This past weekend I got the chance to attend the Great Philadelphia Comic Con and catch up with one of the rising stars from Black Lightning, China Anne McClain (Jennifer Pierce). With the show currently on break for the summer and now streaming on Netflix (you can read my review of the finale here) I sat down with China to talk about Black Lightning season 2, Luke Cage and her newest upcoming project.
Pictured (Left: Cress Williams/Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning, Top: Nafessa Williams/Anissa Pierce, Right: China Anne McClain/Jennifer Pierce)
(Photo Source: The CW)
TGON: At the end of the first season, during the finale, Jennifer finally started to accept her powers and her place in the family. Starting season 2, where is Jennifer at mentally?
China: “I don’t want to say too much, but I feel like at the end of the last season she really did accept the fact that she has powers, she doesn’t feel like a freak anymore, she doesn’t care what anyone thinks about it, she thinks its cool because more importantly than anything she can now protect her family and she’s accepted who her family is and she loves her family. I’m expecting her to be too comfortable with her powers, starting season 2.”
TGON: Have you talked to the writers or the producers about Lightning’s suit, what do you know?
China: “I actually did get my first call about her suit, I cant say anything about it yet, but it’s gonna be alive, I’m just saying.”
TGON: What is a lesson China could learn from Jennifer or vice-versa?
China: “Well, I think that I could learn, first of all, some hair-tips from Jennifer because her hair is always fly, and obviously mine isn’t, so I can learn that from her. At this point in my life, I’m pretty comfortable with who I am and I love my family and I’m proud of that and I think that is something Jennifer could learn.”
TGON: You’ve been acting since you were a child, but this is your first chance playing a superhero, how has it changed your life so far?
China: “Its really changed, it’s awesome. It’s cool going from a supervillain and playing somebody bad to playing somebody good and playing somebody who’s going to help people, that’s been really exciting to me.”
TGON: I think fan’s of the DC TV shows really want to see Black Lightning crossover into the Arrowverse, for you personally is there one show you want to crossover with or one character you want to see Lightning team-up with?
China: “The Flash. I really like the Flash a lot, I love Grant so that would be really cool to team-up with him and he do something. All the shows are cool. I actually feel like Arrow is more our vibe, it’s a little bit darker, the flash is more colorful, but any of the shows, any of the characters, I think we can find a way to make it work, because Black Lightning is different then all of the other DC TV shows.
TGON: How’s your experience at the Great Philadelphia Comic Con been so far?
China: “It’s been awesome, I’ve been having so much fun, everybody is so sweet and so nice and I’m seeing people and they’re excited, I think I’m more excited than they are, so it’s been great!”
TGON: Did you get a chance to meet Luke Cage yet?
China: “I did! I met him yesterday and saw him today again, he’s super cool, I wanted to ask him to pick up the couch and throw it but that would have been a little bit much.”
TGON: Have you been to San Diego Comic Con?
China: “I have, it’s insane, I made a rookie mistake and wore heels to the first one, I was like I’m wearing flats every time after this, to every comic con, I’m never doing that again.”
TGON: What are you working on now with Black Lightning being in the off-season?
China: “Right now, I’m filming Descendants 3, it’s really cool, it’s really big, the musical numbers are bigger and everything is bigger for this one, we’re doing rehearsals for it right now.”
The first season of Black Lightning is now streaming on Netflix.
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