Hip-Hop videos have always and will always have beautiful women in them. At one point you could see a leading video model in 3 to 4 videos at once. Like anything though eventually these roles run their course. Eventually a new girl comes to the scene and the old one disappears. Most girls fade away but the smart ones that are truly talented use it as a stepping-stone to bigger things. Esther Baxter is a prime example of these models.

Esther has been doing videos, modeling and being in magazines for a while. At one point she was in videos with Ludacris and 50 Cent and she was on five magazine covers at one time. Once she reached her peak in videos she flipped the script and branched out to new and better things. Check out our interview where she talks about getting acting roles, what it takes to be an actress and her private/public relationship with a certain pump, pump, pump it up rapper.

Redhands: You started out doing music videos and you made the transition to movies. How did you go about doing that?

Esther: I spoke with my manager and we both agreed to take a hiatus from the urban modeling and stuff like that. I actually stopped doing videos a while ago and I always knew I was going to use it as a stepping-stone. I met with my manager Jennifer and we stopped doing a lot of the modeling stuff so I could start acting. Then I started going to castings and stuff and auditions.

Redhands: Have you always wanted to be an actress?

Esther: I never really wanted to be a model when I was younger I was actually a tomboy. If I were a little taller I probably would have been an athlete. I would be playing football, basketball, and volleyball with all of my brothers. Once I started modeling then I knew I wanted to be an actress and take it further.

Redhands: I read that you have 16 siblings total is that true?

Esther: Yes I do.

Redhands: Did you have a lot of sisters or a lot of brothers?

Esther: My mom gave birth to 7 boys and 7 girls. Then my mom’s best friend had two girls and she passed away. When she passed away my mom took them in but they are a lot older than me.

Redhands: All those people grew up in one house?

Esther: Yea! My parents did a good job of raising us and taking care of us. Every time my mom got pregnant my dad would build a new room. We had a one-story house because my mom was scared of heights so my dad would add onto our house.

Redhands: So your dad built like over 10 rooms?

Esther: We had 14 bedrooms and the list of rooms goes on and on. We ran out of names to call the rooms you know like the living room, bedroom. We started just naming the rooms after colors like the red room the blue room and stuff.

Redhands: I would think he would run out of names to name his kids too.

Esther: I think it is pretty difficult to name your child. I have a one-year-old son and it was tough for me to stick with one name. My mom actually gave us all long names like we all have two middle names. I have a total of 5 names, which you will not find out (laughs).

Redhands: So you have 5 names?

Esther: Don’t even try it.

Redhands: You know I tried to do some research on you and there isn’t that much information out there. It seems you are either a private person or you like to have this mysterious aura around you.

Esther: I put out the information I want the people to know because I think that it is important I keep some stuff private. If everyone knows everything about me then there is no mystery to my career and me.

Redhands: I think a lot of the bigger names in movies and music follow that same mentality too. You started in videos and you’re in a lot of them which one is your favorite?

Esther: I had a lot of fun with Ludacris’s Number One Spot video. We got to play characters and do wardrobe changes and stuff. My favorite turn out video is the Freak-a-leak video.

Redhands: Were there any artist you were looking forward to meeting and they were a jerk and vice versa?

Esther: No I didn’t care I don’t really get star struck or anything. When I find out whom I am doing a video for I am more about finding out what the treatment is, how much I get paid and stuff like that.

Redhands: Do you listen to hip-hop music?

Esther: I do listen to it but I listen to a lot more R&B. I listen to Jay-Z and Kanye, also my brothers put me onto Tupac.

Redhands: Are you a fan of Joe Buddens?

Esther: (Laughs) I am now.

Redhands: I know you’re a private person but a lot of people want to know what your relationship is with Joe Buddens.

(Publicist cuts in gets me back on track)

Redhands: When did you realize while you were doing videos that you wanted to start doing films?

Esther: The first job I got I was an extra so I didn’t really audition or anything. I got on set and really liked what I saw and what I was involved in. On the set people were asking me why am I an extra and not a main lead. That’s when I realized if I am going to do this I want to be at the top. My career just grew and I felt my career had peaked as far as magazines and videos. At one point I was on five different magazine covers at once. I really wanted to challenge myself and move onto something new.

Redhands: How many films have you been in up to date?

Esther: I have been in three my first one was called, ”Speed Dating” which is a romantic comedy. It’s a really funny movie about three guys who are trying to be players. They come up with a bunch of schemes to meet women and the one idea is speed dating. Instead of hooking up the girls with random guys they hook themselves up and then they fall in love.

Redhands: I read the movie won a few awards right?

Esther: Yes it won audience choice awards and right now we are waiting for its theatrical release.

Redhands: Your next movie, which I just watched, is called “Just Another Day” which is out on DVD now right?

Esther: Yes you can go to Amazon.com, Target, Best Buy stuff like that.

Redhands: What was it like working with Wood Harris and Jamie Hector?

Esther: It was a lot of fun they were really professional and a lot of fun to work with. The whole cast made me very comfortable. My character in the movie is the lead female and she is a young businesswomen trying to sign the new and up and coming rapper.

Redhands: Besides memorizing your lines do you do anything else to prepare for your role?

Esther: You know what is funny is I was nervous about “Speed Dating”. Once I got on set I realized there are so many actors with so many lines. If you mess up that it’s ok and a lot of actors constantly have people reminding them of their lines. I realized I don’t really have to do anything to prepare besides learn my lines.

Redhands: When they give you a script how does that work? Do you learn it top to bottom or go scene by scene?

Esther: When you first get the script you read the whole thing and learn about your character and stuff. On the days that you shoot they have scripts were it is just your lines and the character you are interacting with. So at the beginning of the day you know what scene you are filming.

Redhands: What is your third movie called?

Esther: It is called, “Video Girls” and it also has Halley Duff and Megan Good in it. The movie was a lot of fun and it shows a lot of the behind the scenes stuff that goes on with Hip Hop music videos. The movie has a good message and it deals with the different types of video models you run across in the industry.

Redhands: Is that out on DVD right now?

Esther: They are still editing that one but it will come out within the next few months or so.

Redhands: So to sum it up “Just Another Day” is out now on DVD and the two other ones will be coming out soon?

Esther: Right

Redhands: I just got a tweet and I am not going to ask this question but it is about Joe Buddens. It seems you do have fans that are interested in your career and your personal life.

Esther: It really is no secret that Joe and I are dating.

Redhands: Are you a private person really?

Esther: Yea our relationship is something that’s public. I was married before Joe and no one really knows about him. I like to keep my relationships and my business period private because I have had problems in the past. People would be judgmental towards me without really knowing me they just heard things about me.

Redhands: What is in your future right now?

Esther: I am planning a trip to L.A to take care of some things. I am currently working on hosting my own Internet radio show. I am also in talks to do a beauty campaign and I am working on some movie stuff as well.

Redhands: Do you have any last words for the people?

Esther: Yes check out my website www.estherbaxter.biz and follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/esther_baxter