Gail Bean Auditioned Every Season of ‘Harlem’ Before Finally Landing Role as Tye’s Love Interest

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The third and final season of “Harlem” is wrapping up, however, the characters and plotlines have grown more extensive compared to previous seasons.

In Tracy Oliver’s Prime Video series, actors Gail Bean from “P-Valley”, Logan Browning from “Dear White People” and Kofi Siriboe from “Queen Sugar” are introduced as the potential love interests for three main characters – Tye (played by Jerrie Johnson), Ian (Tyler Lepley) and Quinn (Grace Byers).

Or, simply:

Tracy Oliver’s Prime Video series welcomes Gail Bean (“P-Valley”), Logan Browning (“Dear White People”) and Kofi Siriboe (“Queen Sugar”) as the love interests for main characters Tye, Ian and Quinn.

In the third season, Quinn, who embarked on a self-discovery journey about self-love in the previous season, starts to think it’s possible to regain everything when she meets Seth (Siriboe), a Major League Baseball player. Seth appears to be someone who could help her fulfill both her personal and professional aspirations. On the other hand, Ian and Portia (Browning) deepen their childhood friendship into a romantic relationship, aiming to achieve their long-held dream of starting a family together following Ian’s split from Camille (Meagan Good) in the last season. Lastly, Tye faces challenges as she navigates new opportunities, both professional and romantic, presented by Eva (Bean), a venture capitalist and Robin Givens’ daughter, to avoid repeating past relationship mistakes.

Tye Dillinger and Jerry Lawler are the same person, so acting as her love interest in a role was incredibly beautiful, exciting, intense, and filled with ups and downs,” Bean shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “Acting as her superior felt like regular work, but playing her love interest was surprising, full of twists and turns. But that’s what makes love intriguing.

In the following interview with THR, Bean, Browning, and Siriboe discuss their new roles in the show “Harlem”, explain how their character’s narratives connect with the main characters of the series, and hint at future appearances we can expect from them.

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What led each of you to become a part of Harlem, and were any of you aware that the series was coming to an end for its final season?

LOGAN BROWNING I received an invitation to attend, which came at a time just after the strikes and on the brink of [2024]. Upon hearing about Harlem, I felt a strong affection for it. Admittedly, I wasn’t aware that it was the final season, but my response was an instant affirmative.

GAIL BEAN I didn’t realize this was the final season for the show. This was my third time trying out for it – I think I’ve auditioned every year. After the last audition, I got a call while driving. I had mixed up my times and realized with just a few minutes left before the audition started, that I had made an error in checking my email. I was on a Lyft heading from my friend’s house in Jersey to mine in Brooklyn, and thought, “I need to turn back.” But we didn’t have enough time, so my friend suggested taking me to a city hotel instead. I declined, saying I wouldn’t make it in time for the audition. Instead, I decided to do the callback from my car using my laptop. I was convinced I hadn’t gotten the part. After the first scene, they said, “Thank you,” and I thought that was it. But then they called me back and asked if I could come again. I replied, “I thought I did so poorly in the first scene that you all were saying goodbye.” (Laughs)

KOFI SIRIBOE Previously, I collaborated with Stacey Muhammad. She’s a director on the series Queen Sugar, and she contacted me saying, “I’m developing Harlem, and I believe this character could be modeled after you,” to which I replied, “Sure thing.” I was thrilled at the prospect of being in New York. I adore New York City. And as Logan mentioned, the strike was peaceful. I was eager to work out and rejuvenate myself, so it all fit perfectly. I had no clue that it would be the final season.

Gail, who were the other characters you auditioned for in the past?

BEAN As it turned out, each one of them was a romantic interest for Tye. Therefore, when she said, “I’m relieved it was him,” it was because he had the most extensive development throughout their relationship.

Logan, it appears that Portia and Ian’s relationship might face challenges, and yet, your character appears remarkably understanding towards Camille’s meddling. Could you tell us more about Portia, and was it difficult for you to grasp her personality?

As an ardent fan, it wasn’t easy for me to comprehend finding myself in the midst of such a situation, one that I’ve been captivated by on screen. However, considering Ian might have shared some insights with Portia about their shared past, I believe she was prepared. We reach an age in our 30s where we say, “I’m ready.” Their prior friendship and shared experiences seemed to create a sense of safety and positivity. Perhaps we weren’t perfect in the past, but we decided to take a chance. There’s a certain friendliness, lightness, and fun in their relationship, despite the drama that surrounds it.

Kofi, as soon as the trailer was released, fans on platform X began supporting Quinn and Seth without knowing much about him. Is it appropriate for viewers to trust your character?

SIRIBOE Yes, until it’s proven otherwise. I saw a wall graffiti that read “trust” followed by “but verify.” This made me wonder about trusting Seth, the character I play. Every time I turned a page, I was unsure of what he would do next. I kept waiting for something because whenever someone new comes into a show, I always think, “What’s the catch?” The catch with Seth was subtle but significant. It required me to understand and align myself with his character because you won’t see it right away. There were assumptions, lack of discernment, and self-awareness, but then the blindness caused by emotions and desires made what seemed clear and safe suddenly become something else. When reading the script, I wanted to blame Seth, but I realized I needed to do him justice because this was his truth. It was an emotional journey that I found fascinating.

For each of you who have previously been main or recurring characters in other shows, how did it feel transitioning to a new project alongside an already established cast?

I ADORED IT BECAUSE THE SHOW WAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND WE ALL COULD ENJOY AND APPRECIATE IT. As the main actor, there’s a lot of responsibility beyond just memorizing lines – you have to be present for your crew, cast, and guest actors. The women on this project, including Tyler, were incredibly welcoming, which is a significant part of the job. However, what I cherished most was the observation. When you watch from home, you focus on the characters, but on set, I watched my actor friends bring their characters to life, and their performances left me in awe. It was fascinating to see the script’s lines transform into their unique interpretations, which were truly beautiful.

As a devoted fan for seven seasons, it’s been quite an extraordinary journey, shaping my character from the ground up, as Logan put it, there’s always this immense pressure, weight, and responsibility that comes with such longevity. However, stepping into this new role, I found a sense of liberation, asking myself how I could best serve what was already thriving. My primary concern was understanding my purpose within the Quinn dynamic. That was Seth’s mission. It was refreshing because I could channel all my energy into being the supportive instrument needed and simply focus on serving the greater good.

In my usual role within an ensemble, this project stood out as particularly focused. There wasn’t much opportunity to collaborate with the rest of the cast. Instead, it was primarily Jerrie and I who shared the spotlight. Each day on set was enjoyable and light-hearted. It felt like an unobtrusive observer was capturing our lives. Jerrie is an exceptional leader because she consistently establishes a positive atmosphere. From the top down, her influence extends to how the crew treats everyone, and when I joined the production, it seemed as though we had been acquainted for ages. Every day working on that show, I felt nothing but gratitude. The experience was truly unique.

What do you each have coming up next?

I currently have a film titled “Both Eyes Open” playing in certain theaters, and following that, you can catch season three of “P-Valley,” which was previously set in Harlem.

ACTOR I’ve got an upcoming show titled “Criminal” premiering on Amazon, featuring Charlie Hunnam, Emilia Clarke, Luke Evans, and Adria Arjona. This series is adapted from a comic book and I’m taking on the role of an internal affairs detective – something I hadn’t anticipated playing in my career. It’s quite distinctive and dark, and I’m really looking forward to watching it unfold.

As a passionate advocate for creativity, I’ve been immersed in a substantial personal endeavor named Tola. It’s a unique artist residency situated right here in vibrant New Orleans. After two long years of renovation – time that seemed to stretch on forever – we’ve finally reached the destination I’ve always dreamt about.

We’re planning a grand public unveiling during Super Bowl week, specifically from February 6-8. Following this, Tola will make its way to Los Angeles for Frieze. The theme of our inaugural exhibition is “Black in Every Color, Art in Every Form,” encompassing a wide array of artistic expressions such as fine art, photography, culinary arts, design, executive visionaries, actors, musicians, and every shade of Black artistry. This multifaceted exploration of the arts is what I’m buzzing about at the moment!

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At this moment, you can stream the initial episodes of season three for Harlem on Amazon Prime Video. Two additional episodes will be released every week until the grand finale on February 6th.

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2025-01-24 00:26