When “Queen Sugar” first began production in 2016, creator and executive producer Ava DuVernay made a commitment to exclusively hire women as directors. She kept that promise through the entire series run. Over the course of its seven seasons, “Queen Sugar” has employed 42 women to direct episodes of the show. 39 of those were first-time scripted television directors in the United States. Every director has gone on to direct a wide variety of award-winning television series and films across all major streaming and broadcast networks. The final season welcomes the return of seven directors from previous seasons, including Kat Candler, Stacey Muhammad, showrunner Shaz Bennett, Patricia Cordoso, Aurora Guerrero, DeMane Davis and Ava DuVernay. After having directed the pilot in season one, DuVernay will return to direct the final episode in a full-circle moment.
The series stars Rutina Wesley (Nova), Kofi Siriboe (Ralph Angel), Tina Lifford (Violet Bordelon), Omar J. Dorsey (Hollywood Desonier), Nicholas Ashe (Micah), Bianca Lawson (Darla) and Henry G. Sanders (Prosper Denton).
Notable guest stars returning for Season 7 include Emmy award-winner Glynn Turman, the late father of the Bordelon siblings; Emmy nominees Tracie Thoms, as Nova’s long-lost high school love, and Sharon Lawrence as Charley Bordelon’s mother Lorna; Emmy award-winner Greg Vaughan as Nova’s former partner; Vanessa Bell Calloway (“This Is Us,” “Shameless”), Amirah Vann as family nemesis Parker Campbell; and Brian Michael as Ralph Angel’s high school friend and current police officer Toine. Kaci Walfall (“Naomi”), and Lamman Rucker (“Greenleaf”) join returning recurring cast members who include Reagan Gomez, who portrays Nova’s former lover Chantal; Grammy Award-winner Ann Nesby as Sandy, the at-home nurse who catches Prosper Denton’s eye; Tanyell Waivers, Micah’s ex-girlfriend Keke; McKinley Freeman, Nova’s anthropologist boyfriend Dominic; and Vivien Ngô, Ralph Angel’s ex-girlfriend Trinh.
Are you as excited as us for the return of “Queen Sugar?”
