Go Away With … Cassandra Freeman

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Jae-Ha Kim
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
February 8, 2022

“I’m currently shooting ‘Bel-Air’ in Los Angeles and my family is still in Brooklyn,” said Cassandra Freeman, who portrays Aunt Viv in the Peacock reboot of the Will Smith series. “It has been incredibly hard. I work all day and then can’t go anywhere because of Covid, so not to have my family just a quick plane ride away has been most difficult.” Fans may follow the actress on Instagram, where she posts regularly about her family, work and travels.

Q: How have you spent your free time during this pandemic?
A: My family and I try our best to escape the city and go to Woodstock. It’s a place of such peace and privacy. There, the trees are my friends! We also are lucky enough to live in a quiet area of Brooklyn that feels more like a sea harbor town than a city. So, just walking around and seeing the water and watching the sunset every day is what has given us contentment in (these) uneasy times.

Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: That’s a hard question. Every place I’ve traveled to feels like a favorite place. However, a place that really surprised me was Oslo, Norway. Oslo felt like a place that could have allowed me to stop acting and become a poet. There was something about the light and the trees that seemed so poetic.

Q: What untapped destination should people know about? 
A: A place off the Indian Ocean in Kenya. I saw a video Naomi Campbell shared about her home there and it looked breathtaking.

Q: What is your best vacation memory?
A: My most recent trip to Hydra, Greece. We went there to meet up with friends, who have a child the same age as our son. And to see our sons laughing and running up and down the alleys while we enjoyed dinner felt like bliss. The people there love kids and it felt so good to relax and just see our kids enjoy life at the same time as we did. Also, I was there when I got the news that I was being asked to play Aunt Viv in “Bel-Air.” So, I’ll never forget that trip!

Q: What was the first trip you took as a child?
A: The first trip I remember fondly is taking a Disney cruise with my family and best friend. It was incredible. The main thing I remember was a dinner where during the evening, the walls went from black and white to full color and the crew began dancing and singing. I thought it was so magical.

Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A: To never confuse the journey with the destination. The traveling part can be hectic, but arriving is always worth it. Also, you never know a place until you have dinner with a family in their home. Until then, you’ll always be just an outsider looking in.

Q: If you could only pick one place to eat, would you choose a food truck or a nice restaurant?
A: Fine dining, always! I love dressing up and being surrounded by friends at an amazing restaurant, sharing food and exciting conversation. I mean, that is just joy to me.

Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A: In the current climate we are in with Covid, I really enjoy staycations at various hotels in New York City. It’s been so much fun exploring some of the local hotels, but my favorite is the 1 Hotel (Brooklyn Bridge) in Dumbo.

Q: Where is the most romantic destination?
A. Kauai, Hawaii, seems like a dreamy place to have a romantic week away.

Q: If you’ve ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?
A: We pretty much keep it home or we visit family in Rochester and make it a snowy Christmas. However, one Christmas, I was flying home from Rwanda and got snowed in at my layover stop in Brussels. I spent Christmas alone in a great hotel where the bartender introduced me to a new variety of beer each evening. I hated beer before that trip and quickly became a lover. Brussels understands how to do a great strawberry beer!

Q: Do you speak any foreign languages?
A: I speak a little Spanish and Italian. However, before I travel, I always try to brush up or learn a new language through Duolingo! Such a fun and fast way to learn a language.

Q: What are your five favorite cities?
A: In the U.S., Martha’s Vineyard, Minneapolis, Denver, Dumbo (in Brooklyn) and Charleston, S.C.

Q: Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
A: I went to Singapore and was shocked at how much it reminded me of West Palm Beach. It’s very tropical and humid and has amazing shopping areas.

Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A: The Maldives have been on my list.

Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A: A cocktail dress that resists wrinkles, sunscreen, a pair of heels, a big heavy scarf for the plane and headphones.

Q: What would be your dream trip?
A: My dream trip would begin with an assistant to pack my bags and limo service to take me to a private airport. The plane would have first-class accommodations so that it feels like you’re flying in a luxury hotel rather than a plane. While flying, we’d get IV hydration and then we’d wake up in Bora Bora at a fabulous hotel where amazing food and relaxation awaits!

Q: What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?
A: I love to sleep in and order room service. I’ll skip sightseeing to just enjoy the luxury of a great hotel.

Q: What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip? 
A: I like to organically learn about a new place. The most I might do is pull up a great YouTube video to learn broad strokes about the history and area.

© 2022 JAE-HA KIM
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