This coming weekend Starz will premiere its #1 hit series “Power” -The Final Season. Created by Courtney A. Kemp, “Power” season six premieres Sunday, August 25, 2019 on STARZ, the STARZ app and STARZ ON DEMAND, and culminates with the Final Betrayal played out across an extended 15-episode season.
Joining Omari Hardwick, Lela Loren, Naturi Naughton, Joseph Sikora, Rotimi, Alani “La La” Anthony, Jerry Ferrara, Shane Johnson, Michael Rainey Jr. and Larenz Tate as series regulars for its final season are the previously announced Evan Handler, Michael J. Ferguson, Monique Gabriela Curnen, Mike Dopud and Cynthia Addai – Robinson.
“Power” season six picks up with James “Ghost” St. Patrick seeking vengeance. His former drug partner and brother in arms must pay for the ultimate betrayal. Rocked to his core by the perfidiousness and cruelties of those he once called his family, Ghost devotes himself to one notion: Success is the best revenge, with all intentions of getting both. Ghost aims to get even with Tommy, get the Queens Child Project built to consecrate Raina’s legacy, and finally achieve a thriving legitimate lifestyle with no criminal strings attached. Ghost’s need to wrest satisfaction and happiness from this world by any means necessary – is the most dangerous he’s ever faced. As the Feds grow closer to convicting him, Ghost must remain vigilant toward those wanting to take him down for his past criminal enterprises.
For Naughton, who plays Tasha, Ghost’s estranged wife, the series has been a blessing in her career. Tasha is the ultimate ride-or-die wife on the screen. It doesn’t matter how many times she and Ghost don’t like each other, she’s come through for him like no wife has been before on television. Not even Carmela Soprano backed Tony like the way Tasha has. From playing Lil’ Kim in Notorious to roles on Mad Men and the short lived The Playboys series, with Tasha St. Patrick, Naughton has a role that will long be remembered after the series ends. As far as what’s next, Naturi has plenty of options. She’s ready to resume her singing career and who knows else what’s coming. In speaking with Blackfilm.com, Naughton talks deep about her experience playing Tasha and what’s next.
When did you know that this season will be the final season?
Naturi Naughton: I think I had heard murmurs about it. The beginning of shooting season six, that this would be our final season. I wasn’t sure. And I think it got more real midway through.
We’ve seen Tasha come a long way from season one, so how would you explain her growth?
Naturi Naughton: Oh, my goodness, she’s tremendous. Her growth as a woman has been major because she was connected to Ghost for so long, that she didn’t know herself without him. So her identity, her sense of self, grew tremendously. She was a ride or die wife, and now she’s a ride or die mom. Fighting for the life to protect her son. So I think she’s less superficial than she was in season one. She’s a lot more focused on building up herself. Before she was so focused on building up Ghost, that I think it became a little bit of a hindrance.
As an actor, when you take on a character, you never know where it goes. But what parts of Tasha are you?
Naturi Naughton: I like a lot of parts of Tasha. I don’t agree with everything she does now. But I do have a lot of her in me, hence why I guess I was cast in this role. I would say, the parts of Tasha that are in me, or vice versa, are her fearlessness, her opinionated, unapologetic attitude, her fight for her family. That’s very Naturi. I’m a new mother so I can connect now to even the motherly aspect of this character. I think just how strong she is as a woman, I have a lot of that strength to and I tried to bring that to the character because working with Omari, a lot of people might be intimidated by his strength or his presence, and I’m not.
With this show, one never knows who’s going to make it out? When they killed off Tasha’s daughter Raina in season 4, did you ever wonder like if you would make it to the end?
Naturi Naughton: Yeah. Raina, played by Donshea Hopkins, it was so rough to watch that particular killing. There is a lot of murder and a lot of death on on our show, but that one was really hard to digest. So at that point, I was like, “Well, damn, nobody is safe!” If they can kill Raina, they can kill Tasha, they can kill Tommy. I mean, we’re all up for grabs, if you will. So it was scary. But that was definitely a death that was a turning point, where I saw how the writing can get so dark. And the characters can go at any moment.
Is there a point where you can suggest something to the writers?
Naturi Naughton: Absolutely. We suggest things all the time. They may or may not get in the script. Even just me being a singer was something that they put into the storyline in the first season or two, where my character wind up singing at the Truth nightclub and then she sings with Terry Silver at a karaoke bar. Just little things like that. They knew I wanted to express the musical side of me so that was slowly injected. Then different parts of the story. If we say, Tasha needs a love interest. She needs to have an affair to since Ghost is getting his. I might say that jokingly, and then the next season, I actually do have a love interest and I’m having an affair. So is it’s good because Courtney is a showrunner who is collaborative with her actors. She genuinely wants you to feel comfortable in these characters, but also uncomfortable in these characters. The goal is not to be happy about all your choices. Every character is not going to be perfect and all good. You just have to play the truth. So my goal is to tell the truth.
Going back, you know, of the many episodes you’ve done, which one would you say was your favorite?
Naturi Naughton: One of my favorite episodes to shoot or to work that was emotional was probably in season four, Episode 10. There’s a scene with a Omari and I in the car in this Chevrolet Suburban, mourning Raina’s death. He’s banging on the steering wheel and I say “Our daughter is gone,” and I’m filled with tears and he screams “I know.” It’s a moment where the two of us really, really were in an emotional state where we didn’t even know if we could get back. When they called “Cut,” we were still crying. But that’s the kind of work that I enjoy to do because it should push you to a place where you don’t know if you can come back, I should push you out of your comfort. So that, as an actor made me a better performer.
You mentioned that earlier being a ride or die wife, which is a term that doesn’t get placed on many females on TV. What’s your definition of that term?
Naturi Naughton: I guess it would be pretty standard. My definition is a woman who rides for you and is willing to die for you literally ride or die. A woman who sticks by you through thick and thin and if things are up, great things are down, she’s still with you. At the end of the day, a ride or die is the the woman that you realize is going to be there when it’s when it’s sunny, when it’s raining, when you got money, when you broke, when you down at the bottom. And when you successful at the top. That’s the kind of person you want to take with you to the top because she’ll be there regardless. Tasha has been that character, she’s been that woman. When Ghost was in jail, she’s still trying to get the bail money. She showed up every day in court, played the role of the happy wife; she did whatever it took to save him. And that’s honestly, what I think a ride or die is. You do whatever it takes.
How have you grown as an actor through this show?
Naturi Naughton: Oh, my gosh, I’ve grown so much through the show. As a person, not just as an actor, becoming a mother on the show pushed me to grow where I see the future so much more. Now I think about the future and my goals. I have to really process my decisions based on my child. So that’s a big thing. And the show is helped me to grow because it’s really the first time I’ve ever had a successful hit show. So it reminds you that if you start from the bottom, if you plant the right seeds in the right soil, if you do the work, if you come prepared, you can achieve success. You can be a little show on Starz, a network that no one ever knew, really, until now and become one of the highest rated premium shows on TV. So it just goes is taught me so much as an actor that I’m willing to put it all on the table and not hold back when I play this role.
What is the most craziest or fun thing a fan has said to you? Or have seen regarding your your character?
Naturi Naughton: Oh, gosh, just the other day, I was in the airport. This lady was working and she was working for Delta. I’m thinking I’m going through security and she’s looking at my ID and you know, doing a whole check off and she was just like, “I shouldn’t even let you through!” I was like, “Why?” and she was like, “Because I’m really tired of Tariq talking to you like that. You need to beat your son!” I was just like, “I’m not (the character)” and she was like, “Your son, you ain’t gonna check him?. You need to get him under control.” I said, “I’ll work on that next year. You know, I got you. Just let me on through security, please.” People get really serious and extremely passionate. So that was funny.
Here are some fan questions that people want to know. Is Tariq really Ghost’s son?
Naturi Naughton: Why are people insinuating that? I’ve only had three children and they’re all with Ghost. I didn’t have no children with Kanan and no matter what 50 Cent tells you. Do not believe what he says. He’s just trying to stir trouble. Tasha has been with Ghost from the beginning. She had kids with him and she stood by and that’s it. End of story.
Is Terry actually dead? We never saw a body.
Naturi Naughton: Yeah, that’s that’s a given. That’s not something we’re playing. He’s dead. Ghosts killed him and I’m going to be very upset about it.
How are you with the rest of the cast? Obviously, we see you together at the TCAs and you guys came out for the festivals, including Essence. Is it all love after the shooting is done and after the work is done?
Naturi Naughton: Thankfully, yes, it is. It is a really good chemistry. We actually are friends, we like each other. We love each other. We don’t like each other all the time. We work together really well. But we also build relationships. Like I knew Omari before the show. I remember seeing Omari in Atlanta at the Peachtree International Film Festival. He told me, “Sis, I love your work. I’m proud of you. We’re gonna work together.” That was like two years before Power. Two years later, I’m auditioning. He was like, “I got you. You’re gonna make it.” And here we are. I’m playing his wife. I’m 10 years younger than Omari. So it was hard playing a character that I was initially told I was too young to play. Fortunately, Courtney and the team saw that I could be a chameleon and they allowed me to step into a role that was written to be much older.
What can you say about any of the spinoff series?
Naturi Naughton: I wish I could tell you. I don’t know. Did you ask 50 Cent that because I’m trying to get clarity. I know that that they just announced Mary J. Blige is going to be in one of the spinoffs, which I’m really excited about. But I’m just hoping that I get to graduate into that world. When you watch the end of the season, it’s so open ended that you really don’t know. I think they did that on purpose. So any of us could go and any of us could not.
What’s next for you?
Naturi Naughton: Well, I have an album that I’m currently working on. The next thing that’s consumed a lot of my time is I’ve been recording my music, getting back to music doing an album with solo project. This is a big step for me because a lot of people remember me from 3LW. I just can’t wait for in the upcoming year for people to hear my music, and I think that’s a graduation that I’ve been hesitating to get back to because the music business was not good to me when I was in 3LW and I had a little trepidation about going back into it. But now I feel like it’s just given me a whole new life to express myself. It’s therapy. It’s been amazing.
‘Betrayal’ Trailer
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