Raven Goodwin – Being Mary Jane

By: Lisa Steinberg

Q) What is new this season on “Being Mary Jane?”

A) It is just the aftermath of where we left off and dealing with that and being in the public eye. She is the victim of police brutality.

Q) How is Niecy handling not having her aunt around?

A) I think she misses her, definitely. This whole situation is so intense and she is not around to give her that advice that she needs. But she is only a phone call away so I think she is good.

Q) How will dynamics shift this season?

A) If I say it then I’ll be giving things away. [laughs] There are a lot of changes. Mary Jane (Gabrielle Union) is in New York and the family is going through changes. I think that is something the audience will have to tune in and see.

Q) Did you have to approach playing Niecy differently this season after what happened to her?

A) Definitely! She is going through something new. She is experiencing something new. There is an obvious shift and change in her. I had to definitely approach it a little bit differently than usual.

Q) With such a large cast, is there someone you haven’t worked with yet that you would like to share a scene?

A) Yeah, the thing about “Being Mary Jane” is that there are two different sides to her life. I love her, Valarie Pettiford, role this season – Ronda. Of course, I’d like to get to work with her, but we live in two different parts of Mary Jane’s world so that’s not going to happen. She is my favorite this season, though.

Q) What is it like working with Gabrielle Union?

A) It’s cool. Gabrielle is cool. I just observe and watch everybody work. It’s really cool to see her do her thing and be Gabrielle Union! [laughs]

Q) You have great comedic timing, but you’ve done more drama lately. Do you have preference for the type of acting you do?

A) It’s not really a preference. I just want to act. So, whatever it is for me is for me. Whether it is comedy or drama, I’m grateful that I have the gift to tap into both genres in a real way. Comedy or drama – I’m happy. It doesn’t really matter to me.

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments from filming the show?

A) There are plenty! I’m just excited to be on set. There is not one moment. We have had all kinds of moments, good and bad – all of it. You might be tired or grumpy, but we get the work done. That’s all that matters. We love each other and we respect the crew, which is the part I love the most. It’s watching the crew work. I think they are so cool. They do a great job and they work very, very hard. It’s really cool watching them do their thing as well.

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the instant fan feedback you receive to episodes?

A) Yeah, it’s cool. I like to hear what people think and “Being Mary Jane” is such a conversation starter. It puts a lot of important conversations out there. I invite my girls over and we talk about whatever topic the show is talking about that week. It really brings out people’s hunger for what is happening this day in age about certain topics – financial freedom, police brutality, sex trafficking, etc. We have covered all of these important topics. I think to bring that conversation to the front every week is pretty cool.

Q) What do you think it is about “Being Mary Jane” that has made it such a fan favorite?

A) Like I just said, I think it is the fan favorite because we talk about the things that might be uncomfortable, especially for television. Television is supposed to be a fantasy world and glamorous. We bring those real life scenarios. I think what we are doing is really important. It’s not about being current or cool, we’re covering hard to talk about topics – topics that are changing the world. I think that the most important part of “Being Mary Jane?”

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thank you! I have an unreal amount of gratitude and I am just super thankful to be a part of the show. The feedback has been amazing. People see me and they think I’m really their family and their niece. It’s pretty dope! It’s pretty cool. [laughs]