Just recently on Sundays CBS had a special limited broadcast run of the first season from CBS All Access’ critically acclaimed original drama series THE GOOD FIGHT.
The cast of THE GOOD FIGHT includes Christine Baranski, Cush Jumbo, Rose Leslie, Audra McDonald, Sarah Steele, Michael Boatman, Nyambi Nyambi, Michael Sheen and Delroy Lindo.
For those who don’t have access to the CBS All Access, The Good Fight picks up one year after the events of the final broadcast episode of The Good Wife. In the series, which has already completed three seasons, an enormous financial scam has destroyed the reputation of a young lawyer, Maia Rindell (Rose Leslie of “Game of Thrones” and “Downton Abbey”), while simultaneously wiping out her mentor Diane Lockhart’s savings. Forced out of Lockhart & Lee, they join Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo) at one of Chicago’s pre-eminent law firms, run by Adrian Boseman (Delroy Lindo).
Robert and Michelle King serve as showrunners and executive producers of the series, which they co-created with Phil Alden Robinson.
For Nyambi Nyambi, who was previous best known for starring opposite Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy in the comedy series Mike & Molly for its entire six seasons, the Good Fight offered a new and dramatic avenue for the Nigerian-American. He plays Jay DiPersia, an investigator for Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart. Not only does Jay help solve cases but offers his moral advice to situations that not always clear cut.
Blackfilm.com recently caught up with Nyambi to talk about the series and his role and
Airing on regular primetime channel this summer has allowed viewers to catch up from season one. For those who are new audience members what was the attraction to doing a series?
Nyambi Nyambi: The attraction to doing the series was the writing and then of course, being surrounded by this amazing talent. Christine Baranski, Delroy Lindo, Cush Jumbo, Rose Leslie, and Michael Boatman. In season one we had Erica Tazel and Bernadette Peters, Justin Bartha for two seasons. All my scenes are with Sarah Steele. I was like, “What am I doing? I gotta do this.” It was also a big change for me after doing sitcom with “Mike and Molly” for six years on CBS. It was great for me to explore this this other side or a different side of me. One that I have enjoyed for the last three years.
How would you best describe your character?
Nyambi Nyambi: Jay’s background actually is in investigative reporting. At one point my character worked for TMZ. One of my favorite lines comes from this documentary that I saw recently which actually captures what feel about the character Jay. There’s a public life, private life and a secret life. A private life is invitation only and a secret life is and I feel like that’s how Jay is as far he he moves through different circles. How I position myself in the room and observe what’s happening within the firm, what’s happening between the partners, and what’s happening within the city. We’ve tackled immigration, ICE, and this political cesspool that we’re in.
It’s one of the few dramatic shows that’s not a black show but has predominantly black cast, especially when the setting is in a black law firm.
Nyambi Nyambi: Even with black shows that are on TV, those are quality shows and this is another quality show that happens to have a cast that’s predominantly black. In fact, it’s half and half. It’s half women and a very, very diverse show. It’s a show that everyone should be watching. It should be a water cooler show with everything that we talk about.
Seeing Delroy Lindo, Audra McDonald, Cush Jumbo, Michael Boatman, myself and in that first season Erica Tazel and Lou Gusset Jr, and seeing these men and women running a law firm and taking on big cases and dealing with hot button issues, it’s important and we’re not shying away from it. Especially this past season with the third season. We’ve just been diving deeper and deeper not only with race on the surface but race between the lines. We had an episode episode where Luca Quinn, played by Cush Jumbo, is not told that she might not make partner because she may not be black enough. There’s another episode that discusses the pay disparity amongst the blacks and whites. It really goes there. You ask yourself if the Kings (creators Robert and Michelle Kings) come up with this. What I love about the Kings is that they have created a diverse writing room. Questions are bing asked and people are listening. That’s what I think is missing in the art, people listening and not being afraid to say, “I don’t know, but I’m willing to find out.”
When does the new season begin?
Nyambi Nyambi: We start shooting season 4 in November.
The entire three seasons of THE GOOD FIGHT are currently available to stream on CBS All Access.
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