Exclusive: Amber Stevens West and Tosin Morohunfola talk Nigerian culture and sisterhood from Run The World
Now playing on Starz is its new comedy series “Run the World,” created by Leigh Davenport (The Perfect Find, “Wendy Williams: The Hot Topic,” BET’s “Boomerang”) who will executive produce alongside showrunner Yvette Lee Bowser (“Living Single,” “black-ish,” Lionsgate’s “Dear White People”).
Set in Harlem, “Run the World” follows a group of smart, funny, and vibrant thirty-something Black women – fiercely loyal best friends – who live, work and play in Harlem. As they strive for world domination, they each navigate career highs and lows, hookups and heartbreaks that causes them to re-evaluate who they are and where they are going. At its core, it’s an authentic and unapologetic show about enviable friendship and not only surviving – but thriving together.
The series stars Amber Stevens West (“The Carmichael Show”) as “Whitney,” a perfectionist who almost always plays by the rules; Andrea Bordeaux (“NCIS: Los Angeles”) as “Ella,” an audacious romantic, who is figuring out what she truly wants both personally and professionally; Bresha Webb (“Marlon”) as “Renee,” the vivacious, soon-to-be-divorced diva with a seemingly thriving career; and Corbin Reid (“Valor”) as “Sondi,” an erudite professional who begins to reevaluate both her career and personal priorities.
“Run the World” also stars Stephen Bishop (Moneyball, “Imposters”) as “Matthew,” Tosin Morohunfola (“Black Lightning”) as “Ola,” Erika Alexander (“Living Single”) as “Barb,” Nick Sagar (“Queen of the South”) as “Anderson,” Jay Walker (“Grey’s Anatomy”) as “Jason,” and guest star Tonya Pinkins as “Gwynn” (“All My Children”).
West’s Whitney Greene is a beautiful, smart, hard driving thirty-something woman who strives for perfection in every aspect of her life. An investment banker by trade, she attended the best schools, wears the latest fashion, and manages some of the biggest accounts at the bank. Mere months away from marrying the love of her life, Whitney, who has almost always played by the rules, makes a decision that causes her to examine what she has been missing out on, and if the path she has been on her entire life is the right one for her.
Amber was most recently seen in CBS’s comedy “Happy Together” where she co-starred alongside Damon Wayans Jr. Previously she starred on FOX’s supernatural sitcom “Ghosted” opposite Adam Scott and Craig Robinson. Immediately prior to landing the lead female role on “Ghosted,” Amber played Jerrod Carmichael’s on-screen love interest on NBC’s sitcom “The Carmichael Show.” Amber also recently starred in the feature Love Jacked directed by Alfons Adetuyi.
Tosin’s Ola Adeyemo is Whitney's lovable, handsome fiancé and a Harvard-educated ER resident who worships Whitney and brings joy to everyone he knows. He's affable and good-natured but growing weary of Whitney's bizarre behavior leading up to their wedding. His love for her will be put to the ultimate test when she reveals she cheated on him.
Morohunfola can currently be seen in a lead role in the Blumhouse / Amazon film Black Box opposite Mamoudou Athie and Phylicia Rashad. He also recently appeared in a supporting role in the feature THE 24th for writer and director Kevin Willmott and starred in the thriller Friend Request for BET.
BlackFilmandTV.com’s Wilson Morales spoke with West and Morohunfola as they spoke about the Nigerian culture and sisterhood in the series.
