*You’ve probably seen Keesha Sharp on one of her many performances as a guest star, and recently, she played Dale Cochran opposite Courtney B. Vance on the hit series “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” She is mostly known for her role as Gigi on the comedy “Are We There Yet?,” Sheila on “Everybody Hates Chris,” and Monica Charles Brooks on the hit series “Girlfriends.” Her role as Monica garnered her a nomination for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Coming later this year, she will co-star opposite Chadwick Boseman in the biopic feature “Marshall,” and her latest role is Trish Murtaugh, wife of the iconic character Roger Murtaugh on the FOX series “Lethal Weapon.” The series is a reboot of the hit movie franchise of the same name starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. ”Lethal Weapon” follows Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh as they combat crime in Los Angeles.
Trish Murtaugh has been updated in the series. The stay-at-home wife to an action hero in the original is now a high-powered attorney, and Sharp explained to EUR/Electronic Urban Report why series creator/executive producer Matt Miller calls Trish 2.0 the Michelle Obama of television.
Check out our Q&A with the actress below.
How did this role come about for you? Had you been looking to do another TV show?
KS: Absolutely. First of all, when I heard that they were making Lethal Weapon into a TV series, I have to be honest, I was skeptical. I’m a fanatical Lethal Weapon fan, and so when I read Matt Miller’s script, I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, I need to be part of this show,’ because he had captured everything that I think is special about the movies. Especially the heart, the drama, the comedy, but all grounded and grounded characters. I wanted to be part of it. I auditioned for it and I didn’t get it at first. So I thought it wasn’t for me. I was sad about that of course because I love Lethal Weapon. And then I get a call that I got it, and to say I was really excited would be an understatement. I just felt like this must be meant to be. I prayed about it, and I let it go and it came back around. I was really excited about it and couldn’t wait to get in it. I love this character and I love that she was a high-powered defense attorney, and she was a loving wife and a loving mother. She was fighting for those who couldn’t fight for themselves and I wanted that character to be in television so young girls and women can look at this character and say, ‘I can do all of it and be really great at it.’
What specifically did you want to do to bring 80’s Trish current?
KS: Well for me personally, I didn’t have to do much because Matt Miller did that. One of the things I say because he said it to me was, this is the Michelle Obama of television. To say that gave me a visual right away. She’s different from the Lethal Weapon Trish. They wanted to make this character a Michelle Obama type, a 2016 woman. I think they did an incredible job at doing that. She’s a woman who loves her husband and they can keep it sexy, and that’s okay. I love that we’re seeing on television this couple who have been married for over 20 years who are loving and still into each other. Yet she has her own life and that’s something she is passionate about. She’s out there defending and he’s out there putting them away. I’m sure there’s going to be a conflict where he thinks someone is guilty and she thinks they’re innocent. And we’ll see what happens from that.
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Aside from Mrs. Obama, are there any other real-life powerful women that inspired your portrayal of Trish? If so, what qualities do you see in them that you tried to convey with this role?
KS: A personal one, my own mother, who has been through so much in her life, and grew up in a time in this country that was before they integrated schools, and she was a part of the integrating schools, and all the things that she went through in her life and still was able to make it through. My mom is, no one knows her in terms of the public, but to me she is a very powerful woman.
Michelle Obama [is] just a woman who, when you look at her, and you know her story, and you hear her talk, she’s powerful and strong and loving, and standing next to, not behind, one of the strongest men… or powerful men in this world, and you see her just as strong standing next to him. And yet she has her own life. You see her as her own woman who has her own thing going on, and fighting for those things that she believes in, and not needing her husband to fight for the things she wants to fight for, but he’s there if she needs him. Also, a woman who loves her children. You see her with her kids, involved with their schools, involved with what they love to do. You also see her as a woman who cares about how she looks and can be sexy as the First Lady and respectable. So yeah, all of those qualities that she has I see in Trish.
Will the sense of danger that comes with being an officer of the law create any tension between Trish & Roger?
KS: Absolutely, you saw a little in the premiere episode, but you’ll see a lot in the second episode where you’ll find this bond between Riggs and Trish. The reason I say that is, at first you look at him and say, ‘Oh, he’s crazy. He doesn’t care about living. He’s suicidal.’ But I think there’s this moment where Trish can see herself in him, and what I mean by that is, if she lost Roger and she lost her kids, like Riggs did, she would lose it. There’s a part of her that feels like maybe she could be in that position like Riggs. So there’s a bond I think that she finds between these two characters because her family is everything to her. She wants Roger to stay home. She wants to take care of him. She’s the woman who bought the house, she has the money, and that is okay with him, and it’s okay for her to support him in terms of financially. But he doesn’t want to, and she has to respect that he wants to still be the detective. The big difference between the franchise and our television series is that he doesn’t feel he’s too old for this. He wants to keep fighting and she wants him to stay home so he’ll be safe. So there’s going to be conflict in terms of ‘I want you to stay safe, but I have to honor your wishes as my husband to keep fighting.’ But I’m going to go to Riggs and say, ‘Take care of him. Make sure he’s safe. Bring him back home to me.’
What kind of energy does funnyman Damon Wayans foster during down time?
KS: He does make you laugh on camera and off camera, it’s just who he is. And I think that’s a beautiful part of him, which then transforms into Roger, which means for my Trish, I made her fall in love with him because of his humor. He makes her laugh, and so it works because he makes us laugh on set as well as off set. But off set is even more so just because of who he is. [He’s} not trying to crack jokes, he’s a funny person, and it helps to have someone likes that on the set.
In terms of this dynamic female character that you’re currently exploring, what are some ways you believe women can empower themselves?
KS: One of the best ways you can empower yourself is loving yourself, with all your flaws. For me, I’m a spiritual person, so God helps me to feel powerful and spiritually grounded, therefore I’m physically grounded. I also have a strong husband next to me. It’s kind of the same thing with Trish. I’ve been married for… going on, this will be our 20th year. We’re like that couple that stands by each other no matter what, and so that is really grounding for me and makes me feel like I can do anything. But at the time same time, for those who don’t have significant others yet, or they’re not as supportive as you want them to be, I always say to find that within yourself. If I were by myself, how could I do this by myself? For me, first is God, and then secondly, it’s finding what is special about me. I’m not perfect, and I have lots of flaws, but what am I good at? Whether it’s speaking to a crowd, or acting, or going out and helping the homeless, which is a passion of mine. I love acting but my purpose isn’t acting. I love it but my purpose is so much more than that. It’s helping others, which I think all of us are to help others in some way. I’m telling you, if you find a way to help others, you’ll feel so empowered that you can do anything. It really makes you feel that way.
Check out Keesha Sharp in “Lethal Weapon” Wednesdays at 8/7c on FOX. Watch the premiere episode here.
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