Based on Lawrence Otis Graham's provocative 1999 book, Fox's Our Kind of People is expected to be one of the biggest and most grandiose shows of the fall TV season line-up. Starring Yaya DaCosta as a determined single mom who discovers life-changing news from her mother's past, this intriguing series looks at the decadent inner lives of Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, "a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful Black elite have come to play for over 50 years," as the press release notes. As we near closer to its September debut, we're learning a bunch of exciting details about this adaptation, which we'll share with you now. Here's what we know about this Fox show.
Fox’s Our Kind Of People Will Premiere On September 21, 2021
Soak in the last bits of sun, because the fall TV season is right around the corner. Indeed, Fox's new line-up of shows is expected to roll out in a little over one month's time, notably with the anticipated series premiere of Our Kind of People, which will debut on September 21st at 9/8c. Certainly, this show is expected to be one of the station's biggest newcomers, so we should expect more information to arrive shortly.
It’s Based On Lawrence Otis Graham’s Provocative 1999 Book
Published in 1999, Lawrence Otis Graham's Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class became a revealing, provocative and acclaimed work of non-fiction, thus resulting in a New York Times bestseller that sparked literary debate and thoughtful insight into the world of the Black upper class, notably as it credits itself as being "the first book written about the black elite by a member of this hard-to-penetrate group."
Certainly, Lawrence Otis Graham's book provides some keen commentary on a lavish lifestyle that's only familiar to a few, and it'll be intriguing to see how the showrunners use Graham's source material to produce a slashy, sensational bit of weekly television.
Our Kind Of People Stars Yaya DaCosta As A Single Mother Who Discovers A Dark Secret From A Mother’s Past
At the forefront of Fox's new drama series is Yaya DaCosta, a model-turned-actress who's best known for her starring role in NBC's Chicago Med. She also received praise for playing Whitney Houston in Lifetime's biopic, Whitney. Her other notable acting credits include recurring roles in House, All My Children, and Ugly Betty. Additionally, DeCosta appeared in The Kids Are All Right, Tron: Legacy, In Time, The Messenger, Lee Daniels' The Butler, The Nice Guys, Mother of George, Take the Lead, and Whole Lotta Sole. Also, prior to her acting career, she was a runner-up in Cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model. Moreover, DaCosta is seen in several notable music videos, including Kanye West's "Gold Digger," Jay-Z's "Roc Boys," Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls," and more.
In this starring role, Yaya DaCosta will play a single mother who discovers a dark secret from her mother's past that changes everything she knew and everything she'll do next.
The Cast Includes Morris Chestnut, Alana Bright, Joe Morton, Nadine Ellis, And Lance Gross
Along with Yaya DaCosta taking on the lead role, the Our Kind of People cast features both newcomers and established talents, including Morris Chestnut, Alana Bright, Joe Morton, Nadine Ellis, and Lance Gross. Additionally, Rhyon Nicole Brown, Kyle Bary, Debbi Morgan, and L. Scott Caldwell are expected to round out the show's ensemble.
More specifically, Morris Chestnut is known for his starring roles in Rosewood, The Resident, Nurse Jackie, V, The Best Man movies, Like Mike, The Brothers, and Half Past Dead. Additionally, Joe Morton is celebrated for his work in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Speed, Lone Star, The Brother From Another Planet, and more, while Nadine Ellis is recognized in Hairspray, Let's Stay Together, Reno 911!, and Shameless. Furthermore, Lance Gross starred in Crisis, Our Kind of Family, and several Tyler Perry productions, including House of Payne, Meet the Browns, Temptations: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor, and The Paynes. Meanwhile, Alana Bright will be making her screen debut.
Our Kind Of People Is Created By Veteran TV Writer Karin Gist
For well over a decade, Karin Gist has established herself as a television writer and producer. Specifically, Gist got her start on UPN/The CW's Girlfriends, before she co-wrote Disney Channel's Camp Rock, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, and Jump In! She would later write and produce One Tree Hill, House of Lies, Grey's Anatomy, Revenge, and Undercovers before she ran Fox's Star and ABC's mixed-ish. Along with Our Kind of People, Gist is also attached to showrun Hulu's Mike Tyson series, Iron Mask, and she also co-wrote Sister Act 3. Suffice to say, the television writer only continues to branch out and prove her dependable talents, especially with her biggest projects yet to come!
The Pilot Is Directed By Tasha Smith
Better known as an actress, both on screens big and small, Tasha Smith has expanded her directorial resume in recent years. On TV, she called the shots on episodes of Star, Tales, Black Lightning, P-Valley, Big Sky, 9-1-1, and the upcoming Black Mafia Family. Furthermore, Smith helmed TV One's When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story and 2015's short film, Boxed In, which she also wrote and produced. Now, she's attached to direct the pilot (and possibly additional episodes) of Fox's Our Kind of People. It should be noted that, as an actress, Smith is perhaps best known for her starring roles in Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? movies, as well as Perry's TBS/OWN series, For Better or Worse. Additionally, she provided a recurring role as Carol Holloway in Fox's Empire.
Our Kind Of People Promises An A Soapy Exploration Of Race And Class And An Unapologetic Celebration Of Black Resistance And Achievement
As the press release notes, Our Kind of People promises to be "a soapy, thrilling exploration of race and class in America and an unapologetic celebration of Black resilience and achievement," particularly as it follows a "strong-willed, single mom" named Angela Vaughn (Yaya DaCosta) who sets out "to reclaim her family name and make an impact" with her revolutionary haircare line, only to discover "a dark secret about her mother's past" that will ultimately "turn her world upside-down and shake up this community forever." We get our first glimpse at this shake-up in the teaser below.
The Preview Gives Us An Early Glimpse At The Show’s Upper-Class Lifestyle
Through this nearly 50-second teaser, Fox gives audiences a short glimpse at the lavish and luxurious lifestyles of Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard, as well our once-lowly lead character who isn't afraid to shake things up after discovering a long-lost dark secret from her family history. Promising extravagance, decadence, and explosive reveals, we should expect many big things to happen in this ultra-expensive house, but we won't see what's in store until the show premieres this fall.
Our Kind of People will premiere on Fox on September 21st.
