Raven Goodwin and Nicole Chanel Williams have joined the cast of Fox’s upcoming drama, Our Kind of People. They will recur Yaya DaCosta, Morris Chestnut, Nadine Ellis, Lance Gross, Joe Morton, Rhyon Nicole Brown, L. Scott Caldwell, Kyla Bary, and newcomer Alana Bright.
The project comes from Lee Daniels and Karen Gist with Tasha Smith attached to direct two episodes of the series.
The Fox drama Our Kind of People is inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s non-fiction book Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class. It takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard. It is a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful black elite have come to play for more than 50 years.
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The series will follow single mom Angela Vaughn (Dacosta). She risks it all and moves her family to Martha’s Vineyard with hopes of taking her natural hair care line to the next level by infiltrating the African American elite in Oak Bluffs. But when she discovers a secret about her past, it may change her position and shake up her life and this influential community forever.
Goodwin will play Josephine, Angela’s (DaCosta) old college roommate and close friend. An accepted member of The Bluffs community, easy-going and good-humored, Josephine tries to ease Angela’s entry into the close-knit society.
Williams will portray Taylor. This 17-year-old fun-loving and open girl is Lauren’s (Rhyon Nicole Brown) best friend, who enjoys the disruptive effect Nikki (Alana Bright) has on their tight circle of rich kids.
Caldwell will play the major recurring role of Olivia Sturgess Dupont, mother of Chestnut’s Raymond. Dripping in tradition, this elegant society matron adores her son, but is hard on her daughter-in-law, Leah (Luckett). She hands Leah the reins of The Graceties, the elite social club at The Bluffs that newcomer Angela hopes to join. Manipulative and domineering, Olivia has pegged Angela as a “disruptor” in their tightknit community, and she orders Leah to drum her out — using whatever means necessary.
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Smith will direct the pilot and second episode of the drama which received a straight-to-series order for the 2021-22 season. This project has been in development since 2017 with Gist and Daniels coming on board in 2019. Gist is also the executive producer via TheGistofIt Produtions alongside Daniels who is executive producing under his Lee Daniels Entertainment banner.
Ben Silverman and Montrel McKay are still attached to executive produce. Along with Silverman, fellow Propagate executives Jay Weisleder, Howard T. Owens, and Rodney Ferrell will also executive produce. Pam Williams and Marc Velez of Lee Daniels Entertainment will executive produce as well. 20th Century Fox Television will produce along with Fox Entertainment.