The fourth season of OWN’s family drama Queen Sugar is powered by a book written by journalist Nova Bordelon, played by Rutina Wesley. Ominously titled Blessings and Blood, it’s about Nova’s extended family, including her father’s generation, and now that the manuscript has finally started circulating within the family, Nova is becoming a pariah, told off by her brother Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe) and her sister Charley (Dawn-Lyen Gardner). More rebukes are surely on the way.
Although Nova is consumed by anxiety, and what often reads like guilt, she’s also arrogant, defensive, and oblivious to the feelings of others. At one point, she even responds to Ralph Angel’s anger at her revelation of his son’s paternity by offering to personally explain it to the boy. It’s a complicated and often anguished story line that gives Wesley a trove of rich material to play. We talked to her about Blessings and Blood, writers’ responsibilities when telling real people’s stories, and the emotional cost of playing Nova.
For the full stor, visit Vulture.com/ChatRoom.
