Karrueche Tran is manifesting bigger and better. And she knows faith without work is dead.
For the past few years, the 36-year-old actor has been making her rounds on TV projects. Her knack for going toe-to-toe with big names as her supporting characters can’t go unnoticed. Her Virginia became a beloved favorite when she starred opposite Harold Perrineau and Niecy Nash in “Claws.” Her role as Vivian Garrett on “The Bay” earned her a Daytime Emmy, making her the first Asian American and Pacific Islander to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Fiction Program category. And her role as Ivy on “Bel-Air” adds a refreshing character to a reimagined series that’s getting better each season.
Many have grown to know Tran for her regular series appearances, but she’s taking a stake in the feature film arena, too. And though she’s acted in several projects already (2023’s “House Party,” “Divinity,” “The Honor List”), there’s a new energy she’s sitting in for her most recent project: “Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story.”
The Lifetime original, which premiered on Nov. 9, is based on the true story of Regina Smith, a single mom and rookie cop who investigates a series of murders targeting sex workers when few seem to care about their lives. Tran hadn’t heard of Smith prior to learning about the role but was inspired to tell this story of a woman who fought to protect those on the outskirts. Having a true crime element was a bonus.
“What really drew me to Regina’s story was her strength,” Tran said during a Zoom interview. “Even the way that she cared for the working girls, she really pushed for those girls. She was the reason why that serial killer was eventually stopped. Because a lot of people would have looked at it like, they are working girls. Who cares? They’re prostitutes. She led with her heart and led with care that shows just who she is as a person. And I really admired that. And it’s just a beautiful heroic story.”
Smith’s story is tragically always relevant, too. There is a growing number of women, regardless of their socioeconomic background, who have faced ridicule for telling their stories of experiencing violence and sexual abuse.
“People have made it hard for women to speak up or say anything or tell their truth,” Tran said. Social media makes it even more difficult, she said. She’s empathetic toward those who have a hard time finding their voice through this “dark world,” noting that she’s been in similar situations.
“It’s not fair at all and unfortunately we’ve been living in this male-dominated world, and so women are looked down upon and not respected,” Tran explained. “And that’s why this is such a great story. [Regina] was one of the very few Black women in the police force back then. So for her to really lead and guide with her heart and trust that little gut instinct, she was able to help solve this case. She just really wanted to help these girls.”
Directed by Wendy Ord, the film has the formula of a Lifetime original: a woman down on her luck who’s escaping the trauma that haunts her, a cheesy Prince Charming-esque love story, a murder, and a tragedy transformed into a triumph. But there are moments when watching Tran take the lead that you briefly forget that you’re watching a Lifetime film and wonder why you don’t see her more on the big screen.
She certainly has the work ethic. Tran fought to visit Smith in Las Vegas where she lives to prepare for the role. When that wasn’t possible due to time constraints, she opted to spend time with Smith and her daughter via Zoom, and kept a close line to them while filming. Each morning, Tran listened to a playlist with all of Smith’s favorites, including Al Green, Prince and Kendrick Lamar. Tran even did her own stunts (including crying on demand).
“I think the more I do, the better I become,” Tran said, humbly. “During the ‘Claws’ era is when things really started to click as far as tapping into whatever emotion… One thing I’ve really learned is emotion before words. I used to be so stuck on the script and the dialogue and getting the words right. But that doesn’t matter as much as emotion.”
“Claws” was indeed a turning point. Tran admitted that she was auditioning because she just wanted to work. Prior to the TNT hit series, Tran didn’t know “the difference between being on a low budget film and being on a studio [project].” (Shoutout to her first starring role in 2015’s “3-Headed Shark.”) Being on set with heavy hitters prompted her to reach for the next level.
Tran’s four Emmy wins (three for producing, one for acting) for “The Bay” followed.
“It is a huge blessing and a huge honor. And for me, it was like raising the stakes again. The bar is set high, I have to keep pushing,” she said. “I have to continue to do great and to do well and to show up. It’s really pushed me to fully throw myself into my work.”
As with the rest of Hollywood, the strike forced Tran to slow down. Her concerns on if she’d find work again grew as less opportunity became available and rejections piled up. Through the drought, Tran held onto a piece of advice actor Clifton Powell gave her.
“He told me, always stay in your classes. It’s like an athlete. They don’t stop going to the gym because they’ve made a team or they’ve won the championship. It’s the same as actors, we have to have our own gym and have to have our own practices to stay on top of the game. So I got back into my classes.”
Tran said work started pouring in once she got back to her acting classes. She is keeping her upcoming projects under wraps, though she did tease a series she’s excited to be working on with a predominantly Black cast.
While dreaming of her next roles, she’s also in a mindset of surrendering to whatever aligns with her path. But if you want to get specific, roles similar to Zoe Saldana in “Colombiana” and Charlize Theron in “Monster” are on her bucket list.
“It’s one of those things where you gotta put that energy out there to keep that momentum going,” Tran said sagely. She broadened the point she was making about her career to talk about life as a whole. “Whatever you want, if you put the energy toward it, it’ll always come to you because you’re always doing the work.”
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“Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story” is now streaming on Lifetime.