Exclusive: London Brown on Marvin's relationship with Jukebox and mom in Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 2
Currently airing on Sunday nights on Starz is season two of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” starring MeKai Curtis in the titular role of “Kanan” and Tony® Awards winner Patina Miller as his mother, Raquel “Raq” Thomas.
Set in the early 1990’s, the third series in the “Power” Universe tells the origin story of fan favorite character, “Kanan Stark,” and follows his coming of age in South Jamaica, Queens. Raised by a single mother, who ruthlessly runs the family’s emerging criminal empire, Kanan charts out a path through some of the city’s most volatile streets while, at the same time, navigating his way through adolescence, which has its own dangers and pitfalls.
As we enter our second season, Raquel “Raq” Thomas has gained control over the city’s drug trade, but her son is slipping away. After being whisked out of the city for his own safety at the end of season one, Kanan Stark returns to Queens uncertain of his future with the family business. Meanwhile, a secret about his mother and neighborhood antagonist, Detective Malcolm Howard, threatens to upend everything Kanan thought he knew about himself and his family. While trying to allay her son’s concerns, Raq boldly expands the family business into hostile Mafia territory. She gets no help from her younger brother, Lou-Lou, who has other plans that revolve around his emerging record label. On the other hand, Marvin, the oldest of the Thomas siblings, remains Raq’s loyal soldier, but struggles to earn his daughter, Jukebox’s, forgiveness after their brutal fight in season one.
Blackfilmandtv.com’s Wilson Morales caught up with Brown to discuss his status this year on the show.
In Episode 6 - On the heels of her run-in at the Catskills, Raq tells her crew that they will remain steadfast against a new threat. At the same time, though, Worrell alerts Raq of an unusual relationship involving this emerging adversary. Kanan blows off an important meeting and renews his interest in the family business, leading Raq to offer Kanan more responsibility. Kanan’s up for the task until he and Famous are blindsided by kids from the neighborhood. Meanwhile, Marvin seeks Raq’s counsel on his relationship and transgressions with Jukebox, who’s new connection with a person from her past is causing her to struggle with her identity. And still at odds with Raq over his music business, Lou feels the pressure at the studio as his partnerships with Crown and Cartier are strained and tested.
For London Brown, who plays Marvin, he’s bit on the softer side this season. Now that he’s in group therapy to deal with his anger issues, his sensitive side is starting to open up more. He’s fully realizing how much his anger hurt his relationship with his daughter Jukebox and now that he learns that her mom is back in town and Jukebox is aware of it and has been visiting her, he doesn’t want to lose Jukebox forever.