, ‘I’m going to play detective again,’” says Vivica, 59, who has played law-enforcement officers in her long and varied career. “I loved to be able to put my detective hat back on.”

Did any of the cases you cover in The Interrogation Room affect you emotionally?

Yes, several. The young African American man who was killed for playing the music too loud. To see the bravery and the courage of his father, who works to prevent crimes like this from happening in the future really affected me. Another episode that really blew me away was the guy that thought he could just [kill] his girlfriend because she didn’t want him — that one makes you think about who you let get close to you.

Of course, you are best known as an actress. Did you always want to act?

No. Acting fell into my life. I’m from the Midwest. I used to always do the talent shows, but I was an athlete more than anything else. Growing up I played basketball, volleyball, and I was a cheerleader.

How did you wind up in California?