Honey
Rated PG-13 | 94 minutes | Color | 35mm
Universal Pictures presents a NuAmerica Entertainment and Marc Platt production
Release Date: November 24, 2003
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Director: Bille Woodruff | Screenwriter: Alonzo Brown and Kim Watson | Executive Producer: Billy Higgins | Producer: Andre Harrell and Marc Platt | Music by: Mervyn Warren | Cinematographer: John R. Leonetti | Editor: Mark Helfrich and Emma E. Hickox | Casting by: Aisha Coley and Michelle Gertz | Production Designer: Jasna Stefanovic | Art Director: Anastasia Masaro | Set Decorator: Steven Essam | Costume Designer: Susan Matheson
Filmed in Toronto in September 2002
Set in East Harlem, Manhattan
The film Honey is a tricky one to be included in this roundup because the film was actually shot in Canada for the most part. There are a few exterior shots of New York City but my reasoning for including this film is that the main character, Honey Daniels, is a New Yorker through and through. It’s the thing that defines her and while Jessica Alba’s portrayal of a New Yorker from East Harlem is a stretch, the film really documents that late 90s/early 2000s MTV, J Lo-esque, New York energy that was projected to the rest of the world. I think this film is also a great example of a pivotal moment in film history where shooting films in New York City became so expensive that a lot of productions set in New York, moved their productions to Toronto.
The director, Bille Woodruff, started out directing music videos for artists such as Toni Braxton, Backstreet Boys, TLC, Usher, and more. Honey was his debut into feature films. In 2005 he directed Beauty Shop starring Queen Latifah. Woodruff eventually directed Honey 2 (2011) and Honey 3: Dare to Dance (2016), but neither film stared Alba as Honey.
Prior to this film, Jessica Alba starred in the TV show Flipper from 1995-1999 about a team of scientists studying dolphins, played a high school mean-girl in Never Been Kissed (1999), and starred in James Cameron’s TV show Dark Angel from 2000-2002 where she played a genetically-enhanced woman who works for a messenger service in the post-apocalyptic Pacific Northwest. After, Honey, Alba became most famous for her portrayal of Sue Storm in the Fantastic Four films and her iconic cowgirl stripper dance in Sin City (2005).
Alba’s love interest in the film is played by Mekhi Phifer whose first feature film appearance was in Spike Lee’s Clockers (1995). He has also been in Soul Food (1997), Hell’s Kitchen (1998), also starring Angelina Jolie and Rosanna Arquette, John Singleton’s Shaft in 2000, O (2001), an update of Shakespeare's 'Othello,' alongside Julia Stiles and Josh Hartnett and directed by actor Tim Blake Nelson, and 8 Mile (2002). He plays the boyfriend in the music video for Monica and Brandy’s song The Boy is Mine (1998) and was also in both Hav Plenty (1997) and The Other Brother (2002), two other New York City romance films. Later in his career, he was in 135 episodes of ER from 2002-2008.
A 14-year-old Lil’ Romeo, pre-dropping the “Lil’”, appears in the film as one of the dancers in Honey’s dance class.
Chaz (Mekhi Phifer) and Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba)
Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba), Sheek Louch, Jadakiss and dance ensemble
Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba) and Benny (Lil' Romeo)
Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba) and Gina (Joy Bryant)