L. Scott Caldwell, Debbi Morgan and Nadine Ellis Added To 'Fox’s ‘Our Kind Of People’ Series
In the latest round of casting news, L. Scott Caldwell, Debbi Morgan and Nadine Ellis have joined the cast of Fox’s upcoming drama series ‘Our Kind of People.’ Caldwell and Morgan will be coming in as recurring players while Ellis will be replacing LeToya Luckett who had been originally cast in the role of Leah Franklin-Dupont, reports Deadline.
The trio join Yaya DaCosta, Morris Chestnut, Joe Morton, Rhyon Nicole Brown, Lance Gross and Kyle Barry in the drama series from writer/executive producer Karin Gist and executive producer Lee Daniels.
Written by Gist inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s provocative, critically praised book Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class, the series takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful Black elite have come to play for more than 50 years. Our Kind of People follows strong-willed single mom Angela Vaughn (DaCosta) as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate, natural beauty of Black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her mother’s past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up this community forever.
Ellis’ Leah Franklin-Dupont is a strong, confident, elegant businesswoman who sits at the top of the food chain of the wealthy, long-standing Black elite in Martha’s Vineyard. Leah feels the pressure of her position, and a responsibility to give back to the Black community. But when Angela Vaughn arrives and starts to shake things up and threaten her family’s legacy, Leah makes it her mission to bar Angela from acceptance into The Bluffs before she tears down everything Leah’s family has built.
Chestnut plays Leah’s husband, Raymond Dupont; Morton portrays her father, Teddy Franklin.
Tony-winner Caldwell, who is perhaps best known for her roles in Lost and feature film The Fugitive, will play the major recurring role of Olivia Sturgess Dupont, mother of Chestnut’s Raymond.
Dripping in tradition, this elegant society matron adores her son, but is hard on her daughter-in-law, Leah. She hands Leah the reins of The Graceties, the elite social club at The Bluffs that newcomer Angela hopes to join. Manipulative and domineering, Olivia has pegged Angela as a “disruptor” in their tightknit community, and she orders Leah to drum her out — using whatever means necessary.
Morgan will play Patricia Williams, aka Aunt Piggy, Angela’s (DaCosta) aunt, who moves with Angela and her teenage daughter Nikki (newcomer Alana Bright) to Martha’s Vineyard. A real character, saucy and uninhibited, she’s working class and makes no bones about it, but she has a lot of common sense when it comes to giving good advice to the sometimes overwhelmed Angela. Piggy is also hiding a few secrets of her own, including a connection to Oak Bluffs from many years ago.