Aziza Scott is holding it down in season two of Apple TV+ series “HOME BEFORE DARK“ as the newly promoted Sheriff in a small town full of secrets. The family mystery series delivers new episodes every Friday on the streaming platform.
“HOME BEFORE DARK” follows the young investigative journalist Hilde Lysiak (Brooklynn Prince) who jumped into a rabbit hole of mysteries after re-locating to her fathers’ hometown with her family.
In season two, the series begins with a mysterious explosion that hits a local farm, followed by hundreds of dead birds dropping from the sky and fish dying in the local lake. To get to the bottom of the twisted clues Sheriff Trip (Aziza Scott) steps to the side of truth and is torn with how to help the young investigative reporter, Hilde.
“I don’t like when they pat me on the head either,” a then Deputy Trip (Aziza Scott ) tells Hilde, in season one. And she speaks from the truth as she’s surrounded by a staff that doesn’t respect her authority but it’s her determination and sincere devotion to the people of the town that pushes her to rise about the mounting challenges.
There is always cause to celebrate when an African-American woman is working in her chosen profession and for Scott, who was born in the bayous of New Orleans Louisiana, and raised in Houston TX, acting was always her dream. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts at Prairie View A&M University she relocated to Los Angeles with big dreams. Her persistence paid off and she landed many roles including appearing on TNT’s “Murder in the First,” HBO’s “Insecure,” and finally a recurring role on Freeform’s “The Fosters.”
During a Zoom interview, what struck me most about Aziza Scott was her listening skills. The charm aside, she is a tremendous listener.
Here is what Aziza Scott had to share about playing Sheriff Trip on Apple TV+ series ”HOME BEFORE DARK” — new every Friday on the streaming platform.
LOS ANGELES SENTINEL: There are major changes in season two of “HOME BEFORE DARK.” Your character seems to be front-and-center. What can you share about where that’s going?
AZIZA SCOTT: In season one [Trip] is the Deputy and in season two, she’s the Sheriff.
LAS: Yes, it was an unexpected, but happy surprise.
AS: (laughing) She’s accepting her position and so I think she doesn’t even realize that there is an opportunity for her to have any type of power but she loves to serve and to protect. She becomes Hilde’s sidekick, so I think that she’s a person that is brave and bold.
LAS: Yes, Trip is brave and bold for sure.
AS: We saw this in season one [Apple TV+ series “HOME BEFORE DARK”] because she helped solve the first mystery with Hilde. When she says the line ‘I don’t like when they pat me on the head either’ she thinks that maybe [in the past] they have sent her on small jobs. Like she never gets the opportunity to really solve crimes and get out there to serve and protect.
AS: In season two when Tripp gets this big promotion, it’s super exciting and I think she’s thrilled but she’s not aware, right away, how unfair the world is to a woman in power. She learns very quickly, day one, realizing early on that her relationship with Hilde is going to be forever different. She pulls away and that transition of power and there are casualties in her relationship and unfortunately, her relationship with Hilde is one of them.
LAS: I am going to go back to that simple line that you delivered in season one —- “I don’t like when they pat me on the head either.” On the surface, it might sound like a simple line, but this was crafted by gifted writers who helped set the tone for the viewer. In my opinion, this speaks to the quality of the writers inside the writers’ room.
AS: Yes. You are right. She’s an underdog just like Hilde. They start to push against the system right away. Representation is everything and to have a show where it’s centered around a young investigative reporter, this eight-year-old journalist, girls that age are usually told to go and play with Barbie dolls.
LAS: What I love about the girls’ character is that her generation didn’t blink that the woman in power, your character, is African American.
AS: Hilde does not understand what Trip I going through as a woman of color and being in such a position and I think that’s one of the big reasons that they have that conflict in season two. She’s a Black woman in charge with very little support around me and I am doing the best that I can.
LAS: You are so blessed to be on a show that’s streaming on Apple TV+. The creative teams come with their A-game.
AS: You are correct and our writers [Apple TV+ series HOME BEFORE DARK] is so great. What I love is that they gave me some insight as to the direction of my character. I appreciate that. They value my opinion and I realize that I’m lucky in this way.
LAS: Yes, Aziza Scott I agree that you are lucky but you also are an excellent listener, and even in this very brief exchange, I can tell that you care about the quality of your work. So, I’m not surprised that the writers showed you that respect.
AS: Thank you.
https://tv.apple.com/us/show/home-before-dark/umc.cmc.5yqy2wv4w7l0v4x5mn3le8l1y
