Some very exciting casting news for Lena Waithe’s forthcoming Showtime series The Chi.
Deadline reports that Sonja Sohn, best known for playing Kima Greggs on The Wire, has been cast in a recurring role along with Jenn An, a relative newcomer who got her start on Cycle 13 of America’s Next Top Model. Sohn and An join Straight Outta Compton’s Jason Mitchell, who stars in the coming of age drama set in the South Side of Chicago.
Sohn will play Laverne, Brandon’s (Mitchell) unpredictable and dysfunctional alcoholic mother with whom he shares a very strained and resentful relationship. An will portray Sarah, who grew up in the restaurant business, albeit a down market family one, and now runs her husband Steve’s hip/urban diner (which her parents don’t approve of) in Chicago’s busy restaurant scene. She pushes a connection with Brandon (Mitchell) that is a mixture of attraction and power and could ultimately get them both in trouble.
As previously reported, director Rick Famuyiwa who directed Dope and Brown Sugar, is on board to direct the first episode. As a fan of Lena Waithe, coming of age stories and literally any show that touches on aspects of gentrification, the restaurant industry and (possibly)forbidden love, this sounds good as hell.