Snowfall's Angela Lewis on What to Expect From Season 5: 'There's No Relaxing!'

'There’s a lot of high moments and a lot of low moments. I just want people to be on the rollercoaster ride,' Lewis said.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Image for article titled Snowfall's Angela Lewis on What to Expect From Season 5: 'There's No Relaxing!'
Photo: Matthias Clamer/FX

Loyal fans and diehard followers of the popular FX series, Snowfall, will soon be reunited with their favorite neighborhood crack cocaine dealer turned kingpin, Franklin Saint, when season five premieres on Wednesday night.

For those of you who have been living under a rock, or are unaware, the new season of the Damson Idris-led drama centers around Saint, his best friend Leon (Isaiah John), Aunt Louie (Angela Lewis) and Uncle Jerome (Amin Joesph), and will see the crew draw closer to living the lives they’ve always dreamed of. But just as things are beginning to look up, the streets around of them are feeling the pressures of tougher crackdowns (no pun intended) from local authorities, warring gangs and the CIA, making for a tumultuous battle for them all to overcome in order to obtain the success they all desire.

Advertisement

Aunt Louie, who’s coming on the heels of a heart-breaking recovery from last season’s shocking drive-by shooting, is at a particular crossroads as the new season unfolds—juggling her desire to run the drug business as she sees fit, separate from her nephew Franklin and the need to see the people she loves safe and secure once and for all.

Advertisement

Lewis sat down with The Root ahead of tonight’s premiere where she discussed what the she hopes this season holds for her character, why she feels fans are so invested into her, and what she wants viewers to walk away feeling like as the series unfolds.

Advertisement

The Root: Season 4 ended with Aunt Louie giving Franklin an ultimatum of sorts, with her explaining how she and Jerome have desires to run the business a different way. What do you hope for Louie when we meet her at the beginning of season five? 

Angela Lewis: I hope that, I just want Louie to get what she wants. I really do. Because I don’t think she’s coming from a place—I think there’s a surface level to it and then a deeper need for her to mend at life. You know? And so, I’m really, really rooting for Louie. I really, really am. I’m rooting for her to be her own boss because I feel like her voice has been stifled for so long. Even in the family business and how she’s come up the ranks, that didn’t come to her easily. I don’t think it was intentional on the part of Franklin and the other men in her life, but there was a relegation to the kitchen, so to speak, metaphorically and literally. ‘You do the cooking.’ And then just the keeping the power at bay, away from her because she’s the auntie. She’s the woman and so really fighting for her to be able to see this thing through. Whatever her vision is, I want her to see it through.

Advertisement

TR: The relationship between Louie and Jerome seems to be in a very good place, finally. What can we expect from their relationship moving forward? 

AL: Their relationship is so dynamic. When they are on the same page, it’s so beautiful. But when they fight, it’s crazy! But they’re two individuals and even though they’re fighting to be a couple—they’re also fighting for their individual needs and desires. And they’re not gonna always be on the same page. And so I think—we’re rooting for them. I’m rooting for them and as we move forward in the season I hope that through it all, they can continue to find each other.

Advertisement
Angela Lewis as Aunt Louie, left; Amin Joseph as Uncle Jerome.
Angela Lewis as Aunt Louie, left; Amin Joseph as Uncle Jerome.
Photo: Ray Michshaw/FX

TR: Aunt Louie is undoubtedly a fan favorite when it comes to the show. Why do you think she resonates with so much viewers and with women in particular?

Advertisement

AL: I think women root for Louie because she’s the backbone. We are the backbone of our families, we’re the backbone oftentimes of our workplaces and often go unrecognized. I think we root for her because she is adamant at being recognized and being able to step onto her throne. And she’s smart! It would be different if she was doing all this and she’s wrong and things are falling a part because of something she said or did. But Louie is smart and oftentimes her plans, other people get the credit for her plans and her strategy works. And so I think we root for her. And then she’s dressed to the nines while she’s doing it and she doesn’t take no for an answer. She’s very direct and she’s driven. I think she encompasses a lot of things that women are, want to be, and want to be more of. She ain’t wrong!

TR: How do you want fans to feel as we embark into this new journey of this next season?

Advertisement

AL: I know what I want you to feel but I can’t say it because that would be a spoiler! I just want people to feel something! I think this season—if you weren’t feeling anything before before—this season is emotional! This season is super riddled with anxiety, there’s a lot of high moments and a lot of low moments. I just want people to be on the rollercoaster ride. If you fully commit, even a little bit—this season is going to make you feel something. You’re gonna take a ride. That’s what I want for people [is] to experience what we as a cast got to experience on this journey. There’s no relaxing!

Snowfall premieres every Wednesday on FX at 10p.m.ET and streaming the next day on Hulu.