Warning: This article contains spoilers forP-Valleyseason 2 episode 5, “White Knights.”
Tonight,P-Valleyviewers got to know Keyshawn (Shannon Thornton) much better.
We also see when the abuse in their relationship began.
Kyle Kaplan/Starz
In the episode, Keyshawn is riding high until Rome (Blue Kimble) brings this crashing down.
That is the final straw for her, but before she can leave, he brutally attacks her.
What do you think about the arc your character has had so far?
Kyle Kaplan/Starz
I do miss filming in the locker rooms at the Pynk.
I miss performing on the Pynk stage and doing scenes withUncle Clifford (Nicco Annan)and the girls.
It’s a lot of fun being able to go on tour and work with the guys this season.
But yeah, I miss aspects of season 1 for sure.
What does it mean to you to get to learn about Miss Mississippi’s back story?
Was there anything about her past that surprised you?
All those questions are answered in the episode.
You get to see her in her younger years too, which is a lot of fun.
I got to play a teenager; I haven’t been to high school in a minute.
We see some other cast members pop in and you realize we’re all linked.
She’s a waitress at the local diner.
I though that was really fun.
I was very surprised to learn that Keyshawn comes from an upper middle class family.
And her choice to stay with Derrick, they both lost everything and had to start from scratch.
That was very surprising for me.
What was it like to work with Joseline?
She was very playful, but also took her role seriously.
I remember her telling me she wanted to do a really good job and she did.
They gave her a big chunk of dialogue and she killed it.
We don’t know much about Keyshawn’s family before this.
What role does her relationship with her stepmother and stepsister play in who she is in the present?
Her relationship with her stepmother specifically has definitely affected who she is as a person today.
Her stepmother subconsciously put her against her lighter-skinned sisters.
You’ll see them again.
They’ll pop in towards the end [of the season].
What was it like to see the start of Keyshawn’s relationship with Derrick?
What do you think learning about their past adds to what we know about their relationship?
There’s a lot of history there with Keyshawn and Derrick.
They’ve known each other since they were teenagers.
He’s not just one thing.
There are many things that make you fall in love.
Some of Keyshawn’s toughest scenes on the series have been those with Derrick.
What has been the reception from viewers about those scenes?
How will Rome’s attack impact Keyshawn moving forward?
With Rome, Keyshawn saw him as a brother and someone that she could trust.
And when he tried to rape her, she finally realized that none of it was real.
This is someone who was actually preying on her.
Is there more to them coming?
He could be a great choice for a manager.
Keyshawn seeing Derrick hurt her child changed things and results in a vicious attack from Derrick.
Will this incident be a turning point for her?
Throughout the season you will see Keyshawn make several attempts to leave Derrick.
That was absolutely the final straw for her.
It gives her a sense of urgency.
Keyshawn ends the tour early.
What can you tease about what’s next for her professionally?
Keyshawn is resourceful and she’s a go-getter, so she will figure something out.
You’ll see her do just that.
Towards the end of the season, she calls on some old friends.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
P-Valleyairs Sundays at 10 p.m. on Starz.
