Summer will get a romantic start thanks to OWN's new dramedy, Love Is_, premiering on Tuesday.
Inspired by the real-life love story of show producers Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil, Love Is_ follows a couple from starkly different worlds as they try to chase their career dreams and learn about falling in love—all the while navigating through the social constructs many black Americans faced in the 1990s.
The couple's romance is detailed from the perspective of their present-day successful selves, although the show is mostly set in '90s Los Angeles.
Actress Michele Weaver stars as the series lead protagonist, Nuri, a well-paid TV-writer for a top-rated black sitcom, while Weaver's co-lead, Will Catlett, plays the role of struggling filmmaker, Yasir.
Before landing a leading role on the new OWN series, Colorado native Weaver appeared in a number of movies and shorts including the upcoming film Nighthawks, starring Chase Crawford, expected to premiere later in 2018. The Pepperdine University alum also had roles opposite Vivica A. Fox in Illicit, and co-starred in Sister Code with Amber Rose, Drew Sidora and Eva Marcille.
Catlett had dozens of guest roles on TV shows since moving to L.A. in 2007. He most recently snagged a recurring guest spot on The CW's Black Lightning. The Virginia-born actor also appeared in HBO's Insecure and The Mentalist on CBS. Catlett, who moonlights as a writer, director and producer, has also collaborated with Issa Rae, creator and lead star of Insecure. He's worked behind the camera on Rae's popular YouTube series, Giants.
Joining Weaver and Catlett is Indara Victor and Tyrone Brown, who will play Yuri and Yasir's friends Angela and Sean, respectively. Meanwhile, Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing will star as Yasir's on-and-off-again girlfriend, Ruby. Longtime actor Kadeem Hardison will play Norman, the tough-as-nails boss and executive producer of Nuri's TV show.
Love Is_ premieres on OWN on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Michigan native, Janice Williams is a graduate of Oakland University where she studied journalism and communication. Upon relocating to New ... Read more
