Season 2 of Power Book II: Ghost kicks off this evening, continuing the saga of Tariq St. Patrick, the faculty of Stansfield University, and the Tejada family. While gearing up to share more twists and turns in the story with fans, actors Woody McClain, Berto Colon, and Daniel Sunjata talk about the (dysfunctional) family ties they’ve formed on-screen, as well as the healthy collaborative atmosphere they’ve created behind the camera.
Woody McClain, who got his start with internet comedy, has really come into his own as the unruly Cane Tejada, who thirsts for more power and responsibility in his incarcerated father’s drug empire.
“It’s been an amazing journey,” McClain said of transitioning from comedic roles to serious acting. “It’s allowing me to just explore different personalities within. It allows me to go really far left from who I am, and I think it’s stretching me as an actor, and I love it and I enjoy it. It’s a great process to go through.”
He also is floored by fan response. “I think it’s amazing how people respond to the show. Courtney (Kemp) has created such a staple within the culture.”
For Sunjata, portraying new foe Mecca in season 2, the role is a welcome departure.
“It’s awesome, I don’t often get to play this type of character,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I don’t think I’ve ever played this kind of character. It was an honor to be included in the Power Universe and on Ghost in particular.”
As for McClain and Colon, playing on-screen father and son has turned into an off-screen bond that makes the heavy lifting of acting all the easier for each of them.
“I remember the first day I met Woody,” Colon recalled. “We were in the van on our way to set and we talked exactly about our relationship and in that moment it was like an instant ‘oh my God.’ We understood what we were diving into.”
Colon portrays Lorenzo Tejada, the father of Cane and two more young adult children that help his wife Monét (Mary J. Blige) run his drug empire while he’s incarcerated on an over decade-long sentence.
“The theme of family has always been there and Woody’s a good guy, he comes from a good place, and he’s a humble individual. So for me, I just let myself go. There were no walls and I just went for it. You expose yourself to someone else, your feelings are out in the open, you have no reason to hold back, and I feel reciprocated.”
“Same, I feel like our whole cast is selfless,” McClain added. “Everybody is there to help each other…everybody wants the best for everyone. So it just makes the atmosphere that much easier to work in.”
“Woody and I however didn’t get along at all,” Sunjata jokingly chimed in. “I just don’t like the guy.”
See the saga between Cane, Lorenzo, and newcomer Mecca unfold when season 2 of Power Book II: Ghost premieres on Sunday, November 21.