Pop Culturalist Chats with Geovanni Gopradi

Geovanni Gopradi is heating up the small screen with his breakout performance as Broderick in Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots. The drama follows the intersecting lives of three families who come from very different backgrounds. Already in its fifth season, the series is a guilty pleasure for many and shows no signs of slowing down. Pop Culturalist spoke with Geovanni about the show, the similarities between his own life and his character’s, and how he prepared to step into his shoes.

The Haves and the Have Nots Questions

PC: Tell us about The Haves and the Have Nots, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Geovanni: The Haves and the Have Nots is a drama series written by Tyler Perry, which focuses on the intersecting lives of the wealthy Cryer and Harrington families and the poor Young family. I play Broderick, who is in search of the American dream through some questionable methods that prove to be more than he can handle.

PC: How much of Geovanni is in Broderick?
Geovanni: I think we’re all continuously striving for more, whether it’s spiritual, emotional, educational, or financial, so, I have that in common with Broderick. We’re also both Latin, so there’s a similarity in our culture.

PC: How did you prepare to step into his shoes?
Geovanni: In this case, I worked from the inside out by finding his essence and working outwards.

PC: What can fans expect from the upcoming season? What can you tease about your character’s story arc?
Geovanni: In his pursuit, Broderick will find himself in very compromising situations and will feel very lost.

PC: The series is in its fifth season. What is it about The Haves and the Have Nots that audiences have connected with?
Geovanni: The story and the emotions that this amazing cast transmits through the screen resonates with the viewers and people love losing themselves in the fictional drama.

Career Questions

PC: When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in acting?
Geovanni: It wasn’t until my first acting class that the desire for this as a career began to roam in my head. I fell in love with the art form and I was sure I wanted to pursue it.

PC: What is your dream role?
Geovanni: I’d love to do a biopic!

PC: Who would you love to work with in the future?
Geovanni: Oh so many… Quentin Tarantino, Mel Gibson, Inarritu, Ron Howard, Daniel Day Lewis, Benicio del Toro, James McAvoy, Eugenio Derbez and so on…

PC: What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Geovanni: Enjoy the journey!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Geovanni: The Walking Dead

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Geovanni: Braveheart

PC: Favorite book?
Geovanni: The Bible

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Geovanni: The Lion King

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Geovanni: Hans Zimmer

PC: Favorite social media platform?
Geovanni: Instagram

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Geovanni: Frontier

PC: Hidden talent?
Geovanni: Bushcraft skills

Make sure to follow Geovanni on Twitter and Instagram, and catch The Haves and the Have Nots every Tuesday at 9/8c on OWN!

Photo Credit: Michael Roud