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'Carol's Second Act' actor Ito Aghayere says the show is about 'real men and real women who are authentic and funny'

A disciplinarian, Dr. Maya is all about the business. In an interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), Aghayere talks about her character and what got her into 'Carol's Second Act'

CBS has its viewers hooked to their screens every Thursday night with their newly released sitcom, 'Carol's Second Act'. 

The show revolves around Carol Kenney (Patricia Heaton), a newly divorced and retired teacher who is clueless as to what to do with life after her marriage came to an end.

She finally decides to take the road not taken, by following her vision board. Carol decides to accomplish her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. She becomes an intern at Loyola Memorial Hospital where she's first mistaken as a resident because of her age. 

Apart from Patrica, the series has a star-studded cast that includes Daniel Kutcher (Jean-Luc Bilodeau), Lexie Filani (Sabrina Jalees) and Caleb Sommers (Lucas Neff) who play the role of other interns in her group.

Ashley Tisdale plays the role of her daughter Jenny Kenney while Ito Aghayere plays the role of Carol's superior Chief Resident Dr. Maya Jacobs.

Ito is a proud first-generation Nigerian-Canadian-American. She started her career in acting on the New York stage. Her other series credits include 'Instinct', 'Elementary', 'Doubt', 'Braindead', 'Unforgettable', 'The Blacklist', 'Master of None', and 'Orange Is the New Black'.

A disciplinarian, Dr. Maya is all about the business. In an interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), Aghayere talks about her character and what got her into 'Carol's Second Act'.

"I think as an actor you have so many opportunities to tell different stories and it always stands out when you come across a script that really speaks to your personal experience as a person in the world and this is one of those scripts," she shared.

She added, "Written by two incredibly astute female showrunners, I think just being able to read the pilot and from the get-go being able to get a sense of the authenticity of each of the characters struck me as something special. It is about real men and real women who are authentic and funny." 

Dr. Maya is the chief resident at the hospital, and she is "hardcore". Revealing more about her role and her character, Ito says, "She is in charge of Carol and the other three interns."

"She has a lot of pressure on her shoulders to run the hospital. If any of the interns make a mistake it falls on her, so she's a ball buster. She has a very high standard. She takes her job seriously and that's what I really love about my character and how Emily and Sarah have written this woman," shares Aghayere.

"She has a lot at stake with regard to her at the hospital and making sure the interns are in line. It's so much fun to watch the interaction between her and Carol," she shares.

"Patricia Heaton's character — she's the kind of whimsical fun-loving nurturing, friend to everyone which is opposite to my character. And that sounds like a really fun mix," Aghayere continues.

Talking about the difference between her and her character, Aghayere says, "I think one of the biggest differences between me and my character probably is her put togetherness."

"She's so effortless in her composure and the way she appears. That's just not me. I am a bag lady every day of my life. Four bags, too many things and the things I need from my bag are always at the bottom," she adds with a laugh. 

'Carol's Second Act' airs every Thursday night only on CBS. Check your local listings for more information.