Set in Memphis, Tenn., Greenleaf takes off with the arrival of Grace (Merle Dandridge), the eldest daughter of Bishop James Greenleaf and wife Lady Mae Greenleaf. ( Grace was the oldest daughter and Charity was the youngest, because Jacob tells Grace, "Remember you left Faith too..." when Grace left to go to college.) Grace says, âDaddy did lay himself on the altar for us.â [4], In 2015, Dandridge was cast as the lead character in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf opposite Lynn Whitfield. AJ went on to reveal that he was raped by fellow inmates and contracted HIV as a result. In 2015, she co-starred in the second season of NBC medical drama, The Night Shift as Gwen Gaskin. Charity Greenleaf. On November 15, 2019, OWN confirmed the renew⦠On November 23, 2018, OWN renewed the series for a fourth season. Merle Dandridge (born May 31, 1975) is an American actress and singer. [15] In 2020, Dandridge was cast in a series regular role in the eight-episode HBO Max thriller drama series The Flight Attendant. OWNâs popular series Greenleaf may have ended in August after five drama-filled seasons, but the show lives on through Netflix for a new group of viewers to discover. Get Caught Up: Before you indulge in this juicy meat and potatoes of last nightâs episode, first get caught up on what youâve missed thus far by watching OWNâs brilliant 6-minute recap of season 1.. Part 1 of Greenleafâs mid-season premiere aired last night, Wednesday August 15, with a real cutthroat opening scene (pun intended. The April 24th Joshua Battle Went Down and an Unlikely Victor Has Emerged, Remember that Viral "Joshua Fight" Meme? âI didnât know accompany was the magic word,â he says. I have so much love and adoration for her because she has often had to ⦠And yes, she did the dang thing in this episode alongside the immensely talented Charity (Deborah Joy Winans). [5][6] Dandridge has received critical acclaim for her first leading screen role. Back at the mansion, Charity and Kerissa chastise Grace. At least we can binge all five seasons of Greenleaf on Netflix while we wait! On Greenleaf, Rick plays Darius Nash, an investigative journalist who develops a steamy relationship with Grace Greenleaf, played by Merle Dandridge. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. "That’s my life. WARNING: Spoilers ahead! [3] Dandridge also had the recurring roles in the FX drama series, Sons of Anarchy as Rita Roosevelt, and short-lived The CW teen soap Star-Crossed in 2014. One of the major narratives in Greenleaf's final few episodes dealt with the trauma surrounding Grace’s son, AJ, and the secret he’d been keeping from his parents. Fitting, for the god of de It stars Keith David, Lynn Whitfield, and Merle Dandridge. A popular theory among commenters is that the mystery man who appeared at Faith’s gravesite in the Season 4 finale (see picture below) is her actual son and AJ was his cellmate. Don't @ me. "The current AJ did tell [Grace] that he did research on her and her family… I believe this current individual is a fake and he’s the HIV rapist and he is using Grace’s [son’s] identity.". It's been more than 20 years since Grace "Gigi" Greenleaf sat down with her family for dinner. [16], Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Showtune: Celebrating the Words & Music of Jerry Herman, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, "DIVA TALK: Chatting with Spamalot's Merle Dandridge Plus Betty Buckley at Birdland", "Merle Dandridge Lands Role on NBC Pilot Chicago Fire", "Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge & Desiree Ross Join 'Greenleaf, "Shadow and Act: Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge and Desiree Ross Cast in OWN's Church Drama, 'Greenleaf, "Meet Merle Dandridge, the 'Greenleaf' leading lady picked by Oprah", "5 Reasons to Watch Oprah Winfrey's New Series 'Greenleaf, "Norm Lewis and Tamyra Gray Join Cast of Broadway's Once on This Island January 8", "Merle Dandridge Returns to Broadway's Once On This Island", "Fallout 4 wins Best Game at 2016 BAFTA Game Awards", "2021 SAG Awards: The Complete Nominations List", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merle_Dandridge&oldid=1018400260, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 April 2021, at 22:18. Her mother was a local Okinawan of Korean descent, and her father was an African American serviceman from Memphis that ⦠You can follow Shaina on Twitter at ⦠On television, she guest starred on NCIS, 24, Criminal Minds, The Newsroom and Drop Dead Diva. She appeared in productions like Rent , Aida , and Jesus Christ Superstar , and then lent her BAFTA-winning voice to animate video games such as Half-Life 2 and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture . Back at the Church, Bob and Phill talk about the Greenleaf family plotting to take the church back. She was born in Okinawa, Japan. [13] Along with cast, she received Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album nomination for cast recording. She is the former response pastor of Calvary World Ministries in Memphis, TN who started a ⦠"I’m gonna tell you something, and after I say it, I don’t want to talk about it," he declared from his hospital bed. Greenleaf premiered on the Oprah Winfrey Network on June 21, 2016. Oprah Is a Memorable Character as Mavis McCready on 'Greenleaf', People Are Convinced That Oprah Owns the Entire Discovery Network, Meet Lovie Simone, the Star of 'Selah and the Spades' and 'The Craft'. In 2006, she was cast as Kala in the original Broadway production of Tarzan. When Grace tells Noah, âyouâre home to me,â it shows so much familiarity and comfort with him. The fourth season premiered on September 3, 2019. The Grace Greenleaf Effect then is a contemporary prophetic oration of Isaiah 59:4 where God tells the prophet Isaiah that âno one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truthâ and he considers such to be the reason why âwe look for justice, but there is ⦠Unless the writers are plotting a twist involving AJ for the show’s upcoming spin-off, then he is in fact the son Grace gave up for adoption when she was just 18 years old. However, fans werenât convinced that the former convict was even the ⦠CF: Kimm, you just preached a word and a half right there. ... Amnon, in 2 Samuel 13:1-28. Merle Dandridge. Rick Fox isn't simply an athlete, an entrepreneur and one of the sexiest men alive; he's also a skilled actor. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the set of 'Greenleaf' with Merle Dandridge, who plays Grace Greenleaf. Interestingly enough, Mae defends Grace. Directed by (24) Writing credits (33) Cast (351) Produced by (21) Music by (2) Cinematography by (3) Film Editing by (6) Casting By (5) Production Design by (2) Art Direction by (4) Set Decoration by (2) Costume Design by (1) Makeup Department (28) "I was a bit let down by AJ’s secret. Later on, Lady Mae explains to her family that she has been asked to honor Bishop on Sunday. Grace is the best character in the Greenleaf series. She has had recurring role on television series such as Sons of Anarchy, The Night Shift, and The Flight Attendant, and began starring as Grace Greenleaf in the drama series Greenleaf in 2016. Merle Dandridge (born May 31, 1975) is an American actress and singer. Faith Greenleaf was the middle daughter of James and Mae Greenleaf . âGreenleafâ Season 3, Episode 12 Recap: âPride Goeth Before A Fallâ The day of Lady Mae (Lynn Whitfield) has finally come and any episode with Miss Pattie Pattie â Maxine Patterson, singing is a BLESSING! She is best known for performing in Broadway musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Spamalot, Rent, and Once on this Island, as well as her video game roles as Alyx Vance in the Half-Life series and Marlene in The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II. Upstairs, Lady Mae extended an olive branch to Charity by way of her old choir songbook â in which sheâd written Rev. Darius tells Grace that if her future was in New York, he would accompany her there. She then attended the Theatre Conservatory at Roosevelt University (currently called the Chicago College of Performing Arts). She has gained a wider audience as the voice of Alyx Vance in the award-winning action game Half-Life 2 and its sequels, Episode One and Episode Two, and also as Marlene in The Last of Us. OWN’s popular series Greenleaf may have ended in August after five drama-filled seasons, but the show lives on through Netflix for a new group of viewers to discover. Charity Greenleaf. Greenleaf Season Two Premiere: Preaching Grace, Not Perfection. She has had recurring role on television series such as Sons of Anarchy, The Night Shift, and The Flight Attendant, and began starring as Grace Greenleaf in the drama series Greenleaf in 2016. "I think Lady Mae’s new role as the pastor of [Calvary Fellowship] or another church is definitely going be the tentpole of whatever we do next," the executive producer told TVLine after the finale. [11][12] She returned to the role of Papa Ge in a limited run from June 18 to August 19, 2018. Charity (Deborah Joy Winans), the youngest and most overlooked Greenleaf, is fighting to be recognized beyond her singing ministry, and is constantly unlucky in love. That’s the situation, OK?" She plays the role of Grace Greenleaf, Greenleaf's estranged daughter. . Terri Abney. How Rick Fox Was Cast as Grace's Love Interest. Leah Monet Johnson. They suspect that Grace tried to get Charity and Jacob a job and know what her underlying plan is. "I’m sick of being treated like a puzzle everyone’s trying to figure out.". Merle Dandridge, who plays Grace "Gigi" Greenleaf, is biracial. [2], Dandridge began her career appearing in Chicago theatre productions. From the time Grace came back home, Noah has shown a love and support that has not been matched by no other person in the Greenleaf family (and sadly not her own biological mother.) If youâd rather watch first, read later, off ya go. Despite the shocking announcement, fans had trouble accepting that there wasn’t more to the story. âGreenleafâ is an operatic behind-the-scenes account of a daughterâs return to a power-crazed family after she has broken ties with their Memphis megachurch empire. [7][8][9], From November 9, 2017 to January 7, 2018, Dandridge starred as Papa Ge the God of Death in the Broadway musical revival of Once on This Island,[10] at the Circle in the Square Theater. Grace notably stepped down as a pastor, Phil left Charity for Judee, and Calvary is set to be demolished. he concluded. Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge) is trying to forge a relationship with her secret son, AJ (Jacob Gibson). Clement Virgo also serves as an executive producer and director. Mae Sophia Grace Kerissa Zora Episodes Select Episode --- Season 5 --- 08 Behold 07 The Seventh Day 06 The Sixth Day 05 The Fifth Day 04 The Fourth Day 03 The Third Day 02 The Second Day 01 The First Day --- Season 4 --- 05 Unwanted 04 A Common Enemy 03 Visions and Dreams 02 ⦠I still think he’s hiding more stuff," one individual wrote below a TVLine recap. He finally admitted to Grace what led him to attempt suicide in the Season 5 premiere. Played By. Dandridge was born in Okinawa on May 31, 1975. And while she comes from a famous singing familyâher father is one of the Winansâ siblingsâsinging isnât Winans first love. Grace, like Absalom, is all about making things right. https://www.oprah.com/own-greenleaf/grace-greenleaf-goes-to-church-and-video One of the major narratives in Greenleaf's final few episodes dealt with the trauma surrounding Graceâs son, AJ, and the secret heâd been keeping from his parents. During the service, the bishop delivers a stirring sermon that seems both universal and deeply personal. Warning: The following contains spoilers for the series finale of Greenleaf. Dandridge earned a BAFTA Award for her voiceover performance in the 2015 game Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. In 2012, she was cast in a series regular role as Chief in the NBC drama series Chicago Fire. She moved back to the U.S. with her parents due to her father's job, and they lived at Beale Air Force Base in California before settling at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska, where Dandridge spent the majority of her childhood. Grace starts bawling in his arms then. Instead, the series ended on a high note for AJ. Here's How to Do It Yourself. Greenleaf (2016â2020) Series Cast & Crew. "When I saw her [preaching], it made me even more excited about the spin-off, because when you hear Lady Mae talking about how to love the past enough to let it go and how to look for the future, it’s just so exciting to me to do another chapter in the story," he added. She attended Papillion La Vista High School and participated in the play production class and theater department there. She was born in Okinawa, Japan. Grace decides to help accused murderer Coralie Hunter, Lady Mae throws Bishop out of the house, Jacob kisses Tasha Skanks & Zora escapes the Greenleaf estate in this Greenleaf Recap Season 3 Episode 7: That Was Then⦠Grace Greenleaf is the main protagonist of the series Greenleaf on the Oprah Winfrey Network, and the daughter of James Greenleaf and Mae Greenleaf. https://www.oprah.com/own-greenleaf/the-music-from-greenleaf-on-own Papa Ge is a major departure from Grace Greenleaf, the role bringing Dandridge national recognition as the star of Greenleaf, on the OWN Network.Aside from the gender-bending roles of this production, which also stars Glee favorite Alex Newell as goddess Asaka, singing the house down, Dandridgeâs embodiment of Papa Ge is raw, sinewy and very dark. [1] Her mother was a Korean woman who lived in Okinawa at the time, while her father was an African-American soldier from Memphis, Tennessee. Don't @ me. According to the drama’s creator, Craig Wright, Bishop’s widow (played by Lynn Whitfield) is ready for her close-up. But Lady Mae, like David, seems unwilling to do anything about the harm Amnon/Uncle Mac did to Tamar/Faith. All Rights Reserved. His and Grace’s relationship was shown to be going well even after he chose to live with his dad Noah. Whether or not we’ll see the character on our TV screens again remains a mystery… at least for now. She is best known for performing in Broadway musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Spamalot, Rent, and Once on this Island, as well as her video game roles as Alyx Vance in the Half-Life series and Marlene in The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II. In work mode, sheâs a digital publishing content manager, tutor, editor, and business owner. To her group chat friends, sheâs an amateur bootlegger and thrower of polite shade. Though many viewers speculated that AJ’s secret would have something to do with his real identity, it actually centered on his time in prison. Now that the series is over, here’s how that storyline wrapped up. Before the 43-year-old actress hit OWN's Greenleaf as Grace Greenleaf, a former pastor turned journalist, Dandridge actually got her start on Broadway. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Upstairs, Lady Mae extended an olive branch to Charity by way of her old choir songbook â in which sheâd written Rev. Distractify is a registered trademark. [14] Also in 2018, she had a recurring role in the CBS comedy series Murphy Brown playing the role of a network boss. "I am sure that the real AJ told him about him being adopted and about his real folks," one person said in support of the impersonator thesis. However, fans weren’t convinced that the former convict was even the pastor’s real child. © Copyright 2021 Distractify. It Actually Happened, and It Was Epic, Bong Joon-ho Confirms That He's Got One of Two New Screenplays Already Finished, Jealous of All the Cool Reversed Videos on TikTok? Grace agrees to try and work things out Harmony & Hope. Greenleaf season 4 ended with shocking changes in play for the Greenleaf family. She is a giver of great advice and living the fabulous auntie life. Greenleaf is an American television drama series, created by Craig Wright, and executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Lionsgate Television.