Hulu’s delightful family comedy ‘Unprisoned’ stars Delroy Lindo as Edwin Alexander, a black man who has been incarcerated for nearly twenty years, and Kerry Washington as Paige Alexander, his daughter. After being released, Edwin is attempting to reintegrate into society and reconnect with his family while facing systemic racism and the mistrust of his daughter Paige. Now in its Sophomore season, the series created by Tracy McMillan based on her own life, continues to offer a surprisingly joyful experience, addressing topical and complex themes through a classic sitcom format that acknowledges the real challenges faced by families and individuals, yet never comes across as preachy or manipulative.
The series was nominated for a slew of awards at the Black Reel Awards for Television, including for Washington, whose character is a single mother and therapist needing therapy herself to unpack her family history. The Primetime Emmy award winner, who starred in ‘Scandal’ and ‘Little Fires Everywhere’, blends intuitive comedic timing and expression alongside dramatic moments. Washington and Lindo provide an experience through the neuroses and complex emotions of characters going through hardships, but are never lost for a laugh. For some families with generational pain, it could very well be one of the more healing series on television.
The first episode of Season Two picks up where we last left the Alexander family. Paige’s (Kerry Washington) therapy practice is in trouble. Her son Finn’s (Faly Rakotohavana) anxiety is through the roof. Edwin (Delroy Lindo) is still figuring out how to get his life together outside of prison, and their relationships are more complicated than ever. The family needs help, and it’s time to call in a professional – OTHER than Paige. The Alexanders turn to a “family radical healing coach,” who throws out all the rules to free them of the issues, old wounds and family secrets holding them back.
Upgraded to a full-time cast member for Season Two, Jee Young Han plays Esti Nelson, Paige’s foster sister. More than just inclusive casting, Han’s character is based off of show creator Tracy McMillan’s own personal childhood experience as a foster child with a Korean sister. In Episode 6 of the new season titled “The Legend of the Rollerblades”, we see Esti take on her “Korean identity crisis” when she attends a Korean trans-racial adoption meetup to meet other Koreans who struggle with whether they are supposed to like kim chee or Wes Anderson movies. The scenes are effective at getting viewers to laugh, but also truly ponder what it must be like to be a minority raised by white American parents.
Jee Young Han spoke with Awards Focus about how Esti evolves in Season Two, the joys of working with acting legends Delroy Lindo and Kerry Washington, and why it is so important to get to tell her the stories in ‘Unprisoned’.
Awards Focus: First of all, congratulations on being elevated to a full cast member for Season 2. What does it mean to you to be a full cast member, versus a recurring cast member?
Han: This has been really wonderful, especially being bumped up because it guarantees a little bit more time with Esti. We have an opportunity for the actual stories to grow and build and see a little bit more of what she’s going through. This gives the opportunity to branch out and see where Esti is going. And it’s been wonderful. It’s been exciting.
Awards Focus: The themes in the show, such as incarcerated black fathers and their relationships with their estranged daughters, systemic racism, foster families, are not normally themes that you see in a show that is meant to generate a lot of joy and laughter as well. What do you think the formula to success has been?
Han: I think it’s just very earnest and true. The reality is this works not because we’re making fun of these heavy issues, but because this is actual life. People going through these complicated stories, these complicated things, are not necessarily sitting around being sad with the violin all day. Especially when telling stories of people of color and their struggles, we tend to make it a little like trauma porn. And I think that isn’t life. The more we show that this is real life, that this affects actual families, the more people see themselves in it without having to view it as a really sad story. We’re not sugarcoating it, nor are we making it overly dramatic. I think we’re giving it its actual voice.
Awards Focus: As an up-and-coming actress, what has it been like to work with talented veteran actors like Delroy and Kerry? Are there things that you’re learning from them that you’re incorporating into your own process?
Han: Kerry and Delroy are fantastic. Truly, truly fantastic. Kerry is a warm hug just as she lives and breathes, so that’s made my life so much easier on set, especially since my character mostly is revolving around her and we’re playing sisters on the show. She has made my life so much easier. And I think with Kerry, something I’ve really learned is that she’s so incredibly generous to every single person. Every single person she talks to, whether we’re acting or whether we’re just existing, she sees them and gives them her undivided attention. That’s something that has made me a better person and a better actress – to just be focused and just listen and really pay attention.
And Delroy is sensational. The thing that he’s taught me while working with him is to be bold, trust yourself, and really ask for and demand what you need. It’s very easy on a set to just do what people want. Working with incredible actors of this caliber and executive producers who push me, as another person of color, to be bold and vigilant, has been a dream. I don’t always get that. I’ve had some opportunities to work with other people, but I haven’t always had experiences that shape me and help me become a more fearless actress. I’m very grateful for that.
Awards Focus: Are there elements about Esti that you relate to the most outside of being Korean American?
Han: I think the biggest thing Esti and I relate to is she doesn’t take anything seriously and I don’t really think I take anything seriously. But also, Esti does not like drama. The second it’s there, she’ll run away which is weird because she’s also kind of a messy person. She’s not a drama queen, but [smiling] she also likes to watch drama. So, I think that she kind of likes dealing with Page’s life and being there, because I think it’s funny to her. That’s kind of how I am. I love when people spill the tea, I love the gossip, I love all that stuff, but personally, I just run away from that stuff.
Awards Focus: What is in store for your character Esti in season two?
Han: In Season Two, everyone’s working on their own personal growth. With Esti, a lot of watching Paige and everyone grow leads to her own curiosities about her biological parents, her feelings and her identity about being Korean when she was raised by her adopted parents who are white. It’s a bit of an identity crisis at her age to really, really understand what it means to be Korean when she has no identity with that at all.
Awards Focus: Are there scenes or episodes that you’re most excited for audiences to see in Season Two?
Han: I think my favorite episode is probably the Christmas episode. That’s not a spoiler. Everyone loves Christmas, even the Scrooges love Christmas! It’s just fun. Christmas just changes everything, and you also get to see everyone together. And I think that’s truly the most fun I have when everyone’s on set together. And there’s just a lot of stuff that happens. You will have to just go see. You will have to go brew some hot cocoa, get something nice and cozy in the middle of the summer and get into Christmas.
Awards Focus: Kerry’s Paige giving and getting advice from Little Paige played by Jordyn McIntosh are some of the best moments in the series. To all the Little Jee’s out there who are looking to understand and craft their own identities. What advice would Big Jee give to little Jee?
Han: I would say follow your gut because there are so many things in the world in how we see ourselves, where we feel like we are always challenging our deepest desires and whatever. And I would say, just follow your gut. Your instincts are probably right. If you want to go in the spotlight, if you want to see yourself but you’re watching TV and you don’t see yourself, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go out and pursue your dreams. I think your dreams are valid and they’re beautiful. And I say just keep going, because there’s a lot of Little Jee’s who get discouraged in the bigger picture. Everything you want to do, people want to see so go after it.
Awards Focus: It’s great that actors like you are carving that path for Little Gee’s out there.
Han: It’s important. It’s for the future. How every single person sees themselves is completely a reflection based on what we see. And if we don’t see it, then we’ll never see it. But we’re real, we exist, and we have beautiful stories. I think people get discouraged when they don’t see themselves represented, but they need to realize they have to be bold enough to make everyone see them.