Melyssa Ford wears many hats; she has enjoyed careers as an actress, TV host, philanthropist, and model. The Canadian TV personality has flaunted her looks on several music videos; because of her beauty and looks, she was repeatedly requested to appear on video clips and renowned fashion photo shoots. 

Among her most notable achievements are acting and directing in movies and sitcoms like Think Like a Man, Three Can Play, and Entourage. Hailing from a mixture of backgrounds with a combination of ethnic roots like West Indian, Norwegian, and Russian, she always showed off her figure on social media posts and glossy magazines. 

If looks were a passport to success, they surely landed her in several hotspots. From national magazine covers to top-selling calendars, Melyssa has appeared in them all. Through hard work and dedication, she managed to gain influence not only as an actor and director but also as a sex symbol in the entertainment industry. 

Passionate About Performing

In the 1990s, while working as a bartender at a local bar in Toronto, a music video director called Little X discovered Melyssa, who was still in her early 20s, and asked her to model. The initial start of her modelling career saw her appearing in music videos, men’s magazines, TV programs, and movies. She even appeared on the Sirius XM Satellite radio program as an on-air personality and host for the Hot Jamz channel.

Melyssa’s appearances were always a hit. Among her best-selling video chart-toppers are scenes in music video clips like Shake It Fast, Jay-Z’s Big Pumpin, and Sisqo’s Thong song Remix, which eventually made her a familiar face on TV channels like MTV and BET.

Melyssa’s star power was irresistible; it wasn’t too long before she appeared on Black Men’s Magazine more than three times, eventually becoming the most popular cover girl in the magazine’s history. 

Melyssa was also one of the leading models for Ebony and one of the hottest girls to appear on its cover, which eventually catapulted the calendar’s sales remarkably in 2002, surpassing its sales of all five previous years combined. 

From an early age, Melyssa has been passionate about performing; in high school, she starred in plays like Beauty and the Beast. As she matured, so did her passion and skill for modelling and acting. In 2008, she secured a recurring role on Showtime’s hit series Soul Food and, subsequently the Paramount Network series Platinum in 2003. In June 2014, Melyssa appeared on the Bravo Network TV series Blood, Sweat & Heels, documenting her life as a realtor in New York. 

Beyond the Microphone 

A fashionista at heart, Melyssa developed her own sense of elegance, eventually venturing into her line of skincare products. She has also launched a podcast, I’m Here for the Food. But far from the topic of food itself, the podcast covers a wide range of issues like sex-trafficking, discrimination, race, death, social-politics, entertainment and more. 

The idea of calling it I’m Here for the food is figurative; it could be food for thought or the soul. Whatever you choose to call it, the podcast inspires women to date and find meaningful relationships in life. In starting out with this podcast, Melyssa showcases her journey, reflecting on the difficulties she endured and what most women experience in their dating lives. 

In each episode, listeners get a peek into Melyssa’s life and are exposed to thought-provoking conversations with truthful and honest individuals who embrace uniqueness in a meaningful space. 

With so many achievements to her name, Melyssa is still as busy as ever before. After several years in Los Angeles, she returned to New York to co-host the Joe Budden Podcast. The biweekly talk and music podcast covers many topics including pop culture, sports, business, and social issues. Occasionally, it features music industry guests along with a regular segment called Friends of the Show, where the host calls someone to discuss a topic they submitted.

As an influential figure, Melyssa serves as a stark reminder for young women to pursue their dreams and not give up on their goals. She is an example of embracing uniqueness despite social, cultural, or ethnic differences, boldly rising to the challenge and sharing her story all along the way!

Aaron Levinson | Staff Writer