Reggie Ponder Discusses Empowerment With The Cast of ‘Run The World’

Written by Vocalo Radio on June 23, 2023

From STARZ, Run The World season two follows the chaotic and complicated lives of three (previously four) women in Harlem striving for world domination. Reggie “The Reel Critic” Ponder got the chance to chat with leads Amber Stevens West, Bresha Webb and Corbin Reid.

Amber Stevens West, Bresha Webb and Corbin Reid star as three highly ambitious women focused on reaching their goals in the second season of STARZ series Run The World. This show highlights an unapologetically female show about friendship and thriving together through it all.

The second season made its eight-episode debut on May 26. This season, Whitney Green (Amber Stevens West) is following the road of self-discovery in order to thrive with her new life… which may or may not involve Ola (Tosin Morohunfola). Meanwhile, Renee Ross (Bresha Webb) and Sondi Hill (Corbin Reid) must decide what they truly want out of life in terms of their love and careers.

The strong cast has also been involved in other projects. Amber Stevens West had a few roles in sitcoms including Maxine in the Carmichael Show and Claire in Happy Together. Bresha Webb has had roles in the comedy series Sherman’s Showcase playing a variety of characters, and she played Dr. Bruno in A Million Little Things. Corbin Reid’s most notable role outside of Run The World was Meggy Travers in How To Get Away With Murder.

Reggie Ponder “The Reel Critic” got a chance to speak with Stevens West, Webb and Reid for about the show and how they balance womanhood while respecting the outside demographic of lovers, parents and supporters throughout it. Integral to the show are concepts of honoring personal identity while also respecting the community that surrounds.

Run The World season two is streaming on STARZ, and is available on-demand via the STARZ mobile app.

Reggie Ponder: I’m Reggie Ponder The Reel Critic. I got a chance to speak with the leads for the show Run The World, which is on STARZ. You’ll hear answers in this order: Amber Stevens West, Corbin Reid and Bresha Webb. Here’s an excerpt from that interview.

Firstly, I’m just so happy you guys came to Chicago. I mean, at least show the Windy City, so I’m really happy about that. There’s a real sense of sisterhood in this series, but it’s really not at the expense of the greater Black community. I would like for each of you to speak to the importance of leading with this connection as women, but not to the exclusion to the rest of us, your parents, the children, your lovers. All the other things that happen outside of that close network.

Amber Stevens West: I think that our characters … what makes us so interesting is we have this great dynamic with each other, but who we are as individual characters in the show is also a product of where we come from, in our family, and our co-workers, and all of that is reflected in the characters and how we move through the world. And we are all very different from each other. And yet we still have this through line and this connection with each other. And I think that’s what makes us an interesting dynamic television show.

^{Run The World, season 2, is streaming now on STARZ.}

Corbin Reid: And I do feel like, to speak to, I think what your question was about inclusivity, yes, we are walking in our empowerment and in our womanhood and being empowered and all these things, and making bold choices for ourselves, but not excluding people like our family and our men or whoever we choose to love. And I think our show does a really good job of holding us accountable. So if we take an action, you get to see those people’s reactions, so their voices are heard as well. And I think, by nature of watching that, you are seeing the inclusivity there. Because their feelings matter, too, because their voices are heard. And you learn that, yes, while you should look out for yourself and make decisions that serve you and your needs and your wants, here are always consequences. And that’s important to see as well. I think our show does a really good job of doing that. And that’s why so many men are like, “I learned from your show.” … We’re reaching demographics that don’t just include 30-year-old women. Our mothers love the show. Our mothers are all upwards of 60 plus years old, and our aunties’s friends are like, “This show is great, we love this,” because we include everybody and we include the reactions and their point of view.

Bresha Webb: We’re also just showing a way of our storytelling of living. We go to therapy. We’re living out our dreams, but there are consequences like you said, Corbin. And everyone is affected by the choices that we make. We see that with Renee when she goes home and what’s expected of her, and that was so relatable in my life. Because, being a woman of a certain age, your family relies on you for certain things, and they depend on you. And to be real with your family, at the same time grieving, and trying to put everything together, and walk in your new direct path of your career and what you want, you sometimes have to bend a little bit. Our show shows that, the good and the bad. And how we still, as women … choose to lean on each other. It’s a choice. You can carry it all alone, all by yourself, but I love how the show shows that you can choose to lean on your sisters.

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RP: You guys talked about your brilliance and then you’re talking about your beauty. I’m just gonna say, as a Black man, I’m gonna talk about your beauty. You guys just be killing it! And you think that we don’t notice them nails? We don’t notice them shoes? Stop it! In the show, you have a debate about the truth, people telling the truth. So, in your life, in your personal life, would you rather the truth, or not so much?

ASW: I always want the truth. I can handle it. I don’t like to live in ignorance. And … when I find out that I have been living in ignorance, I’ve been very bitter about it. I don’t like that. I’d rather just deal with whatever the real reality is.

CR: I’m very much like my character. I want it straight-up, no chaser. I just think that’s the only way to go. And also, we’re in an industry where it’s not always served up to us like that. And so, I really honor that in my personal life where I can get it, where I can demand it, where I can expect it.

RP: But Corbin, you’re not telling the truth in the show. Come on! What are you talking about?

CR: Okay, I mean, you said personal life!

RP: I know, but you said…

CR: My character – but hold on – my character … Okay, so she does have a moment, okay. She has a moment. But then she comes clean. And season two, she walks away and she’s honest AF. I mean, she could have pretended and just gone along to get along with what happens, and I obviously can’t say what happens. But I think a lot of women do go along to get along, especially when they’re presented with something like that. And you get into your 30s and … a lot of women feel the pressure to make decisions to just have it all figured out. And she’s saying, “You know what? I’m actually not going to take that road, because it’s not the thing that feels authentic to me, and it doesn’t feel honest. So I’m going to walk away, no matter how many hearts I have to temporarily break.” But I feeI you. I didn’t say Sondi was perfect, I said in my personal life. I want the truth!

BW: I love the truth, too! I walk in my truth, and sometimes the truth is a lot better to take when it’s wrapped up in a nice pretty package. So I would like … a truth gift, not just a blatant truth when you’re already heated, who wants that? But I’d rather have the truth.

RP: Well, thank you. The truth is, you guys are fantastic and I really appreciate you. Thank you so much.

To hear more of this discussion. You can go to the AAFCA YouTube channel. Run The World is currently running on STARZ. You can find me on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube as The Reel Critic, and I’ll see you next time.