Exclusive: Patina Miller & Omar Epps talk Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Airing tonight on STARZ is its new crime drama series, “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” the third book within the growing “Power” Universe franchise. Experience the early ‘90s in this new coming of age prequel story revolving around the now-deceased iconic “Power” character Kanan Stark, portrayed in the original “Power” series by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.
STARZ has already a second season of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” amidst strong demand for the upcoming premiere.
Set in South Jamaica, Queens, in 1991, “Raising Kanan” is a prequel to the original “Power” franchise. It is a sprawling family drama that revolves around the coming of age of Kanan Stark; Ghost and Tommy’s mentor, partner and adversary, who ultimately dies in a hail of gunfire in the eighth episode of Power’s penultimate season.
When we catch up with Kanan here, he is the fifteen-year-old only child of Raquel “Raq” Thomas, a cocaine distributor with an emerging network of dealers across the city. Much like the original “Power,” “Raising Kanan” explores themes of identity, violence, and legacy, but it is also a deep dive into the very pathology of family; the unique, complicated and fraught dynamic between parent and child, mother and father, brother and sister.
The third book in the “Power” Universe stars Patina Miller as Raquel “Raq” Thomas and Mekai Curtis in the titular role as Kanan Stark. The cast also includes Omar Epps, London Brown, Malcolm Mays, Hailey Kilgore, Joey Bada$$, Toby Sandeman, Shanley Caswell, Lovie Simone and Quincy Brown.
Sascha Penn serves as creator and showrunner and is executive producing alongside Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Courtney A. Kemp.
For Miller, who plays Raq, this is her biggest TV role to date. She was previously seen playing Daisy Grant in the CBS political drama Madam Secretary. In films she played Commander Paylor in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay films. On stage, she starred as the Leading Player in the 2013 revival of Pippin, which earned her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
As for Epps, who plays NYPD detective Malcolm Howard, it’s a different role from being a doctor, which he played on both series E.R. and House for numerous seasons. With Shooter and This Is Us among his TV credits, Epps has done made his mark in the film world with Juice, The Program, Higher Learning, Scream 2, the iconic Love & Basketball, Almost Christmas and most recently Fatal Affair with Nia Long.
BlackFilmandTV.com’s Wilson Morales recently spoke with Miller and Epps about their roles in Raising Kanan.