Wendy Raquel Robinson plays the boss on The Varnell Hill Show, but she’s not always in control.
The actress co-stars in the new comedy series as Rachel Perkins, the no-nonsense executive producer brought in to save Varnell Hill’s struggling late-night show from cancellation.
But behind Rachel’s strong exterior is a woman navigating workplace politics and trying to keep her job.
In an interview with Urban Hollywood 411, Robinson said she developed the character by tapping into her personal experiences.
“When we go out there, we wear the mask that grins and hides. It covers our cheeks and shades our eyes,” she said.
Related: Varnell Clings to the Past in First Trailer for ‘The Varnell Hill Show’
The Howard University alum also admitted there was some “code-switching” going on.
“So many times, the roles that we play in certain environments reminded me of this character,” she said.
Code-switching involves changing the way you speak or act in different social or cultural settings to fit in. An April article in Health.com said people of color sometimes code-switch to be “accepted in professional settings” or to “connect with others.”
On The Varnell Hill Show, Rachel’s boss is a condescending, white male nepo baby who is secretly plotting against Varnell and his mostly Black staff.
Robinson told us she could relate to some of her character’s experiences.
“Who I am in a professional world is very different than who I am [in real life],” she explained. “So I pulled from a lot of that, and I tried to keep it as real and as grounded as possible, where you could believe who she is in both worlds.”
Rachel’s ability to adapt is partly about survival. She knows when to speak her mind, but she also understands saying what she thinks could come at a cost.
“You can really have empathy with her, knowing that, okay, she needs this job,” Robinson explained. “I’m going to swallow all of that tongue that can get me into trouble and I’ll go along with it.”
While Robinson welcomed the role of a shot caller, she really enjoyed working with series lead Tommy Davidson and fellow comedy veterans Kym Whitley and Martin Lawrence.
“With Tommy, you never know what’s going to come out of his mouth,” she quipped. “We have some of the most intense scenes, and he’s so genius and so quick with his comedy that it’s really hard.”
To keep from cracking up and breaking character, Robinson said she reminded herself Rachel can’t stand Varnell.
“I just had to remember, my character does not like you, Tommy — Varnell — and we are at odds,” she explained. “Just remain true to your objective.”
The workplace comedy arrives nearly three decades after Davidson played Varnell on Martin during the sitcom’s run on Fox from 1992 to 1997.
Lawrence co-executive produces the show and reunites with Davidson on several episodes. The supporting cast also includes Nick Cafero, Emmanuel Hudson, Judy Gold and Chris Williams.
The half-hour spinoff is produced in association with BET Studios. Bentley Kyle Evans, who previously worked on Martin, executive produces and serves as showrunner, writer and director. Tommy Davidson, Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, Stacy Lyles, Rae Proctor, Robert Lawrence, Mark Greenberg and Andrew Horne are executive producers.
And at the end of each episode, there’s a surprise musical guest.
“Kirk Franklin, he turned it up,” Robinson told us. “October London was just yummy, yummy, yummy. Omarion was fresh and fiery and all of that. So I think as a whole, all of the musical guests were very specific.”
To find out who else drops by, you can check out The Varnell Hill Show for yourself.
The series debuted with two episodes Tuesday, Sept. 1 on Paramount+. A new episode drops every Tuesday through Oct. 13.
Discover more from Urban Hollywood 411
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
