Posted by | Ray Cornelius
On Wednesday (April 20), OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network gave a small group of New York press a first look of its new mega-church drama series “Greenleaf” at a private luncheon at the Roxy Hotel.
Executive producers Oprah Winfrey, Craig Wright (“Lost,” “Six Feet Under”) and Clement Virgo (“The Book of Negroes”) were on hand to share insight on the show during the post-screening Q&A along with cast members Keith David, Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge, Lamman Rucker, Kim Hawthorne, Tye White and writer/story editor Erica Anderson.
Oprah Winfrey
“Greenleaf” centers on the journey of estranged daughter and disillusioned preacher Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge, “The Night Shift”) who has returned home after 20 years on the occasion of the mysterious death of her sister, Faith. As she reenters the world of Calvary Fellowship World Ministries, the Memphis megachurch run by her powerful parents Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David, “Enlisted” and “Community”) and Lady Mae Greenleaf (Lynn Whitfield, “The Josephine Baker Story”), it becomes evident that things are not as virtuous as they seem and that the family’s outward display of faith hides sin and misdeeds.
Merle Dandridge with Lynn Whitfield and Keith David
“Greenleaf” premieres two-nights: Tuesday, June 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and Wednesday, June 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on OWN. The series will regularly air on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT for the remainder of its 13-episode first season. “Greenleaf” is produced for OWN by Lionsgate Television.
Click here for a sneak peek and check out more photos below:
Oprah Winfrey with 135th Street’s Saptosa Foster and Shante Bacon
Lamman Rucker and Keith David
Tai Beauchamp, Shante Bacon, Saptosa Foster,
Marvet Britto and Lola Ogunnaike
Tye White
Lynn Whitfield and Keith David
Kim Hawthorne
Photo Credits: Bernard Small for OWN