{"id":83537,"date":"2018-06-18T17:01:25","date_gmt":"2018-06-18T17:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2018\/06\/18\/exclusive-michele-weaver-talks-owns-love-is__\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T01:45:12","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T01:45:12","slug":"exclusive-michele-weaver-talks-owns-love-is__","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/exclusive-michele-weaver-talks-owns-love-is__\/","title":{"rendered":"Exclusive: Michele Weaver Talks OWN’s Love Is__"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exclusive: Michele Weaver Talks OWN’s Love Is__<\/strong>Posted by Wilson Morales<\/p>\n

June 18, 2018<\/p>\n

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Premiering Tuesday, June 19th at 10\/9c on the OWN network<\/span> is the highly anticipated upcoming drama series “Love Is ___” . Drawing inspiration from their real-life relationship, proven show hit-makers Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil<\/strong> (“Black Lightning,” “Being Mary Jane,” “Girlfriends,” “The Game,” “The Jaime Foxx Show,” “Moesha”) bring you the love story of a modern-day power couple navigating the landscape of Black Hollywood and the complex set of social codes they face … from the good to the bad … to the 90’s, because that’s where the love story began.<\/p>\n

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Told from the perspective of ‘Wiser Nuri’ (Wendy Davis<\/strong>) and ‘Wiser Yasir’s’ (Clarke Peters<\/strong>), we first see ‘Nuri’ in the year 2027, in her 50s, relaxed, happy, and comfortable in her life and her 32-year marriage to ‘Yasir’. The romantic drama is set primarily in Los Angeles in the early 90s and follows the ‘Yasir’ (Will Catlett<\/strong>) and ‘Nuri’ (Michele Weaver<\/strong>), a couple from seemingly opposite worlds, as they chase their dreams and learn to follow their hearts in black Hollywood. ‘Yasir,’ is an aspiring writer\/director who is broke and living (unhappily) with his on-again, off-again ex, but after meeting the stunning ‘Nuri,’ a bubbly personality with big dreams who is struggling to make a name for herself as a sitcom staff writer while juggling an assortment of romances, Yasir finds a reason to alter his life and the drive to access his potential.<\/p>\n

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Michele Weaver – Photo Credit: Rachel Palumbo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Love Is___” also revisits the social issues and vibrant African-American culture of that time, reflecting on how it all aligned to shape the people they have become nearly 20 years later: a power couple navigating a complex set of social codes while also balancing successful careers and a beautiful family, while exploring the highs, the lows and the magic of falling-and staying-in love.<\/p>\n

For Michele Weaver, this is a big role for the Colorado native. She was previously seen in Corey Grant’s \u201cIllicit,<\/strong>\u201d with Vivica A. Fox<\/strong>; \u201cSister Code,\u201d<\/strong> with Amber Rose, Drew Sidora,<\/strong> and Eva Marcille;<\/strong> and Syfy\u2019s \u201c2 Lava 2 Lantula.\u201d<\/strong> Her other television credits include ABC Family\u2019s \u201cSwitched at Birth\u201d<\/strong> and FOX\u2019s \u201cCooper Barrett\u2019s Guide to Surviving Life,\u201d<\/strong> among many others.<\/p>\n

Blackfilm.com recently spoke with Weaver about her role, working with Mara Brock Akil and playing opposite Will Catlett.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>How did the role come about for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michele Weaver:<\/strong> For Love Is__, I just did what the average actor does. I got an audition in my email. I learned the lines and I showed up.<\/p>\n

The series is based on the love between the show runners Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil, a couple most people are aware of. How much did you know about Mara?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Michele Weaver:<\/strong> I’m actually thankful for this and I don’t know how this happened, but I never knew that much about Mara. I knew that it was a woman behind Being Mary Jane and all that stuff, but I had never seen her face. Which is crazy because in looking back, I had been at events where she was at. I’m grateful for it because when I prepared, it wasn’t in my head as to who she was. I wasn’t overthinking it. I purposely didn’t research interviews or anything like that. I looked at the description and what was written on the page and I felt connect to it. I just trusted my instincts on what was on the page and wanted to seem real and authentic in the room.<\/p>\n

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It was after multiple auditions, I did meet Mara and when I met her, I was like, “Oh my God,” and I remembered her giving me feedback. “I completely know what you are talking about,” is what I said and we really connected in the room for the audition process. At that point, I was thinking I should do more research and remembered looking up an interview she had done where she started saying things about her childhood. She would do things that I would do, like exactly the same thing and it freaked me out. I stopped watching and reading more interviews. I’m just going to trust my instincts. After I got the role, I went back and looked more into her work so that I could be prepared as I dive into the series.<\/p>\n

For those who do not know Mara, how would you describe the character as you talk about the series?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Michele Weaver:<\/strong> Nuri is a woman with big dreams and with her dreams she believes in them and willing to do whatever it takes to fight for it. That’s what you see. It’s one thing to be a dreamer, it’s another thing to be a believer of your dreams and willing to fight for them and sacrifice for it. That’s who Nuri is. She may laugh, she may be bubbly, she may be underestimated, but she will be quiet in the corner doing the work that blows everyone’s minds. You can’t underestimate her. That’s what I love about her.<\/p>\n

Can you talk about playing about Will Catlett, who plays Yasir, modeled after Salim Akil?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Michele Weaver:<\/strong> For me and Will, we have an interesting situation. I actually know Will and have known him for like five years. We have mutual friends. I’ve seen his work, I studied at a similar school as him, and he was in class with my best friend\/ roommate. I’ve actually watched all his work the past years and I’ve hung out with him before, so I knew him pretty well. We went to the same church. I know his wife. I actually found out that he had auditioned for it when I was testing for it and I remembered talking to a close mutual friend, and she’s like, “Yeah, Will’s auditioning for that.” I was like, “What? Oh my God! He would be perfect for this role. He would be perfect for Yasir.” A week later I go in and I had made it past the test, and was going to do a chemistry test and read with different actors going for the role of Yasir. I remembered leaving my apartment and thinking, “Am I going to see Will there? We’ll find out.” So I did the first chemistry read and was walking down the hallway, and heard my name called out and I turned around and it was Will. At that point, I knew we were going to do something great in that room because I already know him and I trust him and I know he’s a great actor. It was actually a relief to see him there, and I went in there and had fun and we just played off each other and I guessed it worked.<\/p>\n

What does having a lead role do for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Michele Weaver:<\/strong> This is what I prayed for. This is what I worked for. This is what I wanted. For me personally, it didn’t matter if I was whatever role, the lead or just a big role recurring. I just love it. It was more about the part, Nuri. I love this character. She’s complexed and a modern woman. She questions decisions that people are making and questions the rules and status quo and for me to play like that in a series with people who are a) great at what they do and b) love what they do and are positive people. Oprah and Mara are positive people who love storytelling, and that right there makes it a joy. I love doing this. I love telling stories. To be under women who have paved the way for my generation is just an honor and a gift. It was exciting. Of course, it’s overwhelming and there’s pressure and challenges and you get exhausted, but I don’t think there’s a better to have my first lead in and something I truly believe in what is being told. That’s a dream for every actress.<\/p>\n

Are there any similar traits between you and Nuri?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Michele Weaver:<\/strong> Yes. I think the essence between me and Nuri are similar. We come from different backgrounds. I’m personally not as bold as Nuri. Nuri jumps and Michele dodges around, looks at it and analyzes a little bit and then jumps, but Nuri just jumps. The things that we share is that she’s underestimated and I’ve always been underestimated. People would say that I have to do this and I would stay in the corner and smile, and then I would leave to say to myself that I’m going to do it. That’s how Nuri is. She may speak up at work and people would laugh at her jokes, but she knows. She’ll work hard at making things better and I share that with her. Today, you may not give me a yes, but you’re going to give me a yes; and so we’re willing to fight for it.<\/p>\n

Is the show more about a couple who are in love or a couple looking for success in Hollywood?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michele Weaver:<\/strong> I feel that it’s a couple trying to find out what works best for them and every person deserves love and a career, but you get to see people fight for both.<\/p>\n