Let's face it: a lot of us are suckers for nostalgia and when you add some of our favourite real-life icons to the mix — well, who can say no? Case in point: you can probably imagine how excited we were to find out that one of ABC's newest fall TV shows would be tapping a star-studded cast to lead its highly-anticipated hip-hop drama. Queens, written by Zahir McGhee and directed by Tim Story, follows the lives of four women in their 40s who reunite to resurrect their legendary '90s girl group (aka the Nasty B*tches) that once made them stars in the hip-hop world. From music idols like Brandy and Eve to seasoned actresses like Naturi Naughton and Nadine Velazquez, meet the dazzling, stacked main cast ahead as we gear up for the series premiere on Oct. 19.
Brandy as Naomi aka Xplicit Lyrics
Image Source: Getty / Leon Bennett
As the most talented member of the Nasty B*tches, Naomi just knew she was destined for greatness even after her girl group fell apart. But instead, she found herself down on her luck waiting for her second chance to arrive, which eventually comes along but not without some baggage from her past.
Now Brandy's star qualities don't start and stop at her latest TV role, just check her lengthy résumé. The R&B superstar has been singing her way into our hearts since the '90s, and she's certainly no stranger to our TV screens. She helmed her own popular hit sitcom Moesha and proved that she was meant to be a Disney princess as the star of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. As if that isn't enough, she's a musical icon who's delivered hit albums like Brandy, Never Say Never, Full Moon, and B7, just to name a few.
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Eve as Brianna aka Professor Sex
Image Source: Getty / Gabe Ginsberg
Back in the '90s, Brianna was the pure embodiment of her iconic hip-hop group, rapping about money, sex, and everything else that came with her glamorous lifestyle. But today, she's a proud wife and mother of five who traded in her fast-paced lifestyle to take care of her family — which isn't much different from Eve's real life today. After dominating the rap game for years with chart-toppers like "Who's That Girl?," "Let Me Blow Ya Mind," and "Tambourine," the rap diva unofficially retired her hip-hop persona to embrace motherhood and her marriage with billionaire Maximillion Cooper.
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Naturi Naughton as Jill aka Da Thrill
Image Source: Getty / Leon Bennett
Jill aka Da Thrill was a skilled emcee with rhymes that matched her fast and furious lifestyle at the height of her group's success. But today, she's quite the opposite of her stage name as she now lives a devout Catholic life with her husband in Montana. Now this isn't Naughton's first time around the block as a member of a famous girl group. Before the Power alum embarked on her acting career, she was one-third of R&B trio 3LW along with group members Adrienne Bailon and Kiely Williams.
The ambitious Puerto Rican rapper was added to Nasty B*tches by their manager Eric as the fourth and final member, but her star quality helped catapult the group to superstardom. As the only talent that was able to maintain her fame, she's the lone group member that's remained in the limelight as the host of a top-rated morning talk show. In real life, Velazquez is a talented actress who's most notably known for her breakout role on My Name Is Earl, as well as other roles on shows like The League, Hart of Dixie, and Major Crimes.
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Pepi Sonuga as Lil Muffin aka Lauren Rice
Image Source: Getty / Rodin Eckenroth
Lil Muffin is a buzzy, colourful femcee who's going through the motions of fame because her career is being controlled by a bunch of money-hungry men. It's not until she links up with the Nasty B*tches that she learns the real meaning of sisterhood, especially since the ladies know exactly what she's going through after being in her same position. In addition to her upcoming role, Sonuga has prior experience being a series regular on shows like Famous in Love and Ash vs the Evil Dead. She also portrayed a young Angela Bassett on Fox's 9-1-1.
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Taylor Sele as Eric Jones
Image Source: Getty / John Lamparski
The Queens hustler had the hip-hop world in the palm of his hand in the '90s after he found a gold mine in manageing the Nasty B*tches. Still at the top of the music game 20 years later, Eric is looking to get his old group back together in the midst of his own mid-life crisis. Sele will become a series regular for the new ABC show after wrapping up a recurring arc on P-Valley and guest starring on other projects like The Deuce, Godfather of Harlem, and When They See Us.
