New Cast Include Tony Plana, Brittany S. Hall, Erica Luttrell, Zsane' Jhe', Bobbi Baker, Patrice Arenas, Trinity Cidel, Brandi Huzzie, Rodney Gardiner and Janmarco Santiago

(Black PR Wire) LOS ANGELES - OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today the addition of ten new recurring roles plus directors Kiel Adrian Scott and Erica Watson for the second season of "David Makes Man," the Peabody Award-winning and critically acclaimed drama from Academy Award® winner Tarell Alvin McCraney and Warner Bros. Television.  McCraney executive produces the series alongside Dee Harris-Lawrence who serves as showrunner. Mike Kelley and Melissa Loy under their Page Fright production banner, Michael B. Jordan via his production company Outlier Society, and Oprah Winfrey via Harpo Films are also executive producers.

Season two finds David in his 30s (played by Kwame Patterson, "Snowfall," "The Wire"), a rising business man facing an opportunity that will change him and his community forever; the mounting pressure forces David to choose between the instincts that helped him survive or finding a new way to truly live. 

Production returned to Orlando, Florida and commenced filming in October. The second season will premiere on OWN early summer 2021.

The new recurring cast includes:

• Tony Plana ("Ugly Betty," "The Affair") plays 'Joe Padilla,' billionaire real estate developer who brings David an ambitious opportunity, under the guise of redevelopment. 

• Brittany S. Hall ("Ballers") plays 'Nicole,' a sophisticated and honest architect who has been dating David but loves her freedom as well.

• Erica Lutrell ("Westworld," "Salvation") plays 'Adult Marissa,' a Miami-based marine biologist, activist, and protector of the land and sea. When her former middle school friend-turned-nemesis further threatens the ecological balance of South Florida, Marissa sets out to prove that corporate greed is toxic for everyone.

• Zsane' Jhe' ("Good Trouble," "Black Lightning") 'Adult Shella,' an entrepreneur extraordinaire. She leads the charge for the residents of The Ville in the fight against the real estate redevelopment company trying to gentrify their homes.

• Bobbi Baker ("House of Payne") plays 'Robin,' Gloria's loyal and level partner. Together they run Robin's Nest in Little Havana, a foster home for LGBTQ+ youth.

• Patrice Arenas ("Celestial") plays 'Denise,' an office assistant at the Edwards Firm (where David works). She keeps things moving at the office while also learning the moods and tempo of her boss.

• Trinity Cidel plays 'Trenise,' the gifted daughter of David's brother, JG. She is calm, introspective, and more like her uncle David than her own father.

• Brandi Huzzie ("The Demon in the Dark") is cast as 'Trisha,' the long-time girlfriend of JG and mother of his child. Together they raise their daughter Trenise.

• Rodney Gardiner ("The Warriors") plays 'Corey Roberts,' a Miami district commissioner and politician. Corey offers to work with David and Joe to help push their Ville redevelopment project, but they will have to do it his way. 

• Janmarco Santiago ("The Fate of the Furious") plays 'Elan,' Joe Padilla's entitled nephew and David's unrequested assistant.

The new recurring cast members join the previously announced new series regulars Kwame Patterson ("Snowfall," "The Wire") as adult David and Arlen Escarpeta ("The Oath") as adult JG  alongside returning series regulars Akili McDowell (young David), Alana Arenas (David's mom Gloria), Travis Coles (Mx. Elijah) and Cayden K. Williams (young JG) for season two. 

Additionally, Kiel Adrian Scott ("David Makes Man," "The Bobby Brown Story"), returns from the series' first season to direct five episodes in season two. Erica Watson ("The L Word," "Claws") also takes on five episodes in the ten-episode season. 

• Kiel Adrian Scott -Award-winning writer, director and producer Kiel Adrian Scott's work has screened internationally, won numerable awards and distinctions, and aired on HBO, PBS, OWN, Cinemax, ShortsTV, Centric and BET. In 2019, Scott directed three episodes of "David Makes Man." In 2018, Scott directed BET's hit NAACP Image Award-winning miniseries "The Bobby Brown Story." In 2016, Scott, a protégé of Academy Award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee, collaborated with his long-time mentor as a co-writer on Lee's computer animated feature length video game film NBA 2K16's "Livin' Da Dream." Scott's short film works have won several major film festivals and awards including the American Black Film Festival's HBO Short Film Competition, The Urbanworld Film Festival's Best Narrative Short and Audience Awards, the Saatchi & Saatchi Nothing is Impossible Producer's Award, and the Directors Guild of America Student Film Award. His shorts have been finalists in the Student Academy Awards twice and included in Cannes Film Festival's Court Métrage. His films predominately investigate the psychological ramifications of being undervalued and marginalized in modern society. They address issues ranging from homelessness and homophobia, to racial animosity and the erosion of women's reproductive rights. Scott's films are ultimately about the consequences of not caring for others.

• Erica Watson Erica A. Watson is a writer, director and harpist from Detroit, Michigan. She is a 2014 graduate of USC's School of Cinematic Arts' MFA program. Watson is a 2014-2015 directing fellow for Film Independent's "Project Involve," as well as a 2016 Sony Directing Fellow. Additionally, she was one of four people selected for the 2015 Sundance Knight Fellowship and was an artist-in-residence at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Watson's television directing credits include: "Powerbook II: Ghost," "Claws," "Unsolved: The Murders Of Tupac And The Notorious B.I.G.," "The L Word: Generation Q," "All Rise," "Krypton," "On My Block," "All American," and "For Life." She is currently directing half of the second season of "David Makes Man" as well as developing her first feature film.

About "David Makes Man"

The Peabody Award-winning series produced by Warner Bros. Television, also received a Critics' Choice Award nomination for "Best Drama," a prestigious Gotham Award nomination, and has been named to several critics' 2019 year-end "best of television" lists. "David Makes Man" premiered to overwhelming critical acclaim in August 2019. The New York Times called the show "deeply beautiful and distinctive" while The Washington Post called it "one of the most original and riveting TV shows this year." During its first season run, the series ranked #2 in its time period across all cable with African-American women and reached over 4.1 million unique viewers on OWN. Season two fast-forwards and finds David in his 30s (played by Kwame Patterson, "Snowfall," "The Wire"), a rising business man facing an opportunity that will change him and his community forever; the mounting pressure forces David to choose between the instincts that helped him survive or finding a new way to truly live. The adult versions of David and his brother JG played by Patterson and Arlen Escarpeta join returning series regulars Akili McDowell, Alana Arenas, Travis Coles and Cayden K. Williams for season two.

About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand and the magnetism of the channel. OWN is a leading destination for a premium scripted and unscripted programming from today's most innovative storytellers. OWN connects with its audience wherever they are, inspiring conversation among a global community of like-minded viewers on social media and beyond. Launched on January 1, 2011, OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery, Inc. The venture also includes award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. Access OWN anytime on http://WatchOWN.tv or across mobile devices and connected TVs.

About Warner Bros. Television

One of the entertainment industry's most-respected providers of original primetime programming since its founding in 1955, Warner Bros. Television produces original scripted drama and comedy series for multiple platforms. As of December 2020, Warner Bros. Television is producing nearly 70 scripted series for on-demand/streaming services, premium/pay and basic cable channels, and the five broadcast networks.

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