‘In The Cut’ Stars and Executive Producer Talk the Premiere of Season 5 and What It’s Really Been Like to Work with an All-Star Cast

“We’re not here to hit you over the head with a message but if we can tickle your funny bone for 20 minutes and get you to forget about your troubles and your cares for the day then I know that we’re doing our job,” says In The Cut Star, Dorien Wilson

Ok, so we were all raised by a combination of one of three types of people. Either some type of parent figure(s), our grandparents, or one or more of the cast members from Bounce TV’s American sitcom, In The Cut.

The all-star cast is back together again for their 5th season and if you haven’t seen the show before then you are just simply doing yourself a disservice and we highly encourage you to binge watch it here as soon as you finish reading this article. 

Executive Producer, Bentley Kyle Evans (who also produced Martin, The Jamie Foxx Show and more), managed to bring together an all-star cast consisting of the hilariously talented John Marshall Jones (Smart Guy), Dorien Wilson a.k.a. ‘Professor Oglevee’ (The Parker’s), Ken Lawson (The Parker’s), Laura Hayes (Martin), Kellita Smith (The Bernie Mac Show), & the newest and freshest face of American daytime tv, Dorion Renaud.

https://twitter.com/bouncetv/status/766283144425197569?s=21

In between shooting promos for the new season, Whereisthebuzz sat down with the cast in Los Angeles to discuss everything from what we can expect to see in the 5th season to what it’s really been like working amongst some of the most talented and funniest actors and actresses in Hollywood.

“Season 5 is going to be an amazing season,” John explains eagerly when asked what we have to look forward to this season. “The writing took a step to a new level. The acting took a step to a new level. We have a full cast here. We have all of these leading characters who are also leading actors on television. So we have a lot of really wonderful elements that are going to make for a terrific season.”

“One thing that I really wanted to add too is that the writing has stepped up a LOT,” says Dorion Wilson. “We have some new writers that are amazing. Not only are they writing for our characters but they’re writing for us as individuals. They know what our strengths are and their playing to that. So it’s much easier for us to find new stuff within what they wrote.”

Who’s the funniest person in the cast in real life?

Karllita: Bentley Evans and he’s not even in the cast. (laughing)

Dorion: No but seriously, we’re all funny in our own way. All of us have different personalities and different humor. Quirky to spontaneous to over the top.

Miss Laura: For me, this feels like an interrogation. The photoshoot feels like taking a mugshot. Actually, are you a part of the FBI? You look familiar? (laughing)

Dorion Renaud, being the newest actor in the business out of the cast, what is it like working with all of these iconic people in the television industry?

Well for me, I have been watching every one of these people on tv since I was younger. It’s been an honor to watch these people and to work with these people. Every single one of them I’ve watched, from Miss Laura, coming in the kitchen on Comic View, to Smart Guy and The Bernie Mac Show. They’ve all kind of worked with each other at some point. So it’s kind of like a childhood dream for me to come to set every day because I feel like I’m on a sitcom that I was watching when I was growing up. It’s been a great journey. We started this thing like 5 years ago and I had never acted on-screen so now I’ve learned a lot. I feel like these people are just tv icons and I just celebrate them. I’m just so grateful that the people that were a part of my childhood are now a part of my ‘today’, and I just want to keep them alive because it’s important to bring stars together into one show. I’m just honored.

How hard is it to get a single scene done knowing that you have all of these great personalities?

Karlita: You’re talking about a scene?? Jesus of Nazareth (laughing). No, but seriously, we don’t have time to play. We are doing something… I don’t even want to say ‘groundbreaking’, but we’re doing some ‘earthquake’ like stuff. Listen, we are shooting 13 episodes in literally 10 minutes. The beautiful thing is that they picked the right people because if they would have picked one other person differently, then there would definitely be a delay (laughing).

“So saying all this to say that there’s a wealth of love here. I’m here because of Bentley Kyle Evans. My lineage with him is from Martin and Jamie Foxx, where I played ‘Cherice’. The smartest thing he did was grab everyone who answered their phones. And we’re here because we all picked up, but he got the right people for In the Cut which is why we’re on our way to season 6.

What does an average viewer get from watching the show?

John: Someone pointed out to me the other day that what she liked the most about the show was that in the end, we as characters are so good to each other. We’re always looking out for each other. It’s like one big family and you can see that on a daily basis, that we like each other and that comes out in the way that the scenes get played. So what I think the people will walk away from is getting a chance to spend some time with people that really like each other. So if you got a bunch of folks around you that you don’t like, come and spend some time with US (laughing).

Karlita: Well kick ‘em out 1st. (laughing)

John: Right, kick ’em out your house first, THEN turn us on and spend some time with us because we like you.

How much of the script is ad-libbed?

John: It’s either 0% or 100% depending on the day (laughing).

Dorian: Yeah, fortunately, we have great writers so we don’t have to embellish that much, but we are definitely given the freedom and the opportunity to explore or make something funnier than what’s on the page.

What’s is your process for getting into character?

Miss Laura: Well I just bring a bit of my real life and history to her, I mean, it happened automatically. When I’m playing a character, the character I’m really playing is ‘Mable Kinley’, playing Laura Hayes.

Kalita: What people don’t understand is that our process is not as conventional as you think. As artists, we come out of so many places in order to be present. So the homage is the fact that there is a process and it might not look conventional and it might not look great.

So when you have a 5-minute break during rehearsal what are you guys doing?

Miss Laura: I can’t tell you what I do on my lunch break (laughing)

How long does it take for the writers to create a full season?

Bentley Kyle Evans:

“I would say for a 13 episode season it’s about a 45-60 day process. Then, of course, you have to go back and forth with your network and get approvals to make sure we’re not crossing the line because as comic people we like to push the envelope.”

“It’s one of those shows where you don’t really have to work hard as a Director because they really know where to go and sometimes you just sit back and go ‘Guys, what’s the scene’? As long as my cameras can follow them they do their thing. There’s never any complaints because they know what they’re doing, they’re funny, they’re great actors, they take it seriously, and that’s all you can really ask for as a producer.”

In The Cut Season 5 Premieres