Renee Lawless – The Haves and Have Nots

By starrymag | January 3, 2017

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) Well, actually I am heavily in press right now for the upcoming premiere of “The Haves and The Have Nots” Season Four, premiering January 3^rd at 9pm on OWN. I’m kind of going back and forth across country doing press. But I have also got my “Renee’s Way or The Highway” vlog/TV series. It is slowly really coming along. It got push on the back burner and its actually coming along. Actually, I hope to start debuting next month!

 

Q) What can you tease about the new season of “Have and Have Nots” and with your character Katheryn?

A) Basically, as far as Katheryn is concerned, you are going to see a lot more of her already independent person come out. She is tired of letting Jim (John Schneider) handle it. And as you can see in the finale last year with the killing of the DA, she is taking matters into her own hands. I think this season as a whole you are going to see a lot of changes. A lot of people coming into their own, a lot of people taking charge and the changes within their own lives and the change of direction.

 

Q) How will dynamics shift as this season progresses?

A) Basically see previous answer!

 

Q) What continues to challenge you about this role?

A) I think the challenges I face with this role are the challenges many actors face when they are in a successful, long running series. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our characters we would like to see them go one direction when the writers see them going in a different direction. It’s like sometimes I want to go left and Mr. Perry says she goes right. There is nothing bad about that, it is his vision, his character. It’s not my vision and that doesn’t mean he doesn’t ask for my opinion. It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t listen to my opinions. But he has got a vision and a direction that these characters are going in and sometimes I just have to be able to accept that. But I am not alone in that as well!

 

Q) Who are some guest stars you can share are in store for this season on “The Haves and Have Nots?”

A) You are going to see characters that have already been on. I don’t believe we have too many new characters being introduced this season. We just got the expansion of some of the other newer cast members coming to life, like Brett Davis’s role is being expanded. He plays Mitch. And Nick’s [James] role, who plays Officer Justin. Their roles as well as Presilah Nunez, who plays Erica. Those roles are being expanded so I am looking forward to seeing where those roles take them and the direction the story takes off from there.

 

Q) With such a large cast, is there someone you haven’t worked with yet or that much that you would like more scenes with or to work with at all?

A) Yeah! I would like to work some of those afore mentioned characters that I just told you about. This coming season I do have a couple of scenes with Mitch, played by Brett Davis, and I do have some scenes with some of the other characters. I’d like to see some more involvement with the other characters in the show like Mitch and Erica, but I don’t want to see Katheryn really have anything to do with her yet because she is not even aware that she exists. I would like to do some more scenes with Tyler Lepley, who plays Benny. I think Tyler is a fabulous actor and I really enjoy his dynamic. Although we have been in some scenes together before, they have always been across the room, kind of cryptic and I would like to see some more one on one with him. I think that would be very interesting.

 

Q) Is there a moment you’re really excited or nervous about that you are looking forward to seeing fan reactions to?

A) YES! The first four episodes! The first four episodes are amazing! The first two episodes are incredible and I cannot wait to see what the fans think. I am really looking forward to that more than anything. Also, the mid-season finale and the finale of this upcoming season, which will be in September, are absolutely incredible. There is so many great episodes this season it’s really hard for me to nail down just one.

 

Q) Since you are a part of social media, what kind of fan feedback do you receive about your role?

A) That she is a bad mamajama! That she’s going to tear it up, that she’s got balls, that she’s headstrong and watch out for Katheryn basically. They feel about her the way I feel. They love it, they like the direction she is going. They don’t really understand sometimes the way I treat my son, but now they are getting over it. They have realized he is just out of control and there are thinking I have done just about all I can do as Katheryn. I love reading their comments and it is such a joy to have such a great fan base.

 

Q) What have you taken away from your experiences being a part of this series?

A) Wow. I have taken away how very lucky and fortunate I am to be a working actor, a working female actor.  A working actor who is not considered “Hollywood glamour,” I am not saying I’m not pretty. I’m not saying that at all, but I’m not the young ingénue. I am an older actress and I have taken away how blessed I am to work with an incredible network studio and ensemble of actors.

 

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

A) Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate you, I love you. You have no earthy idea how much your encouragement means to me. Sometimes just a good compliment on Twitter, Facebook or even in person lifts my entire day because I have up and down days just like anybody else. And the love that surrounds me form you, the fans, is so uplifting and so heartwarming and I feel extremely honored and blessed to have such great fans.