ABC Family's critically acclaimed, NAACP & NAMIC nominated hit series "Lincoln Heights" launched its third season Tuesday night.  I got the opportunity to talk with two of the stars of the show Nicki Micheaux (Six Feet Under, "Their Eyes Were Watching God", Soul Food) and Russell Hornsby ("Something New", Law & Order SVU, "Get Rich or Die Trying") along with other members of the press.

 
Nicki Micheaux                                                  Russell Hornsby


S. Meyers/The B Side Show: Lincoln Heights is a perfect example of how far we’ve come on the TV screen, but with the lack of positive programming like this one, especially ones that star an African American cast, it's almost seems like we took a couple of steps back. Why do you think so many networks are lacking positive programs starring African American casts? Is it that the shows aren’t out there or is it that the networks are not willing to give them a chance?

R. Hornsby: I think that it starts with us. This is a very critical time right now. We can’t talk about what happened in the past. Let’s talk about what’s happening right here in the present, today. We have to start with 8:00 tonight on ABC Family. Our people in black, our culture, minorities, we have to support this show to let the networks know, to let studios know and also to let America know that this show is a viable option. Once we do that then I think the networks and studios will start to catch on and say there is a place for that type of programming. I think it has to start with today.

N. Micheaux: Absolutely. Absolutely. Because if you get the audiences the studios will follow and make more positive programming, put more black people in front of the camera. That’s what they do. They’ll support what people support.

R. Hornsby: The bottom-line is this is a numbers game. It’s about money. But what we have to also see is that, and this is my fifth series; I didn’t think when we set out to do Lincoln Heights that we would go past the first season. That in itself, the fact that Lincoln Heights is in its third season speaks volumes to those who are out there watching it, to who this show is speaking to and how the audiences are responding to the show. Do you know what I mean? I mean we’re moving. The train is bound for glory. It’s slowly moving and it’s catching on. It’s picking up speed and it’s moving on. I think it’s going to be just a wonderful option as we move forward. 

S. Meyers/The B Side Show: My next question is for you, Nicki. Is it still a challenge for women to find positive roles like Jenn in Hollywood or have you noticed a slight change?

N. Micheaux: I’m so happy to play Jenn Sutton. It is a welcome change. It is so nice to get to play a role like this. There are very few really great female roles and when you get a chance to have one that shows the full woman, particularly allowing you to be a strong woman, as well as a soft, nurturing, loving woman, an intelligent woman, a woman who’s working, a woman who has her children, a woman who’s dealing with her husband; because a lot of women, we play these roles in life, but you don’t get a chance to really see them fully realized on the screen, so it is really exciting to play this really kind of ordinary, yet extraordinary woman. I love it. 

The B Side Show: All of the characters seem to go through a slight change throughout the season. What changes do you guys think we’ll see in Jenn and Eddie throughout this season?

N. Micheaux: I’d say for Jenn, I really feel like Jenn really reaps her level of really digging into the community starting in season two and I feel like it just keeps going a step further and it creates different challenges, but I definitely feel like Jenn is really committed to this move. I think the thing that always is on, the question that’s always on the table, especially given the dramatic nature of the show and the things that happen to the family, it’s always asking is this a good decision for our kids. Have we done the right thing? I think that question always is kind of pushing Jenn and Eddie backwards and forwards and changing the decisions, but I don’t know if it’s like a traditional trajectory where a character starts here and ends there. I think with parents you’re kind of always watching and waiting to see how do I react or do I need to react. Is this the time I watch or is this the time I pack everybody up and get out? I think the Suttons, Jenn and Eddie, live on a certain edge and I think that continues through this season.

R. Hornsby: Yes. I’d have to just echo Nicki’s sentiments and her thoughts. I mean, again, there’s not the typical character arch. I think that Eddie has just realized that what he wants to do in the community, how he wants to help the community at a time going up against forces in his job that are not allowing him to do that, so he’s having to really try to think of other ways to get things done. I think it’s just presenting a wonderful challenge for Eddie this season.

The B Side Show: The show almost reminds me of like a modern day Cosby show, There’s a very strong family bond and importance for education, was this a calculated goal for this show or did it just sort of come about?

R. Hornsby: I think that’s a goal for families in general or specifically. I think the other thing that we can all identify with this show that makes is a wonderful family show is that this is a family that wants what every family wants. They want their kids to be safe. They want to have a wonderful home, have their kids raised in a wonderful, safe environment, be able to educate their kids properly and be able to have a sense of community and a sense of love that does not go away. So I think in that there is no model that we were following, that pre-existing model of the Cosby’s or anything else for that matter. I think we were following the model of the human spirit, of families everywhere, people everywhere, people who just want their kids to be safe and be well educated. I think that’s the American Dream, if you will. 

The B Side Show: I got a chance to check out the first episode of the new season and I wanted to know, without giving away too much, will season three be the season that one, if not all of the children, do something that will permanently change or maybe even damage their relationship with their parents?

N. Micheaux: I think that the kids do all sorts of things that always run the risk of something, but the Suttons are just not the type of family where anything is going to permanently damage the family bond. I think it can make things difficult and challenging and I think the whole point of the show is how you get through these troubles. I mean I think the fact that of the family separating or anything being permanently damaged is just not an option. I think that’s where the drama comes from. How do you get through it. The kid did this. How do we deal with it?  

The B Side Show: Russell, in the show Tay and Eddie seem to have a very good relationship, a very strong father/son bond. I wanted to know in your life who did you look up to?

R. Hornsby:  My uncles, my two uncles, who live in Boston. They were the strong male figures in my life. They really taught me about what it takes to be a man, the integrity, the humanity, patience one has to have and also in their relationships with their wives, just finding that balance of intimacy as well and that it’s okay for a man to feel. It’s okay to say that you hurt, that you feel pain and that you don’t know. That’s fine because your wife is there to help you; you’re there to help each other. I think I’d have to say my uncles. Yes. 

The B Side Show: Nicki, what actresses inspired you to want to pursue a career in acting?

N. Micheaux: What actresses inspired me? Wow. Angela Bassett is really way up there and Meryl Streep. Those were really big actresses. It was also television shows that I watched, like LA Law, those types of things. These actresses keep inspiring me to keep trying to do better and better work.

The B Side Show: Okay. Are there any actresses that are just starting that you have your eye on?

N. Micheaux: Yes. There’s this amazing young actress, who happens to be on Lincoln Heights, Rhyon Brown. She is quite the talented actress. She is going to be really something. 


You know I'm a fan of the show so it was a great pleasure speaking with the two of them.  Be sure to check out Lincoln Heights every Tuesday at 8pm on ABC'S Family network