(C) 2013 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may
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Richard Brooks - TV
By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment columnist
Richard Brooks
Maintaining The Opposite
Side For BET’s “Being Mary Jane!”
Photos BET
 |
| Richard Brooks |
He has been astutely commanding his acting
career over the years with professional aplomb, confidence, grace and a quiet
since of humility that has kept him at the top of his game. We are referring to
veteran actor Richard Brooks who is currently starring as Patrick Patterson,
the wayward, always down on his luck brother to Mary Jane (played by Gabrielle
Union), on BET’s new smash hit TV Drama “Being Mary Jane.” Brooks, a Cleveland
native, began his career journey with extensive drama, dance and voice studies
at the Intelachon Academy of Arts in Michigan. After which he moved to New York
where he continued study at The Circle In The Square Professional Theater School
where he performed in The Eugene O’Neil Theater Conference production of August
Wilson’s “Fences.”
Brooks has an impressive list of credits
as a guest star and cast regular on many major TV shows and movies as well. He
may best be known as Assistant DA Paul Robinette on the long time mega-hit,
award winning cop drama “Law and Order” for
NBC-TV. “Being Mary Jane” is a new
drama series for the BET Network that was created and written by TV and movie
veteran Mara Brock Akil who is on a hit making streak with her other shows that
she has created and written for including “Moesha,”
“Girlfriends,” “The Game” and the remake of the movie “Sparkle.” The show’s movie debut reviews were overwhelmingly
positive and it appears that Akil not only has another solid TV show hit to her
credit but BET has added another notch in their belt in establishing a niche in
drama programming.
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| Brooks as Patrick |
In talking about his “Being Mary Jane” character, Brooks breaks him down; “Patrick is
just the black sheep of the family trying to come up, trying to get back on
top, a recovering alcoholic, has daughters who are pregnant teens you know,
just dealing with a lot of issues right now that a lot of men are dealing with
I think.” This drama has it all and the
subjects are as real as it gets. What was the reaction of the cast when they
got together for the first table read? Brooks belts out a laugh, “I mean the
casting; everybody is so perfect for the roles. We already felt like a family.”
To back that statement up, Brooks’ co-star on the show Aaron D. Spears (who
plays Mark Bradley) chimed in saying “It’s the realness of it that is going to
carry the show over. I think its going to hit people where they are, hit them
in their heartstrings right in the mist of their reality in terms of their
lives. It is something that you have either lived or you know someone who has
lived through it. It’s like a slice of life, that’s what I like to call it.”
 |
| Gabrielle Union as Mary Jane |
Because
the “Being Mary Jane” movie was such
a big hit, Brooks relates that success to the TV series adding, “It’s going to
be incredible. It’s going to pick up right where the movie left off and tie it
all together. The show’s producers also advocate that the viewers go to the BET
website and let them know that they not only love the show but that they want
continued episodes.
Last week I was in Chicago for the very first
time. What a great city. The entire week I was there the heat index
was in the 100’s everyday. I stayed in Englewood, on the South Side which is
considered one of the worse violent neighborhoods in the city. Was I on
vacation? No. For those who don’t know, I’m a ten year- old
comedienne. I was blessed with an opportunity to perform at the House
of Blues and The Laugh Factory in Chicago. I
couldn’t let this chance pass me by. I had an incredible great time
performing and met a bunch of great folks that became good friends. People
were telling me I shouldn’t go, saying it’s too dangerous. I know they all
“think” they are looking out for my best interest, but they’re not. Many
people are too scared to live so they play it too safe and never really live
life. Then they project their fears on the rest of us trying to live our
dreams. My advice; if you’re not going to ride the train with me, then get
off the tracks because this train is leaving the station. Remember, every
minute spent angry is 60 seconds of happiness wasted.
See Leroya performance on ABC-TVs "The View." www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf7y9joqIJI
Leroya on Twitter: leroyaonline2
Leroya on Facebook: www.facebook.com/leroya.sanford
©
2013 Rych McCain Media/Syndication tm
(You
DID Hear It From Me!)
Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook
