- J. Alphonse Nicholson rose from NYC street drummer to Oscar-contender through his role as Lil Murda.
- Shannon Thornton’s portrayal of abuse survivor Keyshawn prompted viewers to recognize domestic violence in their own lives.
- Creator Katori Hall intentionally depicted financial and emotional barriers preventing abuse victims from leaving relationships.
The Pynk is opening its doors one last time!
After more than four years, P-Valley is returning for its third and final season, and the stars of the acclaimed Starz series are reflecting on the Chucalissa characters, compelling storylines, and persistently patient fans eager to step back inside The Pynk.
During an exclusive appearance on The Tamron Hall Show, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator Katori Hall joined cast members Nicco Annan, J. Alphonse Nicholson and Shannon Thornton for an emotional conversation about the show’s legacy, its long-awaited return and the powerful performances that have resonated with viewers.
J. Alphonse Nicholson gets emotional revisiting his original P-Valley audition and rise to Hollywood success.
As the conversation unfolded, J. Alphonse Nicholson discussed going from drumming in New York City’s subway stations and Times Square, and a surprise from Tamron brought those memories back in full force.
During the chat, Tamron recalled Nicholson’s earlier appearance on her show, when the actor became emotional discussing reactions to his portrayal of Lil Murda, Uncle Clifford’s rapping, trapping, formerly closeted lover turned proudly out-and-open boo thang.
“I remember when we first met, and you came on and we started on this journey with Lil Murda,” she said. “There was a big reaction on social media that had you in tears because you were representing this person that not everybody was ready to understand.”
“Through your performance, you made us fall in love with him,” she added.
The host then surprised Nicholson with footage from his original P-Valley audition, which featured the actor delivering a freestyle performance that helped introduce his interpretation of Lil Murda.
Tamron also celebrated his remarkable career trajectory, recalling how Nicholson once performed as a street drummer in Times Square before making his way into theater, television and film.
“From the subway to the top,” Tamron said, noting that the actor is now being discussed as a potential Oscar contender for his film If I Go Will They Miss Me.
That moment made Nicholson visibly moved, and he joked that Tamron knew exactly how to bring out his emotions.
“First of all, I think Tamron Hall, she knows what she do. She’s like, ‘I’m going to make them cry,’” he said.
The actor explained that New York City holds a special place in his heart because it was where he developed his craft, built his career, and connected with Katori.
“This city means the world to me. I was able to build a career here. I met Katori here,” Nicholson shared.
He also recalled preparing the freestyle featured in his audition while sitting in a car with his friend Denzel, who was so impressed by his skills that he suggested Nicholson pursue a music career.
“I remember sitting in the car with my homie Denzel,” Nicholson said. “Him being like, ‘Man, you can rap, bro. Maybe one day you could be a rapper or something.’ I was like, ‘Nah, I’m just going to stick to acting or drumming.’”
Of course, Nicholson ultimately found a way to combine those talents through Lil Murda, a character whose musical ambitions and personal struggles have become central to P-Valley.
“And so to go from street drumming, from doing theater to moving to TV and film, to becoming what I like to call the Hannah Montana of P-Valley,” he reflected.
Shannon Thornton Reveals How P-Valley Helped Domestic Abuse Survivors Recognize Their Own Experiences
Nicholson wasn’t the only cast member reflecting on how P-Valley changed lives.
Shannon Thornton, who portrays Keyshawn, better known as Miss Mississippi, joined the conversation to discuss her character’s ongoing struggle to escape an abusive relationship with Derek, the father of her children.
Before finding success on the Starz series, Thornton revealed that she was living in the Bronx and growing increasingly discouraged after enduring hundreds of unsuccessful auditions.
“At the time I auditioned for P-Valley, I was living in the Bronx,” she recalled. “I had auditioned for so many hundreds of things, and I just couldn’t make it to the next step in the audition process.”
Despite feeling defeated, however, Thornton said she refused to abandon her dreams.
“I was tired, but there was something that told me to keep going because regret, the regret of just stopping before the next thing would have killed me,” she explained. “So I was like, I have to see this through.”
Her determination paid off when she landed the role of Keyshawn, Lil Murda’s bestie/beard whose beauty and confidence onstage conceal the abuse she experiences at home.
Tamron recalled being particularly struck by Thornton’s audition tape, in which the actress applied additional bruising makeup to convey the physical abuse her character was experiencing.
Thornton explained that she wanted to portray Keyshawn as a multidimensional woman rather than define her solely by her circumstances.
“I thought it was important to not play her one color or one note because she’s so much more than that,” she said. “She’s more than just a pretty girl. She’s so complicated. She’s so human.”
The actress continued,
“She so deeply wants to be loved. She also wants to be free. And you see her just battling those two things and running towards freedom throughout.”
That complexity has resonated deeply with viewers, particularly women who recognized aspects of their own experiences in Keyshawn’s story.
Thornton recalled the overwhelming response to Season 2, Episode 5, which depicted the abuse Keyshawn endured in real time rather than showing only its aftermath.
“There were a lot of people who had reached out to me who were experiencing that, who didn’t know… They didn’t know it was that bad,” Thornton explained through tears.
“So they watched it, and they thanked me for, I guess, holding up a mirror and being able to see the abuse outside looking in.”
The actress said other viewers shared how the storyline prompted conversations with their children, while some fans approached her to celebrate personal accomplishments.
During the discussion, Katori Hall also emphasized the importance of depicting the psychological, emotional, and financial barriers that can prevent someone from leaving an abusive relationship.
The creator, who conducted extensive research with women working in adult entertainment while developing P-Valley, explained that Keyshawn’s storyline was intentionally written to confront assumptions about domestic violence survivors.
“The beautiful thing about art is that we get to use fiction and to tell the truth,” Katori said.
She acknowledged that viewers have sometimes expressed frustration with Keyshawn’s decisions, particularly her difficulty leaving Derek.
“People got frustrated. People were like, ‘Well, why she don’t leave him?’” she recalled.
“There are so many things that prevent a woman from leaving. There’s fear, but sometimes it’s finances, right?” she said.
But Katori explained that those reactions mirror the judgments many survivors face in real life.
“We embrace your frustration, but we are going to show you beat by beat by beat how it’s possible, how a woman could possibly break through,” she added.
The discussion also included a sneak peek at Season 3, which finds Keyshawn still incarcerated following the dramatic events of the second-season finale.
Take a look at Shannon Thornton on Tamron Hall below.
