Joseph Sikora & Isaac Keys Talk ‘Powerbook IV: Force’ [Exclusive]

Ahead of the show’s premiere, the two actors opened up about tackling the high-stakes challenge of closing out one of television’s most enduring spinoffs; what showrunner Gary Lennon fittingly described as “landing the plane,” a sentiment both Sikora and Keys said resonated deeply.

“I think because my character is in my third season, my plane is a little lower than Joseph’s,” Keys told BOSSIP. “But all in all, it was still about trying to find the character at the very beginning — the backstory, the storyline — and staying consistent. By season three, I knew exactly who Diamond [Sampson] is, what he wants, how he moves, even how he responds. The pressure was welcome. Whatever the character needed, I was open for it. It’s about the character and it’s about the show.”

Sikora, who has portrayed the volatile yet vulnerable Tommy Egan since the original Power, echoed that the behind-the-scenes experience was defined by collaboration and confidence.

“Behind the scenes, there’s a lot of trust,” Sikora said. “There’s a lot of trust between Isaac and I and Gary [Lennon], between Gary and his directors and his writers. He really sets up a community of support. The true burden was on Gary, but I loved that because I’ve been playing this character since the beginning. I’m the steward of Tommy, but in a lot of ways, this character is 50 percent Gary Lennon. He kept checking in with me, making sure things made sense. It was an honor to have that kind of trust.”

Sikora added that fans, especially those in the Windy City, are in for something special.

“I think Chicago’s going to love it,” he said. “The fans are going to love it. I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction.”

While Force is known for its gritty gunplay and power struggles, Sikora also reflected on Tommy’s softer side, particularly his complicated relationships with the women in his life, as the certified gangster is equal parts a certified lover boy.

“He’s like a serial monogamist in a way,” Sikora told BOSSIP. “Tommy’s always trying to fill that void. I think there’s an insatiable hole in him that comes from his upbringing. In my mind, his first kill was one of his mother’s boyfriends who was beating her. That trauma still drives him.”

Sikora went on to connect Tommy’s romantic patterns–from Holly to Lakeisha to his current love, Mireya, to his search for loyalty.

“With Holly, when she tried to kill Ghost, Tommy realized in real time where his loyalties really were,” he said. “With Lakeisha, we almost saw him pull that trigger until she said, ‘I’m all in.’ Then he put the gun down and said, ‘You’re my girl.’ And with Mireya, Gary [Lennon] wrote her journey beautifully. She had a long way to go until she said, ‘I’m all yours.’ Once she did, Tommy said, ‘Yeah, she’s my ride or die.’”

For Keys, his character Diamond Sampson is less about romance and more focused on brotherhood and closure.

“I knew who Diamond was this season,” he told BOSSIP. “It was about honoring him; his growth, his conflicts, and the code he lives by. At this point, it’s about finding peace with the choices he’s made.”

As Power Book IV: Force prepares to take its final bow, both actors say they’re proud of what they’ve built together. “We’ve been through a lot with these characters,” Sikora said. “We’ve grown with them, and hopefully the fans feel that too.”