(Source: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images North America)
*Tika Sumpter and Anders Holm are set to star in a throwback episode of “Black-ish” centered on a younger version of Tracee Ellis Ross’ character Rainbow, and it could turn into a potential spinoff series.
Sumpter will portrays Alicia, Bow’s mother and Holm will play Bow’s father, Paul. Deadline reports that other actors joining them for the episode include Arica Himmel as young Rainbow, Ethan William Childress as Johan, Mykal-Michelle Harris as Santamonica, Gary Cole as Paul’s father, Harrison, and Christina Anthony as Alicia’s sister, Denise.
The adult versions of her parents were previously played by Anna Deveare Smith and Beau Bridges.
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Someone explain to me how it makes sense to cast Tika Sumpter as Rainbow’s mom for the #blackish prequel… I love Tika but make it make sense. pic.twitter.com/ZwseW05Pbp
— Daijah Abram (@DaijahTweets) March 19, 2019
Black Twitter is calling out the contrast between Bow’s younger mom compared to her mom in present day. One blogger even referred to it as “Reverse Aunt Viv.”
One Twitter user reacted to the casting news by noting: “Someone explain to me how it makes sense to cast Tika Sumpter as Rainbow’s mom for the #blackish prequel… I love Tika but make it make sense.”
“I welcome all the Tika Sumpter that I can get but how exactly does she age into Anna Deavere Smith?,” another commented.
Via THR:
Of course, should the project move forward, it would be the second spinoff to stem from the Emmy-nominated comedy created by Kenya Barris. In 2017, ABC reteamed with Barris for Grown-ish, a spinoff revolving around star Yara Shahidi as her character, Zoey, went off to college. The pilot skewed too young for ABC and was ultimately picked up to series at the Disney-owned broadcaster’s younger-skewing cable network Freeform, where it has become a breakout hit.
Meanwhile, Sumpter is continuing on OWN’s “The Haves and the Have Nots,” with new episodes returning in May. Season 7 is reportedly set to debut in 2020.
She will next be seen in Paramount’s “Sonic The Hedgehog.”
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