In the new TV ONE original film, “Don’t Waste Your Pretty” a group of close-knit friends sort out their turbulent life issues and love lives — relying on one another to figure out their next move when jobs, romance or family interactions prove more complicated than they anticipated.
Spotlighting platonic and romantic Black love, the film is based on the eponymous 2014 novel penned by award-winning author and media personality Demetria L. Lucas. The cast of “Don’t Waste Your Pretty” includes: Keri Hilson as Mykah, a successful career woman who is navigating the dating maze; Redaric Williams as her younger brother, Michael, who is crushing on Jeanné played by Deborah Joy Winans, a divorcee resistant to giving love another chance; and Jasmine Burke as the feisty creative, Aisha. The novel cast of characters also includes Aisha’s wife, Amma, played by Kaye Singleton; and Rainey Branch as Lisa, Mykah’s trustworthy assistant.
The film, which is sure to remind viewers of “Girlfriends” meets “Twenties,” is directed by Tamara Bass and written by Katrina O’Gilvie.
During a recent press conference, Lucas said that it “feels surreal at this moment,” to have her book become a film.
The concept for the book and film started to crystallize in 2011, and is finally coming to fruition this year. “This is definitely a rom-com, it’s about relationships, but I wanted friendships to be at the heart of it,” Lucas said. “Relationships are super important — intimate partner relationships, but friendships are important, and your work is very important … and when you’re talking about women’s lives … it’s important to make sure they’re well rounded and multidimensional.”
Lucas recognized a void in the kind of content she wanted to read and listen to. Thus, she was adamant about ensuring representation of the various shades, shapes and physical attributes of Black women and men. “I wanted to have a range of melanin and a range of sizes. I didn’t want the women to be all light-skinned or all have long straight hair,” she said.
The multi-hyphenate talent also explained the meaning of the phrase, “don’t waste your pretty.”
“People hear that phrase and think that I’m speaking about your physical appearance, saying that you’ve got a limited amount of time to use your looks to get ahead in intimate partner relationships. When I say ‘don’t waste your pretty,’ it’s a euphemism for all of the things that women bring to the table in their lives, not just their relationships,” she explained. “It’s their intelligence, their hard work, it’s their listening ear, it’s their emotional labor, it’s their praying hands. Know what you bring to the table and don’t be afraid to push away. … You gotta know your worth.”
“Don’t Waste Your Pretty” premieres on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, at 8 p.m. EST on TV One. Watch the trailer on the next page.
