'Sunnyside' stars Kiran Deol, Samba Schutte and Diana Maria Riva reveal what makes new NBC comedy series so special
Peppered with immigrant stories and headlined by Kal Penn, a new comedy series titled 'Sunnyside' is all set to roll out on NBC.
Apart from the 'Harold & Kumar' actor, an ensemble cast is coming together for the show. In an exclusive chat with MEA World Wide (MEAWW), actors Kiran Deol, Samba Schutte and Diana Maria Riva spilled the beans on their experience while filming the series.
Kiran Deol who plays Mallory, Garret Modi's (played by Kal Penn) sister, says the show blends humor with a topical message. "It's an ensemble show in which Kiran Deol plays a politician but later has to move to his younger, prettier, hotter, cooler, sexier and more successful sister because he has nothing anymore," she jokes. "It's an absolutely wonderful cast who come together with a great sense of humor."
"I hope people laugh and they fall in love with all of these characters as people, they get to spend time with them and get their heartstrings pulled. To me, what makes America really special is how it is a country where the public has space for stories that they believe in."
Samba Schutte spoke about on his life in Ethiopia, moving to America as an immigrant, and how it was similar to his character Hakim in 'Sunnyside'. "So Hakim is from Ethiopia," Schutte explained. "And he's a heart surgeon back home, so he lived a really good life back home but he gave it up to move to America to make his dream come true. He has to work as a cab driver because he can't get certified until he becomes a citizen to work as a doctor again. That's really relatable to me. I had a pretty good life in Ethiopia. But when I moved to America and people found out I came from Ethiopia they were like 'It must be so hard for you to move to America' and I'm like 'Hell, yeah! Here I gotta do everything by myself. Who's gonna do my dishes?'"
Calling his character "authentic" and "very positive", he added, "He's the heart of the group, he makes people laugh, and he loves America, which is like me, I moved here eight years ago and I love this country. So I hope that this show shows that yes, we're immigrants, but at the same time, we're here because we have a dream and we want to make it come true."
Diana Maria Riva essays the role of a hardworking Dominican immigrant Griselda in 'Sunnyside' and she shed some light on how her character brings positivity to the show by looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. "I've played that tough woman that sees the goal and goes for it. This role is different as she is an immigrant and is starting from a different locale and trying to get to her goal. But Griselda has a certain passion and drive inside her and that's what I love about my character," Riva told MEAWW. "She believes this is her destiny and works hard for it."
The comedy series rolls out on September 26 with a new episode every Thursday at 9.30 pm on NBC.