“Diarra from Detroit” is a new BET+ comedy-mystery about a school teacher named Diarra (Diarra Kilpatrick) who is going through the breakup of her marriage to Sza (Morris Chestnut). When her Tinder date, Chris (Shannon Wallace), ghosts her after one incredible date, it sends Diarra on a path to figure out what happened. She stumbles onto a decades-old missing child cold case that might connect the dots. She goes into detective mode with the help of her best friends.
Co-stars Dominique Perry (Aja,) Claudia Logan (Moni,) and Bryan Terrell Clark (Mr. Tea) offer insights into their roles and the show’s themes.
Logan portrays “Moni,” Diarra’s big-mouth childhood friend who is now a married city bus driver. Like the show’s creator and star, Kilpatrick, Logan also hails from Detroit; she said joining the cast of “Diarra from Detroit” was a deeply personal and rewarding experience. She shared that the opportunity to represent her city authentically and to witness the joy of Detroiters seeing themselves reflected in the characters on screen was amazing, “everyone was so happy…that’s my aunt, that’s my God mom, that’s my cousin. They felt like they knew Moni.”
Perry is “Aja,” Diarra’s best friend and Swa’s cousin. A serial entrepreneur who is close to God, celibate, and always ready with a plan. She hesitantly goes along with Diarra’s scheme. Perry explains Aja’s decision. “She’s a really good friend to Diarra…even though she really doesn’t want to in this situation.”
Clark is Diarra’s work husband, “Mr. Tea.” He keeps her grounded when she threatens to do too much. “He’s a truth teller…but it’s always in a way that a real friend tells you the truth,” said Clark.
Logan discussed the show’s unique appeal, which combines the intrigue of a mystery with the relatable experiences of friendship and personal growth. On the show’s appeal, she added, “to have a combination of both styles in one show…is a gift.”
The show starts with a ghosted Tinder date. On the ghosting debate, The three said that while acknowledging differing perspectives, they unanimously agreed on the importance of communication and respect in relationships.
“I’m not pro-ghost…there should be some type of communication,” said Perry.
Clark added, “communication is important…it’s respect as much as we feel we’re the private enterprise to somebody else. It still makes sense to say, ‘hey, I don’t think this is good. I don’t think this is going to work. God didn’t want this for me. But listen, I wish you the best.”
“Diarra From Detroit” is now streaming on BET+, and new episodes drop on Thursdays.
More EUR: Morris Chestnutt Featured in “Diarra From Detroit”
Jill Munroe is a Los Angeles-bred entertainment journalist, producer, and host. You can follow her on all social media @StilettoJill or check out JillMunroe.com
