'Queen Sugar': Fun Facts About the Popular TV Series

Fans are waiting for Queen Sugar to return to the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at 9 PM. It has been a long time since the finale of Season 3 ended on August 22, 2018. A total of 2.69 million people watched the drama when it premiered on September 6, 2016. Many of them became die-hard fans and can't wait for the return of the series.

Queen Sugar was created by Ava DuVernay. She and Oprah Winfrey are executive producers. DuVernay is not only the creator and one of the executive producers, but she also directed the first two episodes in Season 1. The television series is based on the novel by Natalie Baszile that was published in 2014. As you can see, it didn't take long for the television series to be produced.

As with most great movies and television shows, there is usually one thread to permeates throughout the series. It is the thing that most of the main characters have in common. That one act affects almost everyone in a different way. However, it brings everyone together through dialogue and action, and there is plenty of both in Queen Sugar.

There are some interesting things surrounding the characters on the popular fictional show as well as their real lives. Viewers are more familiar with the plot of the series than with the characters involved. Before Season 4 starts in June, it would be worthwhile to be reminded of who the characters are and how they add to the story individually and collectively.

The event that began the series and brought the estranged siblings together was the death of the patriarch of the family Ernest Bordelon. It was understood at first that the father had left all three children his 800-acre sugarcane farm, but the brother found a handwritten letter written by his father indicating that he was leaving his farm to the "one who needed it the most." He named his only son as the recipient.

Charlotte "Charley" Bordelon West, played by Dawn-Lyen Gardner, is the half-sister of Nova Bordelon, played by Rutina Wesley and Ralph Angel Bordelon, played by Kofi Siriboe. Charley is the daughter of Ernest's second wife. The other two siblings are children of the first wife who predeceased the children's father.

Charley Bordelon played by Dawn-Lyen Gardner

Charley Bordelon, played by Dawn-Lyen Gardner, left her upscale home in Los Angeles and moved to Louisiana with her teenage son after her basketball star husband was found being involved with prostitutes most of their marriage. It was an ideal time for Charley to move away, but troubles followed her to St. Josephine, Louisiana.

In real life, Gardner is a 37-year-old woman with a mixed racial heritage. Her father is black and her mother is Chinese. Her online race is similar to her real life. On the series, she has a black father and a white mother.

Michael West played by Nicholas L. Ashe

Charley's son, Micah West, plays a high school teenager. We know this because his father gave him a car for his 16th birthday and he was arrested while driving black.

Fans of the show should know that Micah, played by Nicholas L. Ashe, is actually 24 years old in real life. His role on the series cast him eight years younger because of his babyface looks, according to his online bio. He has been acting since he was 17.

Nova Bordelon played by Rutina Wesley

Nova Bordelon, played by Rutina Wesley, is a journalist, an outspoken activist, and herbal healer. Her role on Queen Sugar portrays her in relationships with both men and women. She has many different partners of both sexes. For a short time, she dated her sister's love interest, Remy Newell.

The 40-year actress and Gardner attended Juilliard at the same time. Gardner graduated in 2003 and Wesley graduated in 2005. Wesley was married to her former Juilliard classmate Jacob Fishel from 2005 to 2013. She has been engaged to a New Orleans female chef since 2017.

Ralph Angel Bordelon played by Kofi Siriboe

Ralph Angel Bordelon, played by Kofi Siriboe, is a single parent struggling to raise his 7-year-old son alone after he was released from prison. His relationship with ex-girlfriend Darla is extremely complicated.

In real life, Siriboe's life is completely different. The 25-year-old actor and model was born in Los Angeles, California, but his parents were born in Ghana. Siriboe is the middle child with two brothers who are also actors, Kwame Boateng and Kwesi Boakye. Notice all their names start with a "K."

Kofi made his first screen debut when he was only nine years old. If Kofi looks familiar, it is because he starred in the 2017 film, Girls Trip.

Kofi's ex-girlfriend Darla is played by 40-year-old Bianca Jasmine Lawson. She is the daughter of actor Richard Lawson who married Beyoncé's mother. That makes Bianca the step-daughter to Lawson's second wife Tina Knowles and step-sister to singers Beyoncé and Solange Knowles.

Like Nicholas L. Ashe, Bianca looks and acts much younger than she really is, especially when she comes up against her 25-year-old ex-boyfriend, Ralph Angel.

Season 4 will have more drama as the Bordelons continue to fight to save their family farm to preserve their father's legacy. All three siblings still have to deal with their own personal journeys and face trouble that is never far from them.

The most disturbing issue coming up in Season 4 is that Nova has published her memoir. She shares not only her secrets but those of her entire family. Her siblings and other relatives are not pleased that she airs their dirty laundry as she goes around the country promoting the book. No one gave Nova permission to write about them. In fact, they did not find out any details until they read about themselves in the book just as other readers did.

Soundtracks will continue to exist in the upcoming season. Over the last three seasons, exactly 300 songs were played. Did you notice them?

• Season 1 had 101 songs.
• Season 2 had 110 songs.
• Season 3 had 89 songs.

Expect to hear more songs during Season 4.