Brely Evans talks groundbreaking role on ‘Ambitions’ and repping for real women

Brely Evans has been heating up the small screen on OWN’s addictive drama, Ambitions. theGrio sat down with the actress who plays Rondelle Lancaster to find out why she’s so passionate about the role.

“She is the mother, auntie, best friend, woman in the neighborhood that you want on your team. She is feisty, she is dramatic, she is on fire,” she says.

“She is the voice to the voiceless. She puts her life in front of things she believes in. She is a lover of family and friends. It has been amazing playing this role…she’s a whole person.”

Evans says she relates to her character’s passion for justice and finds herself in similar predicaments in real life as the ones her character navigates on the show.

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“When I first read for the role, I knew her,” she explained. “She has a boldness and a big personality and I think that would be me too.”

Brely Evans is well aware that she’s repping for the real-looking women of the world in a way that we’re not used to seeing on television. Her character is curvy, sexy, attractive to men, and her life and storyline doesn’t revolve around her weight.

“I have been getting feedback from people loving Rondelle in a special way and I think it’s because they are getting to see the curvy girl in a whole other light. This is the girl who has men that are attracted to her. This is the girl who can stand up when something needs to be said…This woman is living. Rondelle is getting to show life in real curves and it is a beautiful thing. I’m giving a voice to every day women,” she said.

“I’m gonna get to explore the full rainbow of Rondelle. You guys are going to get to go on a journey with this woman… I get to explore every facet and I’ve never really had that opportunity in other roles I have played,” she continued. “I had to go to some dark places and I had to connect in a way that I haven’t done before.”

She also explained how her role opened her eyes to the real-life issue of gentrification currently affecting the country.

Check out the full interview above.

Watch Ambitions on Tuesdays at 10/9c on OWN.