We last announced Latarsha Rose, Lisa Vidal, Aaron D. Spears and Richard Roundtree, along with Omari Hardwick, as Gabrielle Union's love interest for the upcoming Mara Brock Akil/Salim Akil's BET pilot series Being Mary Jane.
Joining the ensemble cast now are Margaret Avery, Richard Brooks, Stephen Bishop, Raven Goodwin, Robinne Lee and Aaron Spears. Quite an impressive cast there! By the way, casting for Being Mary Jane is being handled by casting director Twinkie Byrd (Sparkle, Woman Thou Art Loosed: On The 7th Day, others), who Tambay interviewed about a month ago. You can read that interview HERE.
See the full press release below:
NEW YORK, NY – April 24, 2012- Being Mary Jane, the highly anticipated hour long BET pilot, from Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil of Akil Productions, the husband-and-wife duo behind the cable network’s hit comedy series The Game, has completed the final cast. The show stars actress Gabrielle Union (Bring It On, Daddy’s Little Girl), Omari Hardwick(For Colored Girls,The A-Team), Tika Sumpter(Gossip Girl, One Life To Live, The Game), BJ Britt (Vampire Diaries), Lisa Vidal (Star Trek) and Richard Roundtree (Shaft, The Mentalist)amongst others. With production starting April 23rd, Being Mary Jane is the first program under the mega production pact Akil Productions signed with BET in May 2011.
A show unlike any other drama on television, Being Mary Jane is an opportunity to explore the life of a statistic often reported but never explored. Written by The Game creator Mara Brock Akil, Being Mary Jane chronicles the work, social and family life of a successful African American career woman who has achieved a decorated career as the host of a fast paced 24-hour national cable news network. As Mary Jane juggles her life, her work and her commitment to family, viewers follow how far she’s willing to go to find those puzzle pieces that she, and society, insist are missing from her life as a single black female. Rounding out the afore mentioned all-star cast will be Margaret Avery, Richard Brooks, Stephen Bishop, Raven Goodwin, Latarsha Rose, Robinne Lee and Aaron Spears.
“I am elated to bring this project to life. As so many powerful, smart and educated black women continue to do amazing things in the world, the complex balance of success, family, love, and companionship, is something all of us can relate to,” comments creator Mara Brock Akil.
In addition to producing alongside his wife, Salim Akil (The Game, Jumping The Broom), will direct Being Mary Jane.
Represented by Andrea Nelson Meigs of ICM and attorney Stephen Barnes, the Akils are the team behind the highly anticipated Sony movie, Sparkle, which is set to debut this August.