Meet The Cast Of Your New Favorite Show 'Bigger'
Have you ever been so enthralled with a series because it reflects multiple aspects of your life? That's what it's like to watch BET+'s Bigger. The binge just hits different when the stories are authentic and "there's no respectability involved." Executive produced by Will Packer and Will Packer Media, the original comedy revolves around a group of wild, hilarious, Black 30-somethings searching for their respective "bigger" in love, career ambition, and friendships. ESSENCE coined the series, "A love letter to the friendships Black women count on."
Creator, executive producer, and showrunner, Felischa Marye, depicts our chronicles in a way that keeps you engaged as you see pieces of yourself in every character. After the first season aired in 2019, the show received acclaim, and the biggest compliment of all was about the relatability of the show. Felischa told xoNecole exclusively, "The show often follows my own journey to bigger, my own journey towards my dreams. And what I've noticed along the way is the closer you get to your dreams doesn't mean you can sit back like, 'Ooh, I have arrived.' It's not a destination. It's like constantly climbing and you think it'll be easy if only I got this, then I'll be fine. If I got here, I'll be straight. I can kick back and enjoy my success."
The screenwriter went on to say that every piece of success makes your world bigger, makes your dreams go even beyond that point. That is what she's most excited about for season 2 of Bigger — the next level that requires you to reassess your dreams once you get closer to them. This chapter of the hit show takes us on that journey through amazing Black storytelling.
"What I've noticed along the way is the closer you get to your dreams doesn't mean you can sit back like, 'Ooh, I have arrived.' It's not a destination. It's like constantly climbing and you think it'll be easy if only I got this, then I'll be fine. If I got here, I'll be straight. I can kick back and enjoy my success."
We had the pleasure of virtually kicking it with the cast and trust me when I say, they are the squad that we all want to be surrounded by. When they say, "Look at your friends and you'll see your future," they were definitely referring to the Bigger gang. Since we are still experiencing the extended version of 2020 and can't be with our friends like we used to, we decided to introduce you to your new friends as a serendipitous mirroring of our new normal.
Meet the cast and characters of BET+'s Bigger.
Layne Roberts - The Quirky Friend
Layne Roberts represents the quirky Black women of the world. Her upbeat and positive energy made her the center of season 1 as she battled with constantly second-guessing herself. Actress, Tanisha Long, who plays this simple beauty told xoNecole, "Our show is telling a story about a group of Black friends that feels very authentic. There's no respectability involved. It's just a group of Black friends. This is their lives. This is what they say and do it's free. This is how me and my friends talk. It's the most flattering thing ever to read that people relate to the show we made, especially as a Black woman, to see Black women my age say, 'You made the show for me.' Because we really did."
In season 2, you can expect Layne to take more risks and who knows where that will lead her? "Layne has definitely evolved, but I feel like she's still a little tentative. I don't want to spoil anything but she definitely is a little more confident and a little more grounded in what she needs and wants, but I think she's still very scared of that and scared of what she has to do to get there still."
As for Tanisha, she is achieving bigger in her real-life by welcoming all the joy in various forms because 2020 taught her to bask in the jubilation of the smallest things.
Deon Lewis - The Corporate-ish Friend
At first glance, Deon Lewis, a fine, college-educated, corporate-working man is the consummate gentleman. Think: instant right swipe on Tinder. But, like many Black men, the successful businessman is stuck between a rock and a hard place: the conundrum of moving up in the corporate world all while playing faux husband to his single mom. When getting the tea from the cast, actor Chase Anthony revealed, "I relate to Deon's corporate confusion. I've had that moment of saying, 'Well, how Black are you going to be at work today?' I was an accountant that had an SS Impala with turquoise 24s on it. Those two, kind of, don't go hand in hand. But when I stopped bringing my car into work and left it in the parking lot, you could see my Blackness is here based on the speakers that I didn't turn down pulling into the garage."
The Atlanta native believes that as Black folk, our likes or dislikes don't mean that we are less capable of doing the job. "I'm actually the best one here, but we didn't talk about that." When watching the new season, you'll find that Deon is less fearful and instead uses his fear to grow in ways that he didn't in the premiere season.
Veronica Yates - The Boss Friend
We love anything that involves Angell Conwell. From Baby Boy to Real Husbands of Hollywood, her ability to showcase the many facets of Black women makes her an xoFave. We asked her what advice she would give her character, Veronica Evans, and she blessed us with a whole word.
"It's OK for your comfort zone to no longer be your comfort zone and it's OK for your priorities to change. It's OK to accept that sometimes your comfort zone is no longer your comfort zone. Acceptance is real. That's the first step to change."
It isn't lost on us what Veronica or Angell gives the best advice, considering her status. Veronica's real estate business is flourishing and she's basically at the top of her game. We are personally excited to see what's next for Veronica in the love department in season 2.
Vince Carpenter - The Glow Up Friend
Vince Carpenter (Tristen J. Winger) is all of us. He loves a good 90s throwback moment for more reasons than one. The fashions, the music — the ease of life was just far more simple yet captivating. While Vince has dreams of being the next DJ D-Nice, he is frustrated with how the TikTok generation has taken over a game that he knows he can dominate. Despite his grappling, Vince still gets in his zone and shows the world what he's made of.
"When he's in that space that he loves to be in, whether it's playing music or partying or just being just free, I think we all can relate to someone or, or that part of ourselves that wants to be free," Tristen said about his Bigger character Vince. He goes on to say, "And when we get that little taste of freedom, it's like, this is where I am supposed to be. I'm supposed to be in this place. This is why I'm here. I want to stay in this moment my whole life. If I can continue to find joy and freedom and peace in every moment of my life, I'll be very happy."
From the looks of the trailer, Vince is living his best life in season 2 with his new chain, sunglasses, and more.
Tracey Davis - The Loud Influencer Friend
"It's the glow up for me," Rasheda Crockett noted, the breakout star who shines as Tracey Davis. After meeting Rasheda, I understand why she was casted as Tracey, because her energy is extremely empowering and liberating. Even through Zoom, I could clearly see how she easily connects to the fun-loving soul who is always down for a good time. Fun fact: Chase Anthony told us that his favorite character is Tracey because she shows up as the freest version of herself. They are all our favorites but totally understand Chase's choice.
Tracey can go from Coretta Scott King to Cardi B in milliseconds but that doesn't mean she's shatterproof. This go-round we get to see Tracey's vulnerabilities. Rasheda told xoNecole, "Tracy just wants to be loved. She doesn't want to be hurt. She doesn't want to be betrayed. And she just gets really vulnerable this season. I get that. She's sensitive. I think because she's loud, people don't understand how fragile and how sensitive she is."
Trailer + Hot Tea!
Season 2 is packed with guest stars like Tori Spelling and Christopher "Play" Martin along with Jasmine Guy, Eva Marcille, Devale Ellis, Toccara, Karlie Redd, and Debbie Morgan, just to name a few. Tori shared that she's excited to be a part of the show as she is a fan of the series and all of the people that make it the sensation it is. Chris gave us a sneak peek into his debut role on the show and let's just say he has a deep appreciation for "something called the statute of limitations."
If you haven't already, start watching this show created just for us by US. Felicia told us that it was made for you to waste your whole damn day watching because you'll want to know what happens next at the end of every 30-minute episode. "It's just like being with your friends for a couple of hours."
Especially when it's been extremely hard to be with your friends in the middle of this panini.
Check out Season 2 of Bigger on BET+, premiering Thursday, April 22. Be sure to join the conversation with @BET and @BETPlus across all social platforms with #BiggerOnBET.
Featured image via BET+/Bigger
Joce Blake is a womanist who loves fashion, Beyonce and Hot Cheetos. The sophistiratchet enthusiast is based in Brooklyn, NY but has southern belle roots as she was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Keep up with her on Instagram @joce_blake and on Twitter @SaraJessicaBee.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images