Angell Conwell and Omar Gooding make such a wonderful couple, even if it’s just for television. Now wrapping up their third season on the Bounce TV sitcom, Family Time, the duo are helping to change the way minorities are shown on television. Their on screen chemistry is hard to match, but this isn’t the first time the pair has met up, since the two were cast mates in John Singleton’s Baby Boy film. Family Time however finds the pair, in totally different circumstances, albeit still in a relationship together. Angell and Omar sat down with Parlé Magazine to discuss the show, their individual careers, and their off-camera romance.
With you both starring in Baby Boy and now on your show Family Time, how has the chemistry between you two progressed over the years?
Omar: We remained really good friends since the filming of Baby Boy into Family Time, so that helps with our on-screen chemistry. I think it shows when you guys see the program.
Angell: We formed a really good friendship on Baby Boy.
Omar: Yeah, A REALLY good relationship. We were in a relationship, which is something a lot of people don’t know.
Angell: Yeah, we are still good friends. He is one of my closest friends. We have a playful banter in everyday life, and it translates on camera very well. You can say it is all divine destiny, divine order.
How do separate your career from your brother, Cuba Gooding Jr.?
Omar: He is the big brother. He is very cool. Whenever I had a question about the business, he has always been there for me. We are real close.
Tell us a little bit more about Family Time.
Angell: It’s on a pretty new network called, Bounce. Everyone has access to the Bounce network. I know Verizon and Comcast have it. It is a newer network founded by Martin Luther King III and Andrew Young, and it has been around since 2011. It is one of the fastest growing African American networks ever. We were one of the first, if not the first, original sitcom of the network. We are on our third season, and it has grown over the past few years. It’s been doing well breaking records as far as the numbers are concerned. We had our season premiere on October 6th and the numbers doubled from the last season. It is truly on the up and up. It is a lot of great quality African-American programming that is specifically geared towards us and our community. That is what I love about the network. It is very uplifting. It’s good quality programming, you laugh, you cry, and it’s unapologetically geared towards African-Americans.
Omar: You can watch with your grandma and everyone else in the family. It’s a series where we play husband and wife, and we have two kids. In the pilot, the first season, I win a scratch off lottery ticket and move my family out of the hood. It is a very funny situational of comedy. We discuss a lot of topics that are current, edgy, and sexy. Angell has two sisters played by Paula Jai Parker and Tanjareen Thomas, and one of them is a lesbian. So I mean we cover all the bases.
Angell: The show is very millennial. Our characters play high school sweethearts, so we have that youthful vibe. My character still thinks she is cool enough to be on Instagram posting selfies in her workout outfit. I just think that is what makes our show so different, we have a young vibe.
Omar: We have positive role models, like going back to the Cosby show, where you can see two successful Black parents raising their kids the right way. The guest cast for this season is phenomenal.
Angell: The thing I like about Bentley Kyle Evans, who created the Jamie Foxx Show and executive produced Marin, is he has broken all types of records in television. He has no problem bringing in fresh faces or working with those who people don’t get to see enough of. He sprinkles in television veterans, singers, and artists with new faces and gives everyone an opportunity. I think this practice should be done in our community to give everyone a chance.
Outside of Family Time, what are somethings you are working on individually?
Omar: I stay busy. I have been in the music industry for a long time. Anytime you hear I have an album coming, trust me it’s coming. Look on iTunes for The Big O, it’s coming. I do a lot of independent films as well. I try to give up and coming African American film writers a chance when they ask for me to be apart of their project. I one coming up called “Before I Do” and another called “Guns and Grams”. Follow ya boy and check me out on social media. My social media handles are Instagram: @omargooding and theomargooding on Facebook and Twitter.
Angell: My social media handles are @angellconwell on Instagram and Twitter. I don’t go on Facebook. I have a film called, “Message from a Mistress.” I play a widow who is stirring up a whole lot of trouble. It is interesting because I have never played that type of character before, and that is what I look for in roles. At this stage in my career, I’m all about growth and challenging myself as an actress. I am also producing. I see there is a void in certain aspects of this business, and it is important to be more hands on and instrumental. I was on the Young and Restless for like five years, and it took up a lot of my time. Now that that load has lightened up, I can do other things. I’m one of those people who doesn’t like to talk about things until it is a little closer to happening.
Omar: We are both producers on Family Time also.
What advice would you give young actresses starting out?
Angell: Study and pray daily. Studying doesn’t mean going to a class, which is great if you have the resources to do that. You can read books and watch your favorite actor/actress and figure out what it is that connects you to that actor. You do not want to imitate the person. There is a huge difference between being inspired by someone and imitating someone. Study in your own way. Pay attention to your life and see how you can use it as a vessel to play certain characters. Maintain your individuality. We see all these different images in the media, and we think we need to conform. I feel like what makes you unique and what makes you outstanding is the fact that you are different from everyone else. Maintaining who you are and what you believe no matter what is important. The moment you try to switch up and do what you think makes someone else happy, they will switch up the program on you. Do not expect any overnight success.
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