“The Upshaws” Season 5 has officially arrived and the entire cast is ready to serve up even more laughs as the Upshaw family.
The last fans saw in Season 4, Lucretia Turner (Wanda Sykes), sold her garage and her home to avoid mounting debt, which will ultimately bring Bernard “Bennie” Upshaw Sr. closer together as they sort through their next business move.
The series, which has already been renewed for Season 6, will release all six episodes on Netflix on Thursday, April 18. Here’s a guide to the cast of “The Upshaws.”
Mike Epps as Bernard “Bennie” Upshaw Sr.
Comedian and actor Mike Epps plays the father of the Upshaw family, Bernard “Bennie” Upshaw. Each day, he puts his best foot forward to be a better man for his three children and his wife, who he stepped out on during “a break” in their relationship. He’s the owner of Bennie’s Garage.
Epps’ acting and comedy career spans over 30 years, with his standout being his character Day-Day in Ice Cube’s “Friday” sequel “Next Friday.” Some of his other performances were in “All About the Benjamins,” “Meet the Blacks,” “Hangover,” “The Underdoggs” and he’s also the host of BET’s “Comic View” revival.
Kim Fields as Regina Upshaw
Actress Kim Fields stars as Regina Upshaw in “The Upshaws.” She’s the wife of Bernard “Bennie” Upshaw Sr., her high school sweetheart. While she’s a confident and vibrant woman, she’s had to overcome the emotional pain of her husband fathering a child outside of their marriage. She previously worked as a health care worker but quit to focus on her mental well-being.
Fields is one of the most well-known actresses in sitcom TV, as she’s best known for her iconic roles in “Good Times,” “Living Single” and “The Facts of Life.” She also joined the cast of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” briefly.
Wanda Sykes as Lucretia Turner
Comedian, actress and writer Wanda Sykes plays Lucretia Turner, Regina Upshaw’s older sister. She’s also Bennie’s partner in his auto garage business. The two share a very contentious relationship.
Sykes has been in the comedy game for over two decades, and she rose to greater fame after she took home a Primetime Emmy as a writer on “The Chris Rock Show.” Outside of “The Upshaws,” which she co-created, her acting resume includes “The Other Two,” “Black-ish,” “The Good Fight,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and more.
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Jermelle Simon as Bernard Upshaw Jr.
Jermelle Simon stars as Bernard Upshaw Jr., the eldest child in the Upshaw family. He works as a UPS driver and always has his eye on his father, who often has a wandering eye outside of their marriage.
Simon’s role as Bernard Jr. is his first major role. The actor previously had guest roles in “Animal Kingdom,” “7 Minutes in Heaven” and “Sojourn.”
Khali Daniya-Renee Spraggins as Aaliyah Upshaw
Khali Daniya-Renee Spraggins stars as Aaliyah Upshaw, the oldest daughter in the family. She’s the same age as her half-brother Kelvin Upshaw.
While this is Spraggins’ breakout role, she previously starred as a young Cookie Lyons in “Empire.” At the beginning of her career, she earned a scholarship from Second City Chicago. Her other roles were in “Dad and I” and “Black Privilege.
Diamond Lyons as Kelvin Upshaw
Diamond Lyons comes in as Kelvin Upshaw. He’s the child Bernard Sr. had outside of his marriage with Regina and is the same age as his sister Aaliyah.
This is Lyons’ first major role, but he also appeared in Colin Kaepernick’s miniseries “Colin in Black & White.” He also starred in “All Screwed Up” and “5th Ward.”
Journey Christine as Maya Upshaw
Journey Christine plays Maya Upshaw, the baby of the family.
Outside of “The Upshaws,” Christine’s acting work was first seen in commercials, with her first national gig being for the department store Kohl’s. She’s also booked modeling jobs with Disney. Some of her other performances were in “E.R. Compliance,” “Outsiders” and more.
Gabrielle Dennis as Tasha Lewis
Gabrielle Dennis stars as Tasha Lewis, Bennie’s ex and the mother of Kelvin Upshaw. She’s also the neighborhood hairstylist.
Dennis, whose breakout role was in Mara Brock Akil’s sitcom “The Game,” has a background in stand-up comedy, theater and dance. She’s also acted in “Luke Cage,” “Insecure,” “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” “All American,” “The Big Door Prize” and more.
Page Kennedy as Duck
Page Kennedy joins the cast as Bennie’s Garage newbie Duck. After he was released from prison, he rededicated his life to Christ.
Kennedy’s past roles include “Desperate Housewives,” “Six Feet Under,” “NYPD Blue,” “CSI,” “Weeds” and “The Shield.”
