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The highly anticipated Season Five of BET+ series “The Family Business” is set to premiere Thursday, July 4. Stars Ernie Hudson and Valarie Pettiford joined Inside South Florida to share insights about the show and what fans can expect in the new season.
Ernie Hudson spoke about the show's appeal, stating, "I think for the first time we see an African American family in a position of power. These are billionaires who work very hard, running the largest exotic car dealership in the country... It's about a family that not only believes in the American dream but is determined to have it. The audience gets to see a multigenerational family, a loving but also very driven couple, and people see themselves in these characters. They also see possibilities that up to now haven’t been seen in the media, and I think that's why people love it."
Valarie Pettiford teased the upcoming season, saying, "The stakes are even higher than normal. The Duncan family comes with drama whether we want it or not… There's more internal intrigue, and it’s very devastating because it’s about family. So, when one goes astray, it devastates it to the core."
Hudson provided an inside scoop on the production, cast, and potential plot twists. "The production company, led by Andy Brown and Trey, is a great team of people. Carl Weber’s series of books [on which the show is based] is extraordinary. We still have the same family after five seasons, but there’s a lot going on with great guest cast. We've seen over four seasons all this drama build up, and now this this season, we see they're going to have to live with the consequences of choices being made."
Aside from their work on “The Family Business”, both stars have exciting projects lined up. Pettiford revealed he’s venturing into directing, creating, and choreographing a live stage production.
Hudson mentioned his upcoming film, an animated horror film called “Oswald Down the Rabbit Hole” that will start shooting in a few weeks. “I'm trying to enjoy this time to get out and meet fans. I’m at this stage in my life where I want to be an inspiration to people. I'm hoping that I can connect them not just with acting, but in other ways as well," he shared.
For more information on “The Family Business”, viewers can tune into BET+. To follow the personal journeys of Ernie Hudson and Valarie Pettiford, they can be found on social media as @erniehudsonofficial and @valariepettiford, respectively.
