EXCLUSIVE | Power Book II: Ghost's Lovell Adams-Gray teases Dru's fate: 'Don't let his reluctance fool you'
Having starred in some of the most action-packed productions of our time, tapping into Starz's drug and crime thriller 'Power Book II: Ghost' aka the spin off of the legendary 50 Cent drama, looks like a natural next step for Lovell Adams-Gray. As Dru, the 'dreamer' Gray fits into the spin-off as the unlikely son of Mary J Blige's Monet - our new heroine, who is also expectedly going to help the titular Ghost's son Tariq St Patrick in acquitting his mother of the crime he himself committed, but she is serving time for.
But Tariq and Taha's family drama is going to see both competition and its match in the Tejadas, especially with Monet's children trying to prove their new age thinking is what's best for the business. Yet when it comes to Dru, no matter how conflicting his views are from that of his mother's, Gray would like fans to not let his 'reluctance' deceive them. Loaded with twists and turns, Dru's arc is going to be an exciting one for sure and Gray teases all of that in an exclusive chat with MEA WorldWide(MEAWW).
MEAWW caught up with Gray right after the grand season premiere and pilot of the spin-off where the action picked up right where it had left off at the end of Power's Season 6 finale. Tasha is in jail and had begged Tariq not to ruin his chance at college as graduating with a degree is the only way he can acquire the inheritance left by his father, James St. Patrick aka Ghost. But Tariq is Ghost's son and will stop at nothing until he finds a way to free his mother, so he inevitably reaches out to a more street smart, femme fatale version of the Ghost - Monet, in the hopes of finding a way out of this mess his father has left the family swirling in. And that is how Dru is drawn into the world of the St James as a henchman for his mother.
"Dru’s relationship to Tariq and Tasha’s world leads to some deep plot points that we don’t often get to see with Black characters on screen," Gray teases in our chat, quickly adding "When Dru and Tariq meet, both their worlds immediately expand." So far, all we have seen of Dru is driving around running business errands with his brother. That said, Dru is unlike anything his mother or even his brother Cane stand for when it comes to the drugs and crime they have indulged in. "He is an artist by day and gangster by night; from the Tejada family, but not of it," Gray hints, explaining how Dru has "no desire to be in the game. All he wants to do is draw." At the same time, Gray will quickly have you warned to not be deceived by this aloof dreamer's aura. "Don’t let Dru’s reluctance to be a part of the family game fool you. Expect some dangerous fits and some heavy chess moves!"
Speaking of these fits, Gray gushes about how the team "got me lookin fly" - something that he had to work extra hard for, even after an illustrious career in action thrillers. "Power Book II: Ghost" is definitely crazy and I’ve had to do my fair share of stunt-work so far," Gray shared "Especially when Dru puts down the pencil. I’ve had to spend some time in the gym to make sure my conditioning is right!" And to get into the spirit of Dru and his counterparts on the spin off, Gray looked at pop culture source material to seek inspiration from. "From film and tv to music, drug and gun culture is everywhere, so it wasn’t hard to do research. I watched The Godfather and listened to 50 Cent, Lupe Fiasco and Nas," he lists, adding "The common thread with these artists is that they paint vivid pictures. They do a great job in showing the luxury and grandiosity of the game, and at the same time show the consequences and alternative pathways that can be available."
The young actor will however offer due credit to the writers and creators for making a multifaceted, layered character like Dru among many others. "I can’t lie, this genre is mad fun to be a part of! I think the saving grace is that Courtney (emp, creator of the show) and the other writers know how to portray the authenticity of these worlds, so it’s not just shoot ‘em up, bang bang. That’s, ultimately, what drew me to the series, the knowledge that I would be challenged with telling the truth no matter how ugly, and knowing that with every high point, there will be a fall."
We know all about the momentous rise and epic falls of characters in a Starz drama and without spoiling much, Gray reflects how similar he is to his onscreen avatar. As the dreamer in his family who's always in his room with head stuck in books, video games or up in the clouds, Gray insists "Finding Dru’s walk was and continues to be one of my top priorities and getting his voice to where I hear the most truth." However, there was a gigantic challenge: "The artistic research was probably the hardest because before this show I couldn’t draw to save my life," Gray lets slip..
As the middle child, Dru is also always pining for his mother's approval and that makes sense; Monet is the supreme matriarch not just in business, but at home too. "Dru definitely gets his “prince charming” side from his mama," Gray notes. "The queens are at large! Monet runs things at home which is often in opposition to what Dru wants to do with his life. At the same time, Dru is vying for Monet’s approval and will jump as soon as she gives the command." The family dynamics between the two brothers are intense too, albeit very synchronized. "I look at Cane as the muscle and Dru as the mouth. Dru and Cane know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and make a perfect team," Grays tells us.
Working currently with six other Black Toronto based artists, Gray has already written his first feature. "We are looking at a Spring 2021 Pre-Production start!" he adds with a shout out to BDB Productions. It's going to be a busy time for the dreamer - both on screen, and otherwise.
'Power Book II: Ghost' airs new episodes on Sundays at 9 pm only on Starz.