*As “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” heads toward its final episodes, Erika Woods believes viewers have yet to see the most surprising side of Stephanie “Pop” Henry.
After spending several seasons as one-half of the fan-favorite duo “Snaps and Pop,” Woods says the character has steadily evolved into someone far more complex than audiences may have realized. While many viewers saw Pop as a trusted adviser and loyal wife, Woods believes Season 5 reveals a woman determined to shape her own future.
“I think you see a selfish side,” Woods told EURweb. “I think she selfishly decides to take her life in her own direction. … I’m really proud of the direction and the decisions that she’s making this season.”
That evolution arrives as the fifth and final season raises the stakes across the board. Kanan Stark has fully embraced the ruthless path that ultimately transforms him into the feared figure fans met in the original “Power” series. His fractured relationship with his mother, Raquel “Raq” Thomas, has reached the point where reconciliation appears impossible, while his partnership with Breeze signals a coming war that threatens every major player in Queens.
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For Woods, the signs that Pop was destined for something larger appeared well before the final season.
“Honestly, it was in Season 3,” she said. “The fact that she’s able to call the most diabolical maniac Urkel to his face and not be scared, I’m like, there’s something in store for her.”
The actress said another turning point came when the writers expanded Pop’s personal life beyond the restaurant she shares with her husband, Snaps, played by Wendell Pierce.
“The fact that we were getting a nephew, and he was just such an important part of the storyline, it excited me so much,” Woods said. “I was really, really excited to explore that life outside of just the restaurant, a deep dive into our personal lives.”
Woods also points to last season’s shocking murder of Crystal as evidence that Pop is far more dangerous than she first appeared.
“The fact that she is willing to get her hands dirty,” Woods said. “She could have had someone kill Crystal. The fact that Pop went to do it on her own—that says a lot to me.”
Even so, Woods insists Pop isn’t driven by cruelty.
“She loves her husband. She’s loyal to her family,” Woods said. “I really believe at her core, she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. She doesn’t want to be bothered.”
Instead, she sees Pop as someone whose quiet strength has finally surfaced.
“She’s not as passive-aggressive as I thought she was. She is not as quiet. She’s quite stronger than I thought,” Woods said, adding that the character also carries “a lot of anger” that audiences have only begun to glimpse.
As the series races toward its conclusion, Woods isn’t revealing where Pop’s journey ends, but she promises viewers won’t see it coming.
“Yeah, more shocking than Crystal’s death. More shocking than Famous’s death,” she said. “Very shocking.”
The show’s ending proved emotional behind the scenes as well.
“It was very bittersweet,” Woods said. “I’m a crier, too, so I was trying not to cry. It was just really sad. We’ve all gotten to be very close.”
Season 5 also features returning stars Patina Miller, MeKai Curtis, Joey Bada$$, Tony Danza, London Brown, Malcolm Mays, Hailey Kilgore, Pardison Fontaine and Shameik Moore, while Joe Pantoliano and Leslie Grossman join the cast for the final chapter. Although the series is ending, the final season represents the beginning of Kanan Stark’s rise to power—and, according to Woods, Pop’s most unforgettable moments.
Watch our full conversation with the actress below.
“Power Book III: Raising Kanan” continues Friday, July 24, with Episode 6, “Dark Matter,” before the series concludes with its final two episodes on July 31 and Aug. 7.
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