The Haves and The Have Nots is the most groundbreaking television series screen auteur Tyler Perry has ever created. A masterful assemblage of plot twists and dramatic turns supported by an all-star cast of classically trained thespians. Actress Jaclyn Betham and actor Tyler Lepley are unarguably the breakout stars of the OWN Network show. JB and TY kicked it court-side with Pure DOPE Magazine to discuss working with Perry and pursuing their passions.
Read an Excerpt from Jaclyn’s Full Length Interview
(La La Elizabeth: La La) Congratulations on your new role as Amanda Cryer in The Haves and the Have Nots! What was your reaction to being cast?
(Jaclyn Betham: JB) I literally jumped up and down in my apartment!! Tyler Perry is one of the smartest, most talented male entertainers in the world, and then there’s Oprah Winfrey! I grew up watching her after school everyday. You look up to these amazing people and you never really think you’re going to meet them, let alone work with them. I think it’s so much harder to be cast in a scripted series, so getting that was such a blessing! I was literally jumping up and down screaming! It was really exciting. I was very ecstatic when I found out.
(La La) Who is Amanda Cryer?
(JB) She is a girl from a very wealthy family. Her family has every superficial need possible, and Amanda has everything she’s needed also, but not everything she’s wanted. She does everything her family has always wanted her to do, but not what she wants to do. Right now her struggle is coming out of her shell, but she goes through some things throughout the series which does cause her to break out of her shell.
(La La) I saw the premiere and the show starts off pretty juicy! What do you think viewers will like most about The Have and the Have Nots?
(JB) I think that it always escalates. There’s never a dull moment. Each episode gets deeper and the moment you feel that everything has happened, something else keeps happening. You’ll be very engaged because it’s not the same thing repetitively. If you like drama you’ll be entertained!
photographed in Hollywood by Brett Erickson
(La La) Despite a promising career as a ballerina, you chose to pursue acting. What inspired you to become an actress? How did you transition into acting from dancing?
(JB) My whole life I always wanted to do it. My sister was a model so she did a lot of commercials, and my mom would ask if I was interested, but I was too shy when I was younger. Being from LA, it was something I always wanted to do, but I was too timid. With dancing I found my niche and my security. It was something I was good at and I had the confidence to do it. The dance world is very competitive and intense, and I became very successful at it so it’s still in my life until this day. I began taking acting classes, completely fell in love, and it became another outlet for my artistry and how to express myself.
(La La) I read that you teach ballet, and you’ve created the non-profit Betham Ballet Theater! Do you plan to remain an active dancer throughout your acting career?
(JB) I want to do both. It’s a form of therapy for me. When I enter a ballet studio it’s home. I’m able to use it as an outlet and ignore the outside world and focus on my art. Teaching is the most gratifying thing in the world so I’d never let that go. My non-profit is my baby, and it’s what I do from my heart so I will always focus on that.
Make-Up by Emily Shaw - Hair by Cherie Bellows
(La La) What is the most challenging part of being a new actress?
(JB) The hardest part can be creating the director’s vision and understanding what they’re thinking and how they want you to project their thoughts. For most artists you want to do a great job and make it easy for the audience to understand the story. That’s what matters. Am I getting the story across?
(La La) What have you learned so far on your journey?
(JB) No matter where you’re at you’re always learning. I learn something everyday whether it’s teaching ballet class or on the set. You have to remain humble because you’ll learn so many things if you bring yourself to a level where you can be taught.
(La La) What can we expect from you in 2014?
(JB) Keep watching the rest of The Haves and the Have Nots! I’m also working hard on my ballet company, Betham Ballet Theater, and a new cardio-based workout, Betham Ballet Burn. There’s many cool things to come so be sure to check for updates on Twitter and IG at @JaclynBetham.
Read an Excerpt from Ty’s Full Length Interview
photographed by Kimberly Metz
(Arionne Alyssa: AA) You’re a former football player. Although you’re no longer on the field, what characteristics from football have you carried over to your acting career?
(Ty Lepley: Ty) The first thing is the importance of teamwork. Not just teamwork, but a bunch of individuals coming together to strive towards one goal. Also understanding the importance of guidance, I was always good at playing football, but another thing that I always did have were great coaches. I didn’t really understand the importance of that when I was younger, but as I grew older and matured I realized that along with the camaraderie and support of my teammates, understanding direction was important. When I’m on the field or behind the camera, the ability to harness that and listen to the visionary translated from football.
(AA) Speaking of visionaries, what’s it like working with Tyler Perry?
(Ty) Of course, he’s a great coach. He asks questions and he wants your input. That’s so important for an actor because that leads to collaboration. He’s definitely also super humble, which allows the actor to be creative. To take it even a step further, he’s like the ultimate big brother. I’ve had so many talks with him about what’s happening onset, or how to be prepared and take in this influx of attention when it starts coming out, which a director doesn’t necessarily have to tell you. Their job is to come shoot it and put out a good product, but he goes a step further and gives life lessons that I really took from him as well as learning to be a professional on set. It was a true honor and a blessing to be able to work with Tyler Perry.
(AA) You’re also working with a very great cast. How is the atmosphere on set?
(Ty) Love the energy. You have someone like a John Schneider who everyone knows, but on set is just “one of the boys”, or if I’m doing a scene with Tika Sumpter who plays my sister, and I have to run lines, I’m allowed to just knock on her door and she’ll sit down with me. Everyone is really like that. It really reminds me of the locker room. Even though this is my first role as a series regular, I’ve been on enough sets to know the difference. To be on set and not only have your whole set be like that, but also all of your bosses, is a rarity. There’s really something special down there at Tyler Perry studios in Atlanta.
photographed by Kimberly Metz
(AA) You character is really close with his mother and similarly, you attribute much of your success to your parents. How have they supported you throughout your career journey?
(Ty) Having parents support you in any type of way is great, but for you to be different and they still support, it’s even greater. My parents and I are different in so many ways, even down to our skin color. My mother is white and my stepfather has raised me since I was 6-years-old so that’s my dad, so even down to physical characteristics we’re very different. But the one thing my parents have always done was love me. You’d be surprised at what a child can grow into and how he can find his path just through the power of love. That’s the biggest way.
(AA) Are there any other ways that you can relate to your character?
(Ty) Benny was such a great character to be able to play. There are a lot of innate similarities, to the core. I grew up very much a “have not.” Not only being a have not, but also fighting against different things and walking through the dark to reach the light. My upbringing is very similar. There’s a lot of responsibility there, as both Tyler and Benny. When you grow up in a “have not” world, there are things that try to pull you in the wrong direction. I relate to him because he’s fighting against all of these outside influences. I relate to transcending boundaries and doing the right thing, which are atypical of the stereotypes of Black men.
(AA) Being Black in Hollywood can be tough. What are some key characteristics to maneuvering through the industry?
(Ty) It can be difficult and there are a lot of situations that can be hard to get through. There are a lot of stories that don’t call for a Black actor and it stinks because there are so many talented Black actors and actresses that aren’t working and so much talent that isn’t being tapped into. It’s unfortunate and it’s tricky to be able to maneuver out here, but I’d say that a big thing is to just stick together. As people with a common struggle we’ve bonded and we try to stick together in Hollywood. I’d urge any upcoming actors to always be supportive. Being supportive and showing love comes back to you.
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