By Nadine Matthews, Special to the AFRO

It’s common for sci-fi shows to play around with time shifting. Characters show up in the past or the future or even in alternate versions of the present day. It takes gumption to create a romantic comedy series where you do the same. Well, Mara Brock-Akil and Salim Akil, who created the popular sci-fi comic book series Black Lightning have gone there with their new series on OWN called Love Is___, with spectacular results. One of the show’s stars Wendy Davis tells the AFRO, “It has a really specific style and flavor that’s infectious. The show takes place in the nineties as well as present day and it has in many ways the flavoring of the nineties rom-coms. It has this feel of a much more innocent time and it brings back memories. If you’re over thirty, it’s just going to bring back memories of the nineties.”

Wendy Davis, who grew up in East Baltimore, is one of the stars of ‘Love Is__’ on OWN. (Courtesy photo)

Cleverly called Wiser Nuri, Davis plays the present day version of the main character Nuri. Davis laughs, “My character’s name is “Wiser Nuri” because look, if you’re getting older and you’re not getting wiser, there’s a problem. Younger Nuri is in the midst of this brand new hot and heavy beautiful amazing love story. It’s interesting to watch the brand new relationship of this couple and be able to also see them twenty years later.”

This show isn’t just any romantic comedy though. Much of the material draws from the actual relationship of the show’s creators. The Akil’s have been a Hollywood power couple for over twenty years. Creators committed to their craft, they are laying it all out there for the world to see and learn from. “They also air some dirty laundry,” Davis states. “More than I would if I were in their position and I love that they are getting real with it.”

Davis grew up in Joppatowne, Maryland but lived in East Baltimore until she was eight years old. She never forgot about her old haunts though, and regularly trekked to Baltimore when she got older. “I used to love going to Inner Harbor,” she recalls fondly. “That’s where all the cute city boys were.”

The Howard University graduate is perhaps most well-known for her award nominated seven season turn as Colonel Joan Burton on Lifetime Network’s Army Wives. That show began in 2007 and Davis marvels at the changes she has seen on the industry since then. “On Army Wives, Sterling K. Brown and I often were the only two people of color on set. With this show, about seventy percent is African-American and that feels miraculous.”

Her delight isn’t just about changes in front of the camera.  “Many of the directors are Black women. That’s Mara making a choice to say these women are already super talented and they’re gonna get a chance to work. Traditionally directors have been White men but to have Black women in charge is thrilling.”

Part of the reason she feels this way is her own daughter. “I am thrilled to see Black women of all shades but especially dark skinned and brown skinned women get a shot. I have a beautiful brown skinned fifteen-year-old at home and I am thrilled that she can now turn on the TV and see herself as the leading lady.”

Davis, like her character, has also grown in wisdom. As satisfied as she is with her career, there is one thing she says she would change. “Professionally I would have developed myself more as a screenwriter and a director. There’s a part of me that is still considering moving into directing. I own an acting school called Acting Pros, and I love helping other actors. It’s my favorite thing to when I’m not working on set.

Passionate about her art as well as helping people, Davis started teaching while she was still working on Army Wives in Charleston, South Carolina where the show was filmed. She remembers, “Some days I’d be really busy, some days I wouldn’t. It was in Charleston and I wanted to do something for the local actors who really needed help.”

Personally she said, she would have also changed a thing or two. “I would say leave yourself alone. I spent too much time trying to be something I’m not. Life is short. Eat the donut. Enjoy your life, enjoy your friends.”