“For so long, it has felt like you have to be a certain kind of good to walk into church or even feel like you can pray. Our show has broken that barrier.”

by Michael P Coleman

The wait is almost over! Tonight, OWN’s critically acclaimed drama, Greenleaf, returns with its fifth and final season.

The entire cast has been making the rounds, so I was honored when Deborah Joy Winans, who plays “Charity” on the series, returned my phone call late last week. I had to find out what Greenleaf fans can expect!

“Charity’s life has blown up,” Winans said. “Since day one, things have fallen apart in horrific ways. But when you change your perspective, you can see the beauty in the mess because you can see how you have changed and, hopefully, grown.”

“You can see where God uses your mishaps to make you a better person, and that becomes quite beautiful,” Winans continued. “It hurts, but when you finally see God’s hand in putting things back together, you see the beauty in all of the pain that you endured.”

“It’s a beautiful catastrophe!”

Winans was born into a gospel music dynasty (her father, Carvin, is a founding member of The Winans, and she has an uncle Benjamin and aunt Priscilla who the world still remembers as BeBe & CeCe. So it’s no surprise that she has spoken so freely over the years of God’s grace.

But I was surprised to hear her challenge my description of Greenleaf: I’d called it “ …a groundbreaking series that pulls back the veil on organized religion.” Just as her character, Charity, would have done, Winans checked me on that –  and she checked me good!

“I think it’s more than that,” Winans explained. “I think the church has been the backdrop, but what has been SO amazing to me is that we’ve seen a beautiful black family that is flawed in so many ways, and yet they truly love God. With Greenleaf, we have been able to see real human people who show you it doesn’t matter who you are or where you’ve been or what you have done, YOU ARE WELCOME in the house of the Lord.”

Read freelance writer MPC’s full feature, including more EXCLUSIVE comments from Deborah Joy Winans, including what she’s got to say about the upcoming Greenleaf spin-off series… and get the scoop on her next project. Spoiler alert: she’s releasing new music! 

Mike Coleman headshotonly nologo 300

Click here to connect with freelance writer Michael P Coleman, click here to check out his blog, or follow him on Instagram and Twitter:  @ColemanMichaelP

 

 

 

Loading

Similar Posts