We sat with actress Naturi Naughton to break down her starring role as Tasha in Power, a Starz series that premiered last summer, executive produced by 50 Cent. “Power” tells the tale of a crime drama set in two different worlds,the glamorous New York club scene and the brutal drug trade. The breakout series finished strong in its season finale and has averaged about 4 million viewers per week to-date. Stay tuned for an explosive ten episode second season!
Photography SAILEY WILLIAMS
Styling INOISELL MIRANDA
Hair & Makeup MANN NANCE
Production Assistant(s) DERAE D’MORA . CHRISTINE NIEVES
How did you hear about this project and what was it about this character that made you want this role?
The way I heard about this was the ordinary process for an actress in LA. My agents said, ‘There’s this great project called Power. We’re sending you the script and material and getting you an appointment.’ I remember reading it and being so captivated by the writing and the complexity of the characters. Courtney Kemp Agboh is an African-American woman who I think is a really, really creative and beautiful writer. I was really drawn to how it was in New York City, how gritty it felt. I love doing things that feels unstructured. I’m partial to the home base, the East Coast. I was excited about that and I was also drawn to how they wrote it as if they were gonna use music as part of the story, the vibe of the urban world. It was very complex and I like that. So I was excited to delve into a character like this and have fun with something a little bit more womanly, too, because I haven’t had the pleasure of playing a wife. I get to play Omari Hardwick’s wife, which is pretty exciting. He was a friend of mine before I got Power and I was excited to work with him, I’m a fan of his. I play a wife and a young mother and to be this strong, fierce woman was pretty attractive to me. I was pretty excited.
What can you say about Tasha’s background, before we meet her?
What a lot of people don’t know is that my character started off with a really rough upbringing. Her mother was a single mom, growing up in Queens. She really didn’t have much security. So, when she married Ghost and they got more and more financial stability, that’s what made her feel like she’d made it. She actually doesn’t know that she can be anything without him. That’s what is also compelling about the character. Even though she comes across strong and fierce in certain moments, what you’ll see is that she’s also very vulnerable. She’s going to have to face the challenge of saying, “Okay, can I do it without him? Can I live without him? Am I someone without him?” So, I think her vulnerability is just as interesting as her strength.
How was it working with Omari Hardwick?
Ah! Such a pleasure. Omari was honestly like a big brother to me before I even got Power. We’ve seen each other in Atlanta and LA. [He’s] just always very much supportive of my journey as an actress and I felt the same about him. It was fun. We had challenges because we were friends and we’re honest with each other so we definitely pushed each other to be our best, which I really appreciate about working with him. He’s a very, very spontaneous, quick on his feet kind of guy so as an actress I felt like he kept my senses sharp. Omari really keeps you on your toes. I’m happy that I got the pleasure to do that.
Power has quite a few scenes with the violence, explicit language and nudity. Was that something you were prepared for before signing on to the project?
You know, it’s New York City. It’s real, it’s gritty, it’s authentic. Starz is a network that’s going for the content that’s extremely honest and pushing the envelope and is provocative. I like Starz, and I love what they’ve been doing. I used to be obsessed with Boss. I loved it. With the nudity, the violence and all these things that people may harp on, I always remind people that it fuels the story. When you see the violence and you see some of the sexuality of these characters, keep in mind that Tasha uses her sexiness as a form of power. She uses her sexuality to make sure she has control over her circumstance or to make herself feel strong again. It’s all about how these things are utilized, throughout the season. I didn’t know how it was going to be shot, but I’m proud that we’re being very gritty and very authentic without being gratuitous, where it doesn’t serve the characters and tell you something about who they are. If you see Tasha being a little risque and doing something crazy in the backseat of a car, you’ll have a moment where, of course, it’s all shocking and you’re like, “Oh, my gosh!,” but at the end of the day, it tells you who this woman is and how hardcore she is. At the end of the day, she is a force to be reckoned with, which I think is encouraging.
Tasha starts up a little flirtation with Sinqua Walls‘ Shawn. What can you tell me about where that’s going?
Flirtation/manipulation. She is a smart woman. I think some people may only dial in to the fact that Tasha’s very free sexually. It’s so much deeper than that. If you look past that and look at the artistry of it and the way the writing is put together that moment with Shawn, that flirtation with him and her using her sexiness is a way she asserts her power. She knows how to play chess. She knows what moves need to be made to protect her king and to protect her kingdom, so I think if she has certain things in her back pocket and certain manipulative moves Tasha is the one who will go for it and do whatever it takes to have the person on her side or the person to give her information. At the end of the day she is a power player just as much as Ghost is. Even though she’s not necessarily directly in the drug world or directly in the club world, she knows what she needs to do to keep herself in his world and that’s what I think the Shawn thing- and it will grow though and I’m excited for the viewers to see how Tasha and Shawn’s interesting relationship develops.
50 Cent is a force behind this show, as executive producer, as well as acting on it. Does seeing someone like him, who works in so many different aspects of the business, in front of and behind the camera, and as an actor and a musician, inspire you, as far as where you’d like your career to go?
It’s so inspiring, what 50 Cent has been able to do. I definitely want my career to continue to branch out. I’ve had the pleasure of working in different areas of entertainment, from being in the music business as a teenager in a girl group to doing Broadway for three years in Hairspray, and also doing TV and film. I can’t wait to get to that 50 Cent level where maybe, one day, I will be able to branch out into other areas, like producing. One thing I’m passionate about is directing. I’ve always wanted to direct. I want to write. It may not be the exact same areas in which he’s been a mogul, but I hope to show people that I’m multi-dimensional. You have to think like a businessman or a businesswoman, and I can’t wait to continue to grow, as an actress, but to also continue to grow as a brand and show people that I have so much more to offer. I’m really inspired by what 50 Cent has been able to do. We’re lucky to have him on our team.
What is it about Power that makes it a good fit for the Starz Network?
I think Starz is a network that wants authentic material and content that is diverse, gritty and provocative. I believe that “Power” is all of that. It fits the network because we have an ethnically diverse cast with a story that will definitely get the audience talking. I honestly believe we are at the perfect home where I think this show can hopefully live for a very long time.
Is there anything else you would like to be sure to share with fans about the TV Show?
Essentially, “Power” is not your typical show. The music is powerful, the story is daring and dangerously smart and the characters are full and multi-dimensional. So, stick with them to see how they grow. I want the fans to take flight with us and just be prepared for a very exciting ride. I am so proud of this show and all the work that we’ve done to create it. At the end of the day, I hope people enjoy watching it just as much as I did making it!