*NAACP Image Award-winning actress and producer Terri J. Vaughn directs and stars in an all-new episode of “Mann & Wife” airing Tuesday, May 16 at 9pm ET on Bounce.
The series has been a smash success, setting network records for viewership in the first two seasons. Bounce kicked off season three with two all-new back-to-back episodes, and the premiere telecasts combined to reach over one million unduplicated viewers 2+. Season three is now pacing ahead of season two in ratings.
Real-life husband and wife team David and Tamela Mann star and serve as executive producers on the half-hour comedy. “Mann & Wife” follows their characters – newlyweds and second-chance sweethearts Daniel and Toni Mann – as they laugh and love their way through the ups and downs of life as a blended family, each with two children from previous marriages.
“Mann & Wife” co-creator Roger Bobb (“House of Payne,” “The Rickey Smiley Show”) serves as executive producer and director of the sitcom, and Vaughn tells EUR/Electronic Urban Report that she’s “so grateful” that he and Bounce TV supported her directorial effort.
“I’ve been shadowing Roger and some other people for a couple of years. Just trying to make sure I know what I’m doing when the time comes,” she says.
Vaughn is best known for her role as high school secretary Lovita Alizé Jenkins-Robinson in the WB sitcom “The Steve Harvey Show,” for which she received three NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She later co-starred in the UPN sitcom “All of Us” and TBS sitcom “Meet the Browns.”
“Mann & Wife” teams her once again with comedian Tony Rock, as the boss of Rock and David Mann’s characters.
“There’s some backstory with her and Tony Rock’s character, which I don’t know how I always end up with Tony Rock. Why am I always in some romantic backstory? This is like, our third time doing that. But I love it and it’s fun.”
Peep the rest of our conversation with Terri Vaughn below about the challenges of both starring in and stepping behind the camera for tonight’s “Mann & Wife” episode.
OTHER NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: ‘The Manns’ Takeover Tuesday Night with New TV One Docu-Series [EUR Exclusive]
What’s that dynamic like, directing yourself?
Terri: It’s a team effort. You’re as great as the team that’s around you. I’m so grateful to Roger Bob of Bobcat Films and Bounce TV, the execs at Bounce, for agreeing to let me direct an episode. I’ve been in the half hour arena for 20 years or more, which is my favorite genre, doing sitcoms. As a director, the responsibilities are more strenuous than just as an actress. It’s a lot more work, prepping work, than being an actress. But I’m always up for the challenge. I want to continue to grow in the craft in this entertainment business. I love acting, of course that’s my first love. I love comedy, but of course, you wanna always keep growing and stretching. So I was just grateful for the opportunity. It was fun. It was exciting. It was petrifying as well, but with a great support team behind you, that’s the key and that was the blessing.
What’s your directing process? Talk about some of your goals going into directing this episode.
Terri: Just making sure we have a game plan on breaking down each scene of where people are going to be. Making sure the motivation of walking from one place to another made sense and it’s not just people walking just to get put into position. And then just coming from being an actress, of course, I’m always looking at the acting. Is it believable? Do I feel like this is a real conversation? So those were the things that I was mostly looking for. And I was working with David and Tamela and Tony Rock, and they’ve been doing this forever. It wasn’t like I had to work on them with their acting technique and delivery and stuff. Trust me, it was stressful for me but it was also easy because I know these people and I trust these people. They’re working and doing what they’re doing because they’re at the top of their game. So that made it easy.
How challenging was it juggling your roles onscreen and behind the camera?
Terri: After I did it I said that the next time I direct something I don’t necessarily want to direct something that I’m in because I wanna enjoy the journey of the either or because I love acting so much. The beauty of this particular episode is that, and the reason why we chose this episode for me to direct, is because I was only in one scene. So we kinda cheated. I really want to be able to focus on either side of the camera. If I’m in front of the camera, I want to be able to focus on my acting and delivery and giving my best. But if I’m directing, that takes a lot of work. The prep work going into directing is no joke, and I want to be able to focus on that. And again, this particular situation really goes back to the support system that had my back behind it because in the scene where I was acting, of course I’m looking at Roger like, “Does this look right from over there?” So he was very helpful in just stepping in for the scene that I was.
What can viewers expect when they tune in to the new episode tonight?
Terri: Well of course to laugh. I love Tony Rock and David Mann’s dynamic in this particular episode. David brings the kids over and they have to stay at Tony Rock’s place for the night. So I won’t give up too much information but just the visual of that, of David Mann having to stay the night at Tony Rock’s place, with the kids, of course that’s going to be chaos. And then on the other hand with Tamela Mann, who is so funny as well. I know David gets all the props because he’s just so crazy and his improve skills are just one of the best that I’ve worked with ever. But Tamela is hilarious and the scenes with her and the kids taking a trip for a school project for their daughter, and watching Tamela’s character just muck stuff up for the daughter, it’s pretty funny.
For longtime Terri Vaughn fans who may not be aware that you joined the series this season, how would you describe your character? What attracted you to the role?
Terri: Well, like I said, I love comedy. I love half-hour comedy, it’s my favorite genre. So that was already exciting to me when the opportunity came. And then when Roger told me what the character was, she’s the boss of Tony Rock and David Mann’s characters, so all my play time gets to be with them, and they’re just funny, and she gets to boss them around. I love being able to work onscreen with comedians because their comedic timing continues to sharpen me. So all of that together was a no-brainer for me, and that’s what attracted me to it. Everyone should tune in because we’re having a lot of fun and it’s funny and laughter is healing.
What did you find most rewarding about directing this upcoming episode?
Terri: Growth. Pushing yourself and taking a chance and taking a risk on growing and doing something to stretch your art and your craft. And I want to continue to live like that. When I’m in a place of being comfortable and everything’s easy and I don’t get that scary feeling anymore then there’s a problem. I want to continue to be challenged. I want to continue to feel those butterflies. So that’s what I got from it.
Lastly, talk about your experience working with Bounce, and why it’s the perfect home for a series like “Mann & Wife.”
Terri: What I love about being on television, as opposed to film, and this is what I’ve learned on my journey of being able to be blessed to be a series regular on a few TV shows now, the special thing about being on TV is that you’re in the homes of people and their family. They’re watching you and it becomes like, they feel like you’ve become a part of their family. So when I’m out and people see me they really feel like they know me. Like, I’m their cousin. I’m their aunt because I’ve been in their homes with them and their family over the years and to me that dynamic is just as important. It’s important to have a voice. It’s important for young people to turn on the television and see people that look like them, that talk like them, that they can relate to. That they can aspire to be like, or that challenges them to think differently. Artists are supposed to make us grow and open our eyes to different aspects of life and I feel like we need to be on air so people can see that, so people can relate to that. I’m grateful that there is a Bounce TV that allows us to have a plethora of shows that look like us. I think it’s really important and I think that it’s harmful not to.
Don’t miss Terri’s “Mann & Wife” directorial debut TONIGHT (May 16) at 9pm ET on Bounce.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
