The new Hulu series “UnPrisoned”, which is inspired by the life of author and relationship expert Tracy McMillan, has received critical acclaim and a positive response from fans just a week after its release. TheGrio caught up with series leads Marque Richardson, Faly Rakotohavana and Jordyn McIntosh, who broke down the comedy series, the backstory behind it and how working with Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo inspired them on the plateau.
As theGrio previously reported, “UnPrisoned” stars Washington as Paige Alexander, a single mother and relationship therapist whose world is turned upside down when her father (Lindo), who has spent most of his life in prison, is released from prison and moves in with her and her teenage son. Richardson joins as Paige’s love interest and her father’s social worker, Mal, an exciting profession to highlight on the show, the actor said.
“He’s a criminal justice social worker,” Richardson noted. “People keep calling him a (Parole Officer), he’s not a PO, so it was cool to make that distinction and play in that world. Just to make him a full human being. He’s the core strength of Paige’s character and Edwin’s character.
Rakotohavana, who plays Paige’s teenage son Finn, expressed his gratitude for being part of the cast. “The whole show for me was a blessing. Even from the audition, you get an audition and it says “Kerry Washington” on it…you’re going to immediately put everything you have into that audition.
McIntosh, in perhaps the show’s most comedic role, plays a young version of Paige who appears during the climactic moments of the character’s life. The young actress said the experience was “incredible”, recalling working with Washington and Lindo for the first time. “As soon as I saw Mr. Delroy, I was like ‘woah,'” she explained, while saying that Washington told her she was “gonna kill him” on set.
Richardson also explained the nature of the set, explaining that there was room to play and “keep it real”. He added: “Shout out and congratulations to the writers and to Tracy [McMillan] to write the material, but also let us live, flow, play and have fun. He also shared his excitement about acting with Washington and Lindo.
“It was a master class,” he said. “Working with Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo, they’re people I’ve idolized all my life and being in this space with them has been an unforgettable experience.” He joked, “I was just trying not to lose my job because if I thought about it too much, I’d lose my job!”
The first season of “UnPrisoned” is currently streaming on Hulu.
TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Please also download the Grio mobile apps today!
Add comment