Lillie Mae, known to many as Lil, is a storyteller, strategist, and cultural architect rooted in purpose and driven by impact. Originally from Danville, Virginia, and now based in Atlanta, Georgia, she has emerged as a powerful voice for those seeking to be seen, heard, and represented across film, media, and entertainment.

​Grounded in the timeless principles of Faith, Charity, and Love, Lillie Mae has built more than a brand; she has cultivated a movement. Lillie Mae – The Collective is a multi-platform ecosystem designed to amplify authentic voices, champion culture, and create meaningful opportunities for connection, creativity, and community.

​Her leadership extends across a dynamic portfolio of ventures. Lillie Mae is the Founder of Lillie Mae – The Collective, LLC; Senior Media Relations Coordinator at Corporate Compositions, LLC; and Executive Producer at Back 2 The Basics Production Management Group.

Through every role, one mission remains constant: to elevate stories that matter and ensure no voice goes unheard.

Full Figured Flings tackles issues that are rarely explored together on screen: colorism, body image, friendship, and self-worth. What called you to tell this story?

Full Figured Flings was inspired by witnessing incredibly talented women repeatedly being overlooked because they didn’t fit someone’s narrow vision of beauty. Seeing gifted actresses struggle to find opportunities despite their undeniable talent exposed a larger issue within the entertainment industry. Too often, appearance is prioritized over ability, which inspired us to tell a story that explores colorism, body image, friendship, and self-worth through an honest and deeply human lens. Full-figured Black women are frequently made to question their value, both within society and sometimes within their own communities, yet they have always embodied resilience, love, strength, and determination. This film was created to challenge those narratives, celebrate women who are too often overlooked, and remind audiences that worth is never determined by body size, skin tone, or anyone else’s approval.

The film never reduces its characters to stereotypes. They are ambitious women with careers, dreams, flaws, and complicated relationships. Why was it important to show the fullness of their identities beyond their appearance?

Because women are far more than what they look like. Being full-figured is simply one characteristic, not an entire identity. Plus-size women are portrayed as comic relief, side characters, or people whose lives revolve around their appearance. Full Figured Flings intentionally rejects those stereotypes by presenting women as complete human beings with careers, aspirations, insecurities, friendships, romantic relationships, successes, and setbacks. The goal was to create characters whose humanity resonates first, allowing audiences to connect with their emotional journeys rather than defining them solely by their bodies. Representation becomes truly meaningful when people are allowed to exist as layered, complex individuals rather than one-dimensional stereotypes.

What conversations did you hope audiences would continue long after the credits rolled?

The hope is that audiences continue talking about the subtle and often unspoken ways colorism, sizeism, and beauty standards shape opportunities, relationships, confidence, and self-worth. The film invites viewers to examine who society considers beautiful, desirable, successful, and worthy and who is too often excluded from those definitions. Additionally, it encourages conversations about friendship, accountability, forgiveness, and the courage it takes to embrace yourself fully without shrinking to make others comfortable. We hope audiences also recognize the artistry of the performances and the strength of the filmmaking itself. If viewers leave asking thoughtful questions, challenging their own assumptions, and intentionally creating spaces where every woman feels seen and valued, then the film has accomplished exactly what it set out to do.

Colorism is often discussed quietly, even within communities that experience it. What responsibility did you feel in bringing this conversation to the forefront through film?

There was a responsibility to tell this story with honesty because colorism is not an abstract concept but a lived reality that has affected generations of families and communities. Many people have witnessed the subtle ways lighter or darker skin has influenced how individuals are treated, often without recognizing the deep emotional impact those experiences leave behind. Silence only allows those patterns to continue. Rather than assigning blame, Full Figured Flings seeks to create space for reflection, empathy, and healing by encouraging audiences to acknowledge how colorism influences confidence, relationships, opportunity, and identity. Film has the unique ability to spark conversations that might otherwise remain uncomfortable or avoided, making storytelling a powerful tool for change.

What aspects of Black womanhood did you intentionally want audiences to experience that Hollywood often overlooks?

The film intentionally highlights the richness and complexity of Black womanhood beyond the limited narratives often portrayed on screen. While Black women are frequently shown through the lens of struggle or unwavering strength, they also deserve to be seen in their softness, joy, ambition, humor, sensuality, vulnerability, sisterhood, and everyday humanity. They carry not only the responsibilities of womanhood but often the weight of cultural expectations as well, even when they are successful. Full Figured Flings celebrates Black women as individuals who dream boldly, make mistakes, fall in love, support one another, and navigate life with resilience and grace.

What conversations happened behind the scenes to ensure every creative decision honored the themes of the film?

Authenticity guided every conversation throughout the production process. The creative team frequently discussed their own lived experiences with body image, colorism, relationships, careers, and self-worth to ensure the story remained grounded in truth. Every decision from the dialogue and character development to wardrobe, performances, and visual storytelling was evaluated through one question: Does this honor these women as real people? The priority was to avoid stereotypes and instead create characters who felt genuine and emotionally authentic. That commitment to honesty shaped every aspect of the film and helped preserve its emotional integrity from beginning to end.

Independent filmmaking often requires tremendous resilience. What obstacles did your team overcome that you’re especially proud of?

Like many independent productions, Full Figured Flings faced challenges with funding, scheduling, and the everyday complexities of bringing together a large creative team. Yet those obstacles ultimately reinforced the strength of the project’s purpose. The production was sustained through perseverance, collaboration, prayer, generous community support, and a shared belief in the story being told. Rather than allowing setbacks to derail the vision, the team remained flexible, resourceful, and committed to creating something meaningful. Every challenge strengthened the collaboration and proved that purpose, integrity, and determination can accomplish extraordinary things, even without the resources of a major studio.

What did making Full Figured Flings teach you about yourself?

Creating Full Figured Flings became a powerful reminder of the resourcefulness and courage required to bring purpose-driven stories to life. The process stretched everyone creatively, emotionally, and professionally while reinforcing the importance of trusting the vision even when the journey became difficult. It also revealed the healing power of representation. For many involved, participating in the film felt like giving a voice to the younger version of themselves who had never seen women like them portrayed with dignity or celebrated on screen. Most importantly, the experience reaffirmed that purpose has the ability to sustain perseverance, and that authentic storytelling can create lasting impact far beyond the screen.

How do you hope Full Figured Flings contributes to changing the kinds of stories that Hollywood chooses to tell in the future?

The hope is that Full Figured Flings helps expand the kinds of stories Hollywood chooses to tell by demonstrating that audiences are eager for authentic, layered narratives centered on women who have historically been overlooked. Plus-size Black women deserve to be portrayed as romantic leads, accomplished professionals, loving friends, complex individuals, and fully realized human beings. More broadly, the film aims to encourage greater investment in stories that explore colorism, body image, friendship, identity, and self-worth with honesty and nuance. If this project opens doors for more inclusive storytelling and inspires both audiences and the industry to recognize the value of diverse voices and experiences, then it will have contributed to something far greater than a single film.