Kerry Washington is both producer and star of Hulu’s “UnPrisoned” series, whose second season launches all episodes Wednesday.
A comically knowing look at family dynamics, Washington’s Paige Alexander is a family and marriage therapist, a single mother still traumatized by her father’s absence.
That would be Delroy Lindo’s Edwin Alexander whose release from prison after 17 years and return to mend relationships powers “UnPrisoned.”
Teenaged Finn Alexander (Faly Rakotohavana), whose white father has never been around, finds his life considerably changed by his ex-cocaine dealing grandfather’s presence.
“I love ‘UnPrisoned’ — I was brought on to audition when I was filming a movie in Oklahoma,” Rakotohavana, 21, said in a Zoom interview. “I met with Kerry and the audition went great. I came back to California — and the set was five minutes from my house. So I got to roll out of bed and go to work with Kerry Washington. Pretty cool.”
Finn is a gamer who keeps to himself. Could his name suggest perhaps ‘fin’ as in shark?
“Finn is, for sure, a shark. A nursing shark, maybe. Like one of those little ones that just try to keep up in the water.
“He’s not necessarily an introvert. He’s a very curious person. He wants to experience things, to know things. But he’s just a little scared. He’s been used to living his whole life one way, and now he’s been given the freedom to try new things and see life from a different perspective. From Edwin’s perspective. He’s learning how to be a man a little bit.
“So yeah, he’s introverted but he’s started to break out of it a little bit.”
As for just who is “UnPrisoned,” “Literally, just Edwin. But in a sense, yes, everybody’s being unprisoned. Because we’re all stuck in these routines, these ways of life that is kind of like a cage.
“When Edwin shows up, he brings all the cages down. So now we’re all free. Shout out Delroy!”
Rakotohavana has been acting for years. The secret to a successful career?
“Working with all of these different people and getting to meet new people, I would say the most important part is just chemistry. Not being afraid to build a relationship with the people you are working with. Because there’s nothing more authentic than chemistry.”
Did it make a huge difference turning 18 with no more tutors on set?
“Yes! …I’ve had a lot of really cool onset tutors, so I’m not dissing that or anything. But it’s like, you do two takes and then it’s school for like, bank hours.”
Hulu streams all 8 episodes of “UnPrisoned 2” on July 17
