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Behind the glitz, glamour, and drama of Haus of Vicious lies a story of power, betrayal, and resilience. As the highly anticipated Season 2 unfolds, Sheen Magazine sits down with the entire cast to discuss the chaos, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments that make this season a must-watch. In this exclusive interview, the stars open up about the evolution of their characters, on-set dynamics, and the explosive plot twists that will leave fans on the edge of their seats.

 

How did you prepare to portray such a multi-layered role, and what aspects of Chantel Vivian’s journey in Season 2 were the most challenging or rewarding for you to explore?

Tami Roman: I pulled from a past experience with my birth father., the one and only day I met him. He was an addict, and that imagery has stayed with me my entire life. A lot of Chantel’s mannerisms and speech are from memory recall of that day. It’s challenging because it’s pulled from trauma but rewarding because I’m making my trauma work for me and utilizing it for a greater purpose. Respecting the craft of acting and staying completely grounded and authentic is what I strive to represent as a professional.

 

What can you tell us about Kane’s evolution this season, and how does his journey impact his relationship with Chantel and the rest of the cast?

Redaric Williams: Kane experiences some challenges throughout this new season as a man who has a dark past since his childhood. In addition to these challenges, he didn’t have a strong example of what a mother should be, so his interactions with women are forever tainted which shows in this new season. The evolution of Kane is somewhat tested because of his past catching up to his present existence.

 

How does Jaelyn navigate the power struggles and betrayals in Haus of Vicious Season 2?

Erica Peeples: Jaylen is to the Haus of Vicious what Olivia Pope was to Scandal. She is the fixer. She is the get it done, no matter what. The one that puts her emotions to the side and handles business like a professional and doesn’t take no for an answer. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding any situation, Jaylin always figures it out!

 

Layers of Milan’s character are peeled back in Season 2, how do these revelations affect his interactions with Chantel and the other characters?

Norman Nixon Jr.: Without being a spoiler, I’ll just say directly.  The character for Milan for sure gets juicy, I’ll just say that! As an Actor, I’m big on allowing the audience to experience things for themselves, I don’t even like watching the trailer for TV shows. It takes away from the element of surprise and any emotions that can be placed from the audience. HOV S2 is filled with twits and turns for Milan, professionally and personally.

Photographer: Derek Blanks

The show delves deeply into themes of trauma, addiction, and the impact of unresolved childhood experiences. How did the cast and crew work to authentically represent these heavy themes, and were there any moments during filming that particularly resonated with you?

Erica Peeples: The moment that stood out to me was when Chantel and her mother had an argument, and I stepped in to diffuse the situation. It became clear how deeply rooted her childhood trauma was, and I reassured her that she wasn’t alone—that I was there as a friend to support and protect her. I believe the show genuinely addresses childhood trauma by depicting the impact it has on Chantel’s life journey.

John Marshall Jones: I think all of us have some trauma in our background to pull from. The things that we see happen in HOV are part of the human experience, just the most dramatic parts of each of our lives, usually sprinkled like seasoning throughout, Haus Of Vicious, they happen every day, every moment. The new season captures the most dramatic, scary, outrageous, unforgivable moments of our lives and presents them in a way that’s highly entertaining and allows us as an audience to see ourselves through how the characters react in these moments.

Lyric Chanel Anderson: The show deals with significant themes, and personally, playing Tia required a lot of emotional intensity as the show delves further into the intricacies of her background and mental health. In general, the cast was very supportive, and I would say we were light-hearted in between scenes. Even though the material was emotionally demanding, I think everyone has a warm, positive attitude, and that really helped keep the balance when we weren’t filming.

Norman Nixon Jr.:  I’m kind of like a prepared class clown. I’m prepped and ready to do my thing when it’s time to go, but I laugh a lot on set, with every department.  I’m a comedian, so unless I or somebody break down and cry, the jokes will fly *laughs*.  And honestly, I feel like it helps the vibe and energy on set, the days are long, energy can get low, everybody could use a moment of laughter to decompress. As far as moments, if you want me to lie, I can up some story about some scene. If you want the truth, I lost my car keys on set, took an Uber back and forth for a week, and had the whole crew looking for them. We finally found them in one of the producers’ couches, which fell out during a lunch break.  I now have Air Tags on all things that I carry on set for work.

Redaric Williams: The writing, the script is the lifeblood of any project. The hard work done by the writers, Jill Ramsey, Tu-Shonda Whitaker, and Amaleka McCall, laid the foundation for all the performances. As an actor, you’re always looking for an emotional anchor and intention. It’s such a great gift to be handed material with heavy themes.

As for the work of authentically representing the themes, I personally try to find all the similarities between myself and the character. Then, I rehearse with my scene partners as much as possible to find the right tone. Having a character with flaws and/or high stakes in the script really gives you something to focus on during preparation. You’re able to go beyond any personal likeness and go on an adventure to discover the character’s traits through their trauma, addictions, and backstory.

Robert Ri’Chard: Haus of Vicious is supremely crafted by the hands of our great Executive Producer Jill Ramsey. I am honored and grateful that I was selected to play such a substantial complex character in this juggernaut series for BET. This show delves deep into themes of trauma, deception, unresolved pasts, manipulation and wrath. Having trust given to me by Roger Alexander, Gold Morgan, and Tami Roman to entangle all of these themes masterfully will forever be an appreciation of mine.

As many know from my work ethic, I give my heart and soul to my performances. Often pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in my performance to scrape on the edge nuance. I want my performances to be that authentic. In this era of my career, I bring “The Fright to The Night.” I continue to deep dive into my craft with passion and the utmost enthusiasm to bring sensational art to screen. I love the fans with all my heart, and giving my all is an absolute pleasure to do for audiences everywhere. Nile and Jaelyn have some intense must-see scenes. Our 180 degree turns happen rapidly – the writing is that superb! You’l just have to tune in to see!

Photographer: Derek Blanks

How does Trevor fit into the complex dynamics of Haus of Vicious, and what makes him a unique character in this web of betrayal and scandal?

John Marshall Jones: Trevor fits into the complex dynamics of Haus Of Vicious by adding to the madness without regret! He has been in and out of Chantel ‘s life for all her life, never providing any stability, only chaos. And now he’s back with more chaos than ever. You must tune into this new season as he makes his way back into the fashion icon’s life.

 

Carolyn’s character appears to have a strong influence in the storyline. How does she shape the events in Season 2, and what was your approach to portraying a character with such depth and nuance?

Ella Joyce: Reading the script for Season 2 was very exciting to begin with.  To see the characters have a back story was like shading in a pencil sketch with depth and color.  I began to understand Carolyn’s complexity as a scorned woman in love.  Scorned with disappointment yet determined to see her own sense of greatness through her daughter.  With scorn also comes darkness, jealousy, and the driven ruthlessness for control.

 

Nile’s role in the story seems to be filled with secrets and unexpected moves. What can fans expect from Nile this season, and how does his character contribute to the series’ exploration of power dynamics and personal vendettas?

Robert Ri’Chard: Nile is one suave sharp dagger! The writers and the producers have made his moments calculated, stealth, intentional, and believable. Everything that comes out of Nile’s mouth is swords-play. And he’s charming! When Nile’s locks eyes with any character, the intensity of his stare is majestic, powerful, and chilling. It is why we the audience are so attracted to the details in his gaze. The director chose a lot of close-up angles to see into his crepuscular facade.  It is an honor to tool and manipulate what the audience sees while staring at Nile, knowing how much of a loaded weapon he is.

 

How do you both approach bringing such a complicated and intense relationship to life, and what can fans expect from their dynamic in Season 2?

Redaric Williams: Working with Tami really grounds the complexities portraying this character, she’s an amazing actor. She’s the type of scene partner who’s always willing to go all the way with it. Her intensity brings a believable edge to the relationship with their ups and downs. Kane is constantly in the doghouse, so as an actor, in most of our scenes, I’m always looking for balance, walking the line between being defensive in a firm way while also bringing a bit of a delicate, apologetic demeanor. Season 2 will be somewhat different for Kane, as he’s dealing with deceit from many angles and is on a warpath as a result. This plays out in their interactions and tests the real love that does exist between Chantel and Kane.

Tami Roman: Red (Redaric) is my partner in crime, no pun intended. I’m sure we’ve both experienced toxic, dysfunctional relationships and we utilize those experiences for Chantel & Kane. Fans can expect a roller coaster ride of emotions. That moment when you know something no longer serves you, but you can’t let it go… that’s Chantel & Kane!

 

With the series exploring such intense themes and high-stakes drama, what was the atmosphere like on set during filming? Were there any particularly memorable or surprising moments that happened behind the scenes that you can share with us?

Jill Ramsey | Producer | Rome Ramsey Productions: Overall, our sets are going to be a place of peace and fun-filled atmosphere while working. My philosophy will always be that making entertainment should not be painful for the people you trust to help make it and that everything- every problem, every issue can be resolved through love and respect.  Now there was one moment with Kyler where she had some scene work dealing with a specific issue in the trans community, she brought the set to tears with all that she left on that screen. That night ended with a lot of hugs and understanding as a united front!

Ella Joyce: There was a memorable creative moment for me when I truly balked against hitting Chantel, played by Tami.  I wanted it choreographed so there would be no contact. I don’t believe in hurting another actor.  And it was very well choreographed. Tami whispered to me to have contact.  No, I squirmed. “I don’t want to hurt you.” “It’s ok”, she said.  So, I waited to hear “ACTION”, very nervous. I tried to quietly warn the fight captain who agreed I shouldn’t hit her. “Ella, you snitching?” I heard her say from across the room.  The scene started when I slapped her, she went down. It was pretty exciting for everyone.

Erica Peeples: Working on the set was great. Everyone was very professional and there were moments of laughter and fun. The most memorable moment that I can think of would be when Jaylen had to dance in the middle of a scene and I had to twerk in front of everybody, please

Lyric Chanel Anderson: The atmosphere was warm, positive, and supportive. I think my best memories include blocking scenes prior to filming and running lines in preparation with my castmates. We were all really dedicated, and I could tell we wanted to see each other do well.

Norman Nixon Jr.:  I’m a comedian, even when the scene I’m working on is intense or serious. I’m still going to be at ease in between takes. I pride myself on being positive energy during scenes as an Actor, no matter the intensity of the role itself.

Redaric Williams:  Ironically, the drama that unfolds in front of the camera is in no way a reflection of the atmosphere on set. We had long days and long nights, yet everyone’s spirits stayed high from beginning to end. Haus of Vicious truly has a creative, relaxed, yet professionally run set. We really found our rhythm going into this second season, which was evident in how prepared the production team was from the start. They really prepared a clear tone and direction for every character. And the entire cast and crew have a clear desire to bring their best to the show and help others however and whenever needed. A memorable aspect of behind the scenes was how our director, Roger Alexander, began awarding every department, sound, camera, wardrobe, makeup, etc- with a championship belt of recognition. We’d all cheer, dance, and honor their work and dedication. It was great to see.

Robert Ri’Chard: ‘Haus of Vicious’ is a thrilling dramatic television series. Roger Alexander (the director) artfully intensifies the story with camera tricks, dynamic camera moves, and heart-pounding reveals. Not to mention, we have firearms on set – a particularly high stakes climate during this sensitive and critical era of film making. Erica Peebles and my character NILE get physical. Some would say the scenes are “very steamy” paired with other scene opportunities that require high stakes choreography with the camera. I trust her… and she is a brilliant actress. During our scenes, she and I never hold back emotionally once the dance between us is locked and approved by producers and the director. This intensity is what I, Robert Ri’chard, live for on-set. I couldn’t ask for a better scene partner than the lovely Erica Peebles.