EXCLUSIVE | The Family Business's Sean Ringgold says Season 2 ending 'will leave you at the edge of your seat'
Entering its sophomore year, Carl Weber's 'The Family Business' decided to take to BET's streaming platform, BET+, where it premiered on July 2 with its first six episodes. Riveting and paced just the way Weber's high action dramas are, the story this season has seen the Duncan family really fight it out to stay strong. What it really means to be at the top of a business that everybody is out to get is the crux of this season and it's no wonder that the booming fanbase of the show has been left craving for more. Worry not, there are more episodes to come this season, assures actor Sean Ringgold, who plays Junior Duncan, 'the enforcer' of the family.
"Unfortunately because of Covid-19, we were only able to complete six episodes," Ringgold spills in an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWWW). "So we have six more to shoot to complete the season. But I can promise you that it will leave you at the edge of your seat," he tells us before jumping to gush about the very complex arc his character has managed to get entangled in. "Junior has fallen in love with his girlfriend Sonya Brown and wants to make her his wife, he recaps quickly for fans who are yet to catch up with the season, or just need one to be prepared for the next."
Tension builds up this season as "the family is totally against Junior's decision because Sonya is currently married but has filed for divorce. But Sonya’s current husband is also a hardened criminal that has now put a hit on my character's life because he’s a man that will do anything to keep his wife even though he’s locked up in prison." Intense and dramatic, playing Junior surely is keeping Ringgold on his toes. But the one moment from his character's arc that totally took his breath away was "when (Junior) proposed to Sonya at the restaurant. Even though it was interrupted by her husband’s henchmen that were there to warn (Junior) against seeing his wife," he quips.
This seeming disregard for his family's wishes might seem not so likely of a character in a family-driven arc in a story that's all about the Duncan family protecting each other. But Ringgold thinks "the fans can see that my character is a loyal and loving man that would do absolutely anything to protect his family. But I think they see a man. I would say they also see his strength and vulnerability, and Junior isn’t afraid to expose his soft side," he tells us.
The other rewarding takeaway from playing Junior has been playing Ernie Hudson‘s son, which Ringgold calls "an absolute blessing."
"To play opposite such a phenomenal actor only forces you to take your performance to new levels. Pop is my second dad that I can call on at any time. He's a giant of a human being that has everyone on set cracking up all the time." The character itself and the gripping plot are on Ringgold's list of rewards too. "Playing Junior has been an absolute blast! Think about this: we are a sophisticated crime family that has more money then we know what to do with. We fly in private jets. We own exotic car dealerships. We have a private yacht. We have multiple residencies around the world. Its an absolute dream job," he muses about the resplendent lives of the Duncans. Although he would also "love for Junior to procreate and have some kids with the love of his life Sonya. That would an interesting dynamic."
Becoming the "imperfectly perfect Junior" was also a giant transition for Ringgold, who used to be a bodyguard before becoming an actor. "The transition really wasn’t that difficult for me, believe it or not. When I was a bodyguard, I protected the best of the best in this industry. So I was blessed to learn first-hand that if you commit and have a strong work ethic, then you can become very successful and design a life that you can be proud of." His former acting coach had got him an audition for Weber's movie 'No More Mr Nice Guy' and that's when the showrunner formed a connection and Ringgold became Junior, and a producer on the series as well.
To wind down from playing a deluxe car empire by the day, moonlighting as drug giants, Ringgold enjoys "being out on my boat, wakeboarding or wakesurfing. On any given day, you could catch me out on my Harley Davidson taking a ride to clear my mind. But there’s nothing better than a good massage to take the edge off." He says quarantine and "Covid-19 has been extremely challenging not just for me but for the world. I take it day-by-day and try my best to be a good example for my family. My daughter not being able to see her friends has been really hard on me. To see your children in pain isn’t easy to deal with on any level. But I pray better days are ahead."
Elsewhere, Ringgold is also returning for the second season of the ABC show, 'For Life'. "My character, Huey Cornell, is a correction officer caught between a rock in a hard place, trying his best to survive in a very hostile environment," he shared, adding: "The series is loosely based on the true story of Isaac Wright Jr, who was imprisoned for a crime that he did not commit. While incarcerated, he became a licensed paralegal and helped to overturn the wrongful convictions of twenty of his fellow inmates, before finally proving his own innocence."
'The Family Business' Season 2 is available to stream only on BET+.