The pivotal group of characters in Carl Weber’s BET drama ‘The Family Business,’ which has just moved from the network to its streaming platform BET+ for its second season, is proudly referred to by Darrin Dewitt Henson as “The Duncan family,” who protects family. “The Family Business” was created by Weber. The second season of the show follows up after the extremely teasing cliffhanger of the first season, which was where Consuela had caught the Duncans, and focuses mostly on their liberation at first, and then the ever-twisting storyline of Orlando Duncan’s most recent creation, Heat. The most popular narcotic in town comes with a steaming load of drama, and Orlando finds himself in the middle of it all as he attempts to navigate the path to becoming a drug lord while simultaneously coming to terms with the fact that he is a father. And if one is to trust what Henson has to say, playing Orlando is nothing more than “punching a boxing bag.” Because “more money, more issues.”
Henson, an actress who has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award three times, has been keeping busy during this quarantine by producing self-positive and wholesome t-shirts for fans, which have left them feeling more than moved. His character on the BET+ drama, on the other hand, has been keeping himself busy with a life that is quite convoluted. “Orlando is also his brother’s keeper and his brother has put himself in a compromising position,” Henson reveals about his storyline in an exclusive discussion with MEA WorldWide, revealing information about Orlando’s role in the story (MEAWW). “At the moment, he is in the position of manager, and in addition to that, he is coping with the reality that he has a child with Ruby, but he is unable to locate her. There is a part of him that is in discomfort, but he must direct his attention to the task at hand and ensure the safety of his immediate family members. There’s a tug of war going on inside of him, and he’s starting to show more and more of what makes him tick, but at the same time, he’s not sure what to do “The actor and choreographer gives us a hint about how we can expect Orlando’s storyline to develop over the course of the season.
The unbelievable turn of events that concludes Weber’s play is what gives it its enchantment. During the day, the Duncans are no different than any other family that is focused on business, as seen by the continued success of their exotic automobile dealership enterprise. But in their spare time, they run a drug empire, and Orlando’s most recent concoction has raised the stakes for the family as they fight against outside forces and remain ever vigilant against any attacks from their adversaries. Of course, Orlando is at the top of this game; he is a character who is so multi-faceted and intricate that one may frequently require a moment to catch their breath in order to keep up with the frenetic way in which he tackles life. “Orlando’s a thinker who contemplates with patience, so I dive down into all of those things and just become,” Henson recalls on how he got into the zone for playing this turbulent existence on screen. “I drop down into all of those things and just become.”
However, there are certain difficulties associated with using this avatar. “It takes time, in my opinion, to play somebody other than yourself outside of your life. It requires skill to do so. Research is required. Because of what the character is going through, there are times when it is particularly challenging. As a result, whatever the character is experiencing, I am experiencing it as well because the feelings are happening in real time. Because of this, when we stop filming for the day, I sometimes have to simply sit down for a little bit because you can’t just take off a suit and everything is different. You need to just take a deep breath and let go of that feeling “Henson reclines and continues by saying that after a hard day of playing the part, he likes to unwind by going to the beach, running, lifting weights, and boxing. In spite of this, Henson cannot think of a single aspect about Orlando that should be improved. “It’s not so much a ride as it is an emotional roller coaster,” said one person.
Henson also discusses the underlying speed that differs between the plots of the first and second seasons, as well as the manner in which the second season is a more applied depiction of all the excitement that the first season promised. He explains: “The transition from the first to the second season brought with it a great degree of tension, along with the anticipation of what would come next. For me, it’s been the equivalent of going to the gym or pounding boxing bags back and forth. It goes without saying that you punch it, but what exactly takes place during the punching itself? Are you getting stronger as time goes on? Are you accelerating your pace? What is changing? And I believe that is what is happening between the first season and the second season between the two seasons now. It’s me becoming conscious of the shifts taking place in my life. Am I growing? Am I getting smarter over time? Is there room for growth in my life?”
Henson also draws a link between the contemporary problems that are afflicting the world and the way Orlando’s storyline develops during Season 2. The actor reveals some information about what’s to come, saying, “It’s truly about awareness.” “Every single day, there is a new awakening taking place. Therefore, despite all that we as a society are dealing with, (playing Orlando) gives me the opportunity to be still, to watch, and to pay attention. This is very similar to what Orlando would do. Be responsible rather than reactive, and only after that should you move on to the next step “Henson has revealed that his character will be involved in a lot more drama in the future than the fans could have ever anticipated.
The second season of ‘The Family Business’ debuted on BET+ with its first six episodes on Friday, and more episodes are scheduled to air every Friday going forward.