Exclusive: Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3 cast interviews
Currently playing on Starz is the third season of its acclaimed series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, starring MeKai Curtis, Patina Miller, London Brown, Malcolm Mays, Hailey Kilgore, Omar Epps, Antonio Ortiz, Shanley Caswell, and Joey Bada$$. Among the newcomers for the new season include Tony Danza, Grantham Coleman, Wendell Pierce and Erika Woods.
“Power Book III: Raising Kanan” is the second series in the expanded “Power” Universe franchise. Sascha Penn serves as showrunner and executive producer for season three.
This season continues to tell the origin story of fan-favorite character Kanan Stark (MeKai Curtis), originally played by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in the flagship series, delving further into his evolution from the devoted son of Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Patina Miller) into the eventual ferocious, amoral and pragmatic personality fans know from “Power.” Season three picks up where we left off, in Southside Jamaica Queens with the Thomas family in turmoil and reeling from the Mob’s coordinated attack on Raquel, Marvin and Lou-Lou. After her close call, Raquel is looking to make a fresh start, but Kanan doesn’t trust her or believe it when she says she’s done. Can she really be out of the game? Returning this season is Italian mob boss Stefano (Tony Danza), while new adversaries are introduced such as “Snaps” and “Pop” (Wendell Pierce and Erika Woods).
Over the last two seasons of “Raising Kanan,” Kanan Stark has slowly learned the truth about not only his mother, but also himself. It has been a tortuous journey for him and everyone around him. With each new revelation, Kanan has been forced to confront his family’s seemingly never-ending web of secrets and lies. He has spent much of this time in a state of denial, but now, Kanan’s blinders are finally off, and he doesn’t like what he sees. In season three, Kanan finds himself grappling with the very notions of right and wrong. Good and evil. Fidelity and disloyalty. And he’s not alone. Every member of the Thomas family must confront an existential crisis that challenges their very identity.
Whether it’s Marvin, who’s still trying to redeem himself, or Raq, who’s finally coming clean, or Lou, who’s wrestling with his own evil, or Jukebox, who’s simply trying to break free from her family’s pathology, they are all attempting to redefine and reinvent themselves. They won’t all be able to complete this intensely personal quest, but for those who do, the destination may reveal the most terrifying secret of all. There is no right and wrong or good and evil. There are no absolutes. In the end, there’s just you.
In addition to Miller, Curtis, Danza, Pierce and Woods, “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” stars Omar Epps as “Detective Malcolm Howard,” London Brown as “Marvin Thomas,” Malcolm Mays as “Lou-Lou Thomas,” Hailey Kilgore as “Jukebox,” Joey Bada$$ as “Unique,” Shanley Caswell as “Detective Burke” and Antonio Ortiz as “Famous,” with Grantham Coleman joining the cast as “Ronnie” this season.
Blackfilmandtv.com’s Wilson Morales spoke with MeKai Curtis, Patina Miller, London Brown, Malcolm Mays, Hailey Kilgore, Omar Epps, Antonio Ortiz, Joey Bada$$, Tony Danza, and showrunner Sascha Penn on Season 3.