Me and my husband were in shock. It was something that we campaigned for and prayed for. BET was promising from the get-go that it was going to happen. My only hesitation is that we haven’t gotten our deals as actors yet. So I’m hoping there will be no hiccups. I can’t really scream and shout the way I want to, but I’m doing internal somersaults. I just don’t want to lose the integrity of the show. … There’s nothing worse than coming back and it’s different.

It’s not that often that you get a role that you identify with and you love. And working with this cast that has become a second family and is so close is great. [Mack] is my alter ego. I’m pretty much a quiet person but I love how she's sassy. She’s a relief for me on so many levels. I love her. She stands up for her son, she stands up for women -- I can’t wait to see where she will go.