Several people begin to notice peculiar coincidences about each other in this dramedy. Looking dashing in a two-piece royal blue suit, Annan glided to the stage, where he graciously accepted his trophy before dedicating it to older generations of individuals that did not have space to be themselves. This win marked the actors second nomination in the major category and his first win. When Hall adapted her drama for TV, Annan readily returned to play what he calls a role of a lifetime: a gender-fluid hustler and owner of a Mississippi strip club, the Pynk. Then you see Uncle Clifford at her most confident in the club. The play ran only in Minneapolis. Some things have changed in the 10 years since he originally played the role, but the overall essence of Uncle Clifford has remained the same. [Then] regional theater, Broadway, Off Broadway and tours. That is what this experience of life is truly all about.. Each episode is a themed extravaganza to see who will be named superior house and move one step closer to becoming Legendary.. His mother played a big role in raising him and Nicco said he is lucky to have a mother like her. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. This southern-fried, hour-long drama tells the kaleidoscopic story of a little-strip-club-that-could and the big characters who come through its doorsthe hopeful, the lost, the broken, the ballers, the beautiful, and the damned. Shes taking care of everyone her grandmother, her dancers, her clubs legacy but has neglected taking care of her heart as she fights the honest, raw love she shares with a rising local rapper half her age, Lil Murda. Nicco Annan's full name is Nathaniel Nicco Annan. In the Midwest for a lot of people, especially Black people, their roots are in the South because of the Migration. Moreover, Nicco was part of the commercial dance training program Motivating Excellence as a theatrical director. I read that [in the script] and I knew that there was a depression going on. I remember being in the pandemic of it all, when we were coming up with options, I would tell [costume designers Alita McGhee Bailey and Tiffany Hasbourne], This isnt enough. With her flashy fashions, unique prowess, country twang and grandmother-like phrases that make you chuckle and think at the same time, its hard not to feel Uncle Clifford. Annan breathed life into Cliff. He was teased for having dark skin and Ghanaian roots and being heavyset. So those women are flying around the polls, and Uncle Clifford is flying around that club, just dancing through the people. Wait a Second, Yvonne Strahovski is Australian? Sometimes it is actually more in character when I am not in costume. Katori invited me over to one of their, its called, Black Mondays. . The club is closed down, theres nowhere to go, Im dressing up. You do get glimpses of Uncle Clifford on the pole herself. Is Black southern culture something you feel is more than physical space?Absolutely. The actor, who worked closely with Hall in molding Uncle Clifford, knows that this character represents the intersection of so many peoples real everyday life experiences. Written by P-Valley creator, Katori Hall, the Alliance's production of The Hot Wing King marks Hall's first time directing the 2021 Pulitzer Prize-winning play for drama. The Best Moments From The 2023 NAACP Image Awards . Besides that, Nicco has a TikTok account with over 202.8K followers and over 489.1K likes. She still was not going to totally succumb to it. When Annan told them he was just doing his job, the PA told him they were dressed in all black for the job but normally they dress like Uncle Clifford. It also led to roles on This Is Us and All American, and choreography work on All American: Homecoming.. He knew he wanted more out of life than to be the heir of his family-owned carwash. He also acknowledges that characters like Uncle Clifford only recently began to have the space to exist on TV. Congressional Black Caucus Demands Justice Department Response Around Police Brutality. It literally was the thing that kind of woke me up, Annan said in reference to Uncle Clifford. Remember the name Nicco Annan. Moreover, Katori Hall created the series. When he landed a part in a workshop reading of the new play P*ssy Valley by Katori Hall, Annan had no idea that the role would help define his career. His net worth is estimated to be $1.2 million in 2021. And thats a space we all are striving to be. Nicco has a very demanding career that often requires him to spend a lot of time away from home. Be the first to contribute! There were times where we would shoot things and Katori would say, Hey, we dont do that in this world because love is possible. Sometimes our stories can be oversimplified, and I appreciated the show tackled head-on so many different topics and the intersect of Black love, LGBTQ community and the Black community. What it was like to do those club scenes where shes doing the most in the best way?Come on for doing the most! His birthplace is Detroit, Michigan. All rights reserved. Similar to Uncle Clifford, the beloved house mother he portrays on P-Valley, Annan feels like home. Its huge in the gay community. Remember the name Nicco Annan. But she still had to put on her wigs. Its unclear whether or not he has any children. Black Girl Nerds 11.6K subscribers BGN sits down with actor Nicco Annan (Uncle Clifford) to discuss the new series P-Valley launching on STARZ. A friend of mine and fellow writer Dominique Morisseau said, I think you should think about Nicco.. Dare to bore me, she told Annan. TV Features 'P-Valley' Star Nicco Annan on Taking on Non-Binary Role: "I Did Not Want Her to Be a Joke" Receiving the actor award for Uncle Clifford at Critics Choice Awards' Celebration of. They started to talk to Uncle Clifford: All right. The breakout star of Starz's strip-club drama talks about landing the role twice and the power . For two seasons strong, the Detroit-born actor has invited TV viewers down to The Pynk, a legacied stripper joint in the fictional Chucalissa, Mississippi, where you can get a lap dance, lemon pepper wings extra wet and a brush with seduction in one fell swoop but only if you follow Cliffs rules. Even in all of that, I had not been able to play a character as nuanced, rich, truthful and raw as Uncle Clifford. I always talk about the nakedness of a strip club, and that allows us as the actors in the cast to be so naked and raw in our acting. Caption: Nicco Annan body measurement (Source: Instagram). Thats definitely one of the things thats most prominent in Katoris work. You feel Nicco Annans presence immediately when he walks in a room. Much of the focus of Niccos career has been put on acting, but hes also a choreographer. Annan originated the character who identifies as nonbinary and uses she/her pronouns when Katori Halls Pussy Valley was a stage play, so the actor has inhabited the character for the better part of the past decade. Nicco Annan was sharply suited at the 2023 NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena, Calif., tonight. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter, Receiving the actor award for Uncle Clifford at Critics Choice Awards' Celebration of Black Cinema & Television, Annan says, "I hope that this is a signal to dream big.". Camille has a master's degree from Saint Joseph University's Writing Studies program, and she currently works as the Writing Center Assistant Director at a small university in western Pennsylvania. Camille's writing has been published on several websites, and she enjoys writing articles and short stories in her spare time. Signature Theatre Company World Premiere, 2020, & JULIET, TITANIQUE & More Nominated For Queerties Awards, Cast Announced For Katori Hall's THE HOT WING KING at Alliance Theatre, Photo Flash: Take a Look at Signature Theatre's THE HOT WING KING, Photos: Megan Thee Stallion Makes Guest Appearance in P-VALLEY on Starz. Uncle Cliffords character is truly one of a kind. Theyd tell him he had to lose weight in order to make it on TV. Being a dancer, I wanted to really get across to the audience how street dance is like club life. Katori dared to dream big with a character like Uncle Clifford, and in doing so, I think she hit the jackpot. To have that kind of experience as a child, even being teased and all that stuff prior to, it changed for me. Nicco Annan is an African American man- who stands at a height of 6 feet and 2 inches and has a muscular body. To play that, for me, I have to get very comfortable in the body that Im in. [9][10], He appeared as a guest judge on season 2 of Legendary. Mank (Donald Graham Burt), Tenet (Nathan Crowley), Da 5 Bloods (Wynn Thomas), and Soul (Steve Pilcher), won Best Production Design for Feature Film. This Is Us (2016) and Half Sisters (2014). Were you aware of all the nuances of it at the time?I was totally aware of it. Theres a level of artistry, theres a level of appreciation for the sheen, for the stretch marks, for the tiger stripes and the sun rays.. Click here to subscribe. [1], Annan was raised in the North End area of Detroit, Michigan. When you are first seeing Uncle Clifford this season, youre seeing her in that cape at the car wash. That cape is made out of Crown Royal bags: 183 bottles of Crown Royal made that cape. He was born on May 7, 1989, in Detroit, Michigan, United States. I feel like Ive been through this fire because Ive been trusted with a testimony. Uncle Clifford is one of the few examples of nonbinary representation in a major series. Still, he is proud of who he is and isnt afraid to express himself freely. Before 2017?Yeah. Some of his work includes P-Valley, This Is Us, Snowfall, Claws, Family Reunion, Legendary, Tamron Hall, and All About the Afterglow. Getting dressed to go to that loan office was really heavy. Check out photos from from Megan Thee Stallions appearance in last nights penultimate episode of P-Valley season two. This is why it took time for me to even be comfortable in my body and to be able to walk in that light, to stand in that sun; its an honor.. Ever? [5] Annan received his diploma from Cass Technical High School[6] and studied theater at State University of New York-Purchase, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. For Annan, who met Hall over a decade ago when she was still conceiving her play, Pussy Valley, now P-Valley, and played Uncle Clifford on stage, playing her now is a labor of love. P-Valley airs Sundays on Starz. Brandee Evans - "P-Valley" and that allows us as the actors in the cast . When I felt that and when I understood that, I knew that there was a level of truth that had to be in not only the show, but in my performance. Im here for it. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The hip-hop legends widow shared screenshots of a conversation she allegedly had with Now-Again Records founder Eothen Egon Alapatt. I did not want people to just be enamored by the fashion. Her story is about learning to choose love, despite what the world believes a Black nonbinary person should experience. 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[2], When the play was ordered for a television adaptation by Starz, Annan again auditioned for the role of Uncle Clifford and was re-cast. I wanted to capture that when Uncle Clifford is performing. Annan originated the character, who uses she/her pronouns, in playwright Katori Hall's 2015 play Pussy Valley. She represents humanity. Thats what Uncle Clifford always does to me. As Annans dance and choreography career merged with an interest in acting, he met agents, executives and others along the way who didnt recognize his true worth. Rehearsals started today. Thats why the breakout character has been able to keep viewers enraptured in all her glory. Nicco Annan This Is Us. The former Dallas wide receiver is trying to clear his name after a hotel accused him of harassing a female employee. This story first appeared in the Nov. 30 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Southern language is very colorful and musical. While his name may not be that well-known at the moment, that definitely wont be the case for much longer. Emerging from the shadows, eyelashes like butterflies and acrylic nails like eagle talons. Executives for the network Starz heard about the play and eventually sought it out as a potential series. That was a part of the draw. Really feel her. Nicco believes this character is especially important can help show people how gender norms can be broken. Add a photo or add a quote . I know I feel like Ive hit the jackpot because there are no limitations on where she can go. But I still think, at the core, people are really more good than they are bad, especially when you meet them with your truth. Thats really how I feel because there are people who look like me, people who come from the Midwest, there are people in this whole LGBTQ+ spectrum that have not had a level of visibility., He visited Ghana, his dads home country, for the first time when he was 10. Remember the name Nicco Annan. Latest; Oldest .