She's starred on multiple American comedy shows including Survivor's Remorse, One on One, Martin Lawrence's Martin and Everybody Hates Chris, where she played Chris Rock's mother Rochelle.
Now
Tichina Arnold is in South Africa where she's joined the cast of Mzansi Magic's prison drama Lockdown for Season 3.
It premieres in July and Tichina plays Pauletta Scott, an inmate.
Tichina arrived in the country on Monday evening (28 May) and starts filming today (30th).
What's going on?? How did it happen that she's on the show?
We chatted to her to get the 411:
TVSA: Welcome to South Africa! How long will you be here for?
Tichina: I'll be here for the next 14 days, until June 11th.
TVSA: So how did it all happen that you're going to be on Lockdown?
Tichina: Oh my gosh, well, I have a friend in a business constituent named Bart Phillips - he produced the Triumph Awards for Al Sharpton - he did that for three straight years and then Bart said, "Tichina, I think there's a wonderful opportunity for you to be a part of a production that's in South Africa that I think you really, really... you need to talk to this guy Mandla (
Mandla N - lookout for him on Zaziwa - he's guesting tonight).
So Mandla and I had a conversation and he basically sold me on this show and everything creatively that he's trying to do with Black Brain Pictures.
TVSA: Ah, so this character was essentially written for you?
Tichina: Yes! Isn't that wonderful?
TVSA: Very cool. We can't think of another instance where a local show has brought in an international actress for a role that's been specifically written for them.
Tichina: It's gonna be awesome and I hope this is something of many more to come and that I'm not the only one.
TVSA: What do you know about your character at this point?
Tichina: Well, I know a lot about her that I'm not gonna share with you otherwise I'll be giving away the storyline. Pauletta seems like a force to be reckoned with but we don't know that when we see her.
It's almost like I'm playing two characters, her intent and the reason why she got locked up and her intent for being there - that's the one reason - I cannot give that away - but how she carries herself while she's locked up is a completely different way. That's why I say, she's kind of two characters.
This will be a challenging role for me but I think I'm more excited about being able to work with my fellow thespians, my fellow South African thespians, my South African vibe 'cos I still feel my traits and genealogy... I don't know, I might be from here, I don't know!
TVSA: Are you going to be acting with an American accent or a South African one?
Tichina: I'm going to be doing an American accent because I'm playing an American character, which I think is really cool. You know why?
'cos I ain't gotta learn no accent!
TVSA: Well, if you'd answered a South African accent, our next question would have been: do you know what you're letting yourself in for?! It's a challenging accent and of course everyone is always so critical.
Tichina: Yeah, I'm happy that this is my introduction to playing on a show in South Africa because I've been blessed enough to be able to come in as an American role but once I do this, I'm picking up the dialect and learning a little more Zulu and I'm learning a little more this and I'm learning - I'm having a problem pronouncing people's names so I'm giving everybody nicknames.
I think this is a wonderful segue way for me for years to come.
TVSA: Is Pauletta a comedic role?
Tichina: What I like about this role is that I think they want comedy but not the kind of comedy that I think people will be expecting me to do.
This is wonderful because this is a dramatic role and I'll be able to insert, I would say, a little refreshing comedy every now and then, given the circumstances and depending upon the dialogue and depending upon the actual scene.
TVSA: Is she going to be on the show for the whole season?
Tichina: Well I don't know, I got to find out if I'm getting my money.*
laughs* I don't know, we're working those logistics out, I'm just happy to be - I think I'm a part of two episodes I believe - and hopefully it will be more episodes to come and y'all will be seeing me in the fourth season, fifth season and sixth season - you never know.
TVSA: While you're here, what other plans do you have or are you just going to be in Lockdown?
Tichina: I had a lot of plans before I came here and then I kinda sat for a minute and said, "Ah, Tichina, you're here to work," so I'm here to work first, and if I can fit in all the other good stuff, I most definitely will.
TVSA: What's the No. 1 thing on your list if you get a moment to do it?
Tichina: Well, now that y'all mention it, I wanna go to Cape Town. Good house music - I wanna dance.
Oh, I'm dancing my ass off before I leave here 'cos I've been raised off of house music. I used to go to the Garage in New York back in the day, I've been to Studio 54, so I've been raised off some really, really good music and I cannot wait to hear some local South African music. I cannot wait.
TVSA: What's the most exciting thing for you about being on Lockdown?
Tichina: It's actually everything that I prayed for years and years ago and it's coming to fruition. This is just a whole new scene. Even though I'm not in front of the camera right now, it's just a whole different show taking place and meeting different people and hearing different dialects and hearing different stories, I'm digesting the feel of South Africa.
I'm very spiritually connected to who I am and it allows me to tap into each and everybody else's spirituality as well and the people that they are.
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