Courtesy of BET
Courtesy of BET(NEW YORK) — Erica Ash is ready to fight for justice in her new BET legal drama In Contempt.
Ash — who plays Gwen Sullivan, an opinionated New York attorney whose zeal for her job makes her the best public defender in the area — says her character is easily relatable.
“And that’s the thing I like about her — is that she is imperfect,” Ash tells ABC Radio. “But, what you’ll see her do is try to work through her issues like we all are. So, I think that when you watch, you kind of will parallel yourself with her…. You find the things about her that you can connect with. I know I did as Erica.”
Ash adds that she hopes her character’s authenticity will also be one of the things that draws people in to the face-paced show.
“She’s just trying,” Ash says. “Will she get better? Will she get worse? I think that’s kind of depends on the person who’s watching.”
As her character deals with both work and personal drama, Ash says that Gwen will eventually “recognize what [her] issues are.” But, unfortunately that comes at a cost.
“At some point during the season she will have a..shakeup and it will all hit her and the walls will come down,” Ash says.
Richard Lawson, who plays Gwen’s father Earl, agrees that Gwen faces some intense challenges, but according to him, it’s definitely worth investing in.
“She’s funny. She’s smart. She’s real. She’s a fighter,” Lawson says. “And she’s a person that people will admire and a lot of women will say, ‘You know, God, I want to be like her.’ Because, she’s not perfect, but there’s enough about her to love and to be interested in and she will pull you in.”
In Contempt premieres tonight at 10 p.m. ET. on BET.
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