Maahra Hill/Credit: Nogen Beck Jill Marie Jones/Credit: Brook Mason Ozioma Akagha Susan Heyward/ Credit: Ambe J. Williams
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today a straight-to-series order for the new original drama series βDelilah,β from acclaimed βGreenleafβ creator Craig Wright, who will serve as executive producer along with Charles Randolph-Wright and Oprah Winfrey.
Maahra Hill (βBlack-ish,β βHow to Get Away With Murderβ) stars as Delilah Connolly, a headstrong, highly principled lawyer living in Charlotte, North Carolina. Delilah’s doing her best to raise two kids alone and keep her ties to family, friends and faith strong, all the while ceaselessly seeking justice for those who need it most, in a time when the rich and powerful of Charlotte and beyond will do anything to stop her. Also joining the cast are Jill Marie Jones (βGirlfriendsβ) as Tamara Grayson, Delilahβs confidante and best friend; Susan Heyward (βOrange is the New Blackβ), who portrays Demetria Barnes, Delilahβs newly hired, fearless, and ambitious associate; and Ozioma Akagha (Marvelβs βRunawaysβ), who plays Delilahβs unfailingly sunny secretary, Harper Conant.
Award-winning directors Charles Randolph-Wright (βGreenleafβ) and Cheryl Dunye (βQueen Sugar,β βDavid Makes Manβ) are set to direct the series, with additional directors to be announced. Dunye will direct the pilot episode.
The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television and Harpo Films, and will air on OWN in 2021.
βOn the heels of the incredible success story of βGreenleaf,β we are thrilled to continue our partnership with Craig on this compelling new drama,β said Tina Perry, president, OWN. βOur viewers are going to deeply relate to this story that focuses on a powerful woman committed to her family and her community.β
βItβs an honor to work for Ms. Winfrey and OWN and to serve the networkβs devoted fans. βDelilahβ continues the work we started on βGreenleaf,β namely, bringing untold stories and fresh perspectives to our audience,” said Craig Wright, creator/executive producer.
Delilah left a demanding white-shoe law firm a decade ago and hung up her own shingle so she could make raising her kids her #1 priority. Now she takes on cases the big firms ignore and finds herself, more often than not, going head-to-head with the powerful and privileged as she fights for the disenfranchised. In addition to raising her two kids, Maia and Marcus, Delilah also cares for her young nephew Dion; manages her relationship with her frustrating ex; and to top it all off, sheβs about to go up against her best friend Tamara in court for the first time. Delilah has always represented the underdogs. Tamara has always represented the wealthy and powerful. But this case is different: This time, Delilahβs most cherished friendship is on the line. Nevertheless, there are lives at stake. So, Delilah does what she always does β she seeks justice for those who need it most.
Maahra Hill (Delilah Connolly) has been recently featured in guest roles on some of televisionβs most popular series, including opposite Laurence Fishburne in βBlack-ish,β βHow to Get Away with Murder,β βThe L Word: Generation Q,β βPearson,β βLife in Pieces,β βSpeechless,β βChance,β βJane the Virgin,β and βMelissa & Joey.β Jill Marie Jones (Tamara Grayson) is well known to audiences from her role as Toni Marie Childress Garrett on the long-running hit series βGirlfriends,β as well as series regular roles in βCraig Ross Jr.βs Monogamy,β βAsh vs Evil Dead,β βSleepy Hollowβ and guest roles in βBlack-ish,β βMeet the Browns,β and βAmerican Horror Story.β Susan Heyward (Demetria Barnes) is well known to audiences for her roles as Tamika Ward in the final two seasons of βOrange is the New Black,β as Cece in the Mick Jagger-produced series βVinyl,β and as Deena Pilgrim in βPowers.β She was featured in the 2015 feature film βPoltergeist,β starring Sam Rockwell, and has guest-starred in episodes of the series βTommyβ and βConviction.β Ozioma Akagha (Harper Conant) has recently had recurring roles in Marvelβs βRunawaysβ and βSuperior Donuts,β voiced the role of Bumblebee in βTeen Titans Go!,β and guest starred on β2 Broke Girls,β βNashville,β and βMen at Work.β
βDelilahβ will join OWNβs slate of popular dramas that includes four of the top 15 original scripted cable series for African American women, βQueen Sugar,β βCherish the Day,β βDavid Makes Man,β and βThe Haves and the Have Nots.β Wrightβs acclaimed drama βGreenleafβ ended its five-season run on Tuesday, August 11 on OWN ranking as the #1 most watched show on television for African American viewers.
In addition to creating and executive producing OWNβs hit drama series βGreenleaf,β Craig Wright is currently developing a spinoff of βGreenleafβ for OWN. Wright served as writer and producer on βLostβ and βSix Feet Under,β and was supervising producer on the long-running series βBrothers and Sisters.β He was Emmy-nominated for his writing on βSix Feet Under,β and received three WGA Award nominations, winning the Dramatic Series award in 2004 for βLost.β In addition, Wright was executive producer and writer for βTyrantβ and βRushβ and was consulting producer on βUnited States of Tara.β
βDelilahβ executive producer and director Charles Randolph-Wrightβs television credits include βGreenleaf,β βKaty Keene,β βStep Up: Highwater,β βLincoln Heights,β βSouth of Nowhere,β and βLive at Lincoln Center.” Film credits include directing the ABFF winner “Preaching to the Choir,” and he recently executive produced the DOC NYC Grand Jury Prize Winner βMaurice Hines: Bring Them Back.β In theatre, he directed the Tony-nominated Broadway and West End smash hit βMotown: The Musical.β Randolph-Wright also is an inaugural resident playwright at Arena Stage in D.C. His play βBlueβ (starring Leslie Uggams and Lynn Whitfield) will be directed by Phylicia Rashad in a revival at the Apollo Theatre. His upcoming theatre directing projects include βTrouble In Mindβby Alice Childress at the Roundabout on Broadway, the world premieres βAmerican Prophet: Frederick Douglass In His Own Wordsβ (which he co-wrote with Grammy winner Marcus Hummon) at Arena Stage, and βOrfeus: A House Music Operaβat the Young Vic in London.
Sought-after director Cheryl Dunye recently served as producing director on season four of OWNβs hit drama βQueen Sugar,β from award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay, and she directed multiple episodes of the Peabody Award-winning βDavid Makes Man.β She is considered the most influential African American filmmaker to emerge from New Queer Cinema movement of the mid-1990s. Her groundbreaking first film, βThe Watermelon Woman,β won the Teddy Award for Best Feature at Berlinale in 1996. Her 2002 follow-up, βStranger Inside,β was nominated for four Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Director. Since 2017, she has directed episodes of βAll Rise,β βClaws,β βLove Is___,β and βLovecraft Countryβ (all from Warner Bros. Television Group), as well as βThe Chi,β βDear White People,β βStar,β and “The Fosters.β
βDelilahβ is produced for OWN by Warner Bros. Television and Harpo Films. The executive producers are Craig Wright, Charles Randolph-Wright, and Oprah Winfrey.