NEW YORK (AP) — Pam Grier's role as the owner of a hardware store in rural Nebraska in the ABC sitcom "Bless This Mess" isn't a complete departure. The film legend lives in rural Colorado and has spent much of her life on ranches to give her serenity from Hollywood life.
Grier calls her grandfather the first feminist in her life and credits him for helping her thrive in her 70th year of a life filled with highs and lows. Grier was the queen of Blaxploitation films in the 1970s with roles in classics like "Coffy" and "Foxy Brown," but later struggled in Hollywood.
She also endured two sexual assaults — one when she was just 6 years old.
Grier discussed her struggles in her 2010 memoir, "Foxy: My Life in Three Acts."
Grier says she's gratified that more actresses are talking about their experiences with abuse.
