Lela Rochon says the phrase “’90s fine” was never meant to box her into a decade.
Instead, she calls it a compliment rooted in confidence, individuality and cultural pride.
In a recent interview, Rochon reflected on how fans often use the term to describe her breakout years. She rose to prominence with roles in films like Waiting to Exhale and on television in The Jamie Foxx Show.
“I think when people say ‘’90s fine,’ they’re talking about a feeling,” Rochon said. “It wasn’t just about a body type. It was about presence. It was about how you carried yourself.”
She said the era celebrated a broader range of beauty than many assume today.
“We had curves. We had short hair. We had natural faces,” she said. “There wasn’t this pressure to look filtered in real life.”
A Shift in Beauty Culture
Rochon, now in her 50s, said she has watched beauty standards evolve dramatically.
“Social media changed everything,” she said. “There’s this idea that perfection is normal, and it’s just not real.”
She said constant exposure to edited images can distort self-perception.
“When I was coming up, you saw movie stars in magazines,” Rochon said. “Now you’re comparing yourself to altered images all day long.”
Rochon added that the 1990s offered its own pressures. However, she believes the expectations felt less invasive.
“There were standards, of course,” she said. “But they weren’t in your phone 24 hours a day.”
During her rise, Hollywood featured a wave of prominent Black actresses. Among them were Halle Berry, Angela Bassett and Nia Long. Rochon said that period felt expansive.
“We weren’t competing against each other,” she said. “We were all different, and that was the beauty of it.”
Redefining the Compliment
Rochon said she does not reject the “’90s fine” label. Instead, she wants to broaden its meaning.
“If you’re saying I was fine in the ’90s, thank you,” she said with a laugh. “But I’m still fine now.”
She said aging should not disqualify women from feeling attractive.
“Why does beauty have an expiration date?” Rochon asked. “Men don’t get told they were ‘’90s handsome.’”
The actress said she hopes younger women resist narrowing definitions of beauty.
“Trends change,” she said. “Confidence doesn’t.”
Rochon also emphasized self-acceptance over outside validation.
“You have to decide you’re enough,” she said. “If you wait for the world to tell you, you’ll be waiting forever.”
She said the enduring popularity of the phrase shows nostalgia for more than fashion.
“I think people miss authenticity,” Rochon said. “They miss when beauty felt attainable and human.”
As conversations about body image continue, Rochon said she remains grateful for her career and her fans.
“I’m proud of what we represented,” she said. “We showed that beauty comes in many forms.”
And if the public still calls that “‘90s fine,” she said she will take it.
“I’ll accept it,” Rochon said. “But don’t get it twisted. Fine doesn’t have a decade.”