Kat Harlton
Photos: Provided via artist / credit: Howland Sessions Media
Poster: Copyright of Netflix
Actor Agape Mngomezulu has reprised his role as Bryon Bennett in season 3 of Ginny & Georgia currently streaming on Netflix.
Ginny & Georgia follows 15‑year‑old Ginny Miller, a perceptive and emotionally mature teenager, and her vivacious, secret‑laden mother Georgia as they seek a fresh start in a picturesque New England town after years on the run. But Georgia’s efforts to build a new, stable life soon collide with her dark past and the explosive family drama intensifies in Season 3 when she stands trial for murder following a shocking incident at her wedding.
Agape plays Bryon Bennett, a cool, relaxed jock who plays on the school football team. Bracia (played by Tameka Griffiths) has had a huge crush on him since they were kids and it seems like it hasn’t subsided even in their high school days. He takes an interest in her by asking about the school play, then later audition for it. Bryon’s cool and calm attitude makes it hard to tell whether he’s actually into Bracia or if he’s just a nice cool guy, until we get to the end of season 2 where they confess their affection for each other.
I had the opportunity to chat with Agape about his role in the hit Netflix show, what fans can expect and more.
Kat: Bryon has always carried a laid-back, mysterious energy, how did you approach playing the more emotionally vulnerable sides of him this season, especially as his relationship with Bracia evolves?
Agape: It was fun being able to show that other side of him, and it was more so just about acting out the truth of his situation. He really cares for Bracia and he shows real patience and understanding while she tries to figure out how she really feels about him.
Kat: There’s a subtle tension in Bryon and Bracia’s relationship this season, did you and Tameka Griffiths have any conversations off-camera to help shape their dynamic on-screen?
Agape: Yeah, I think we both brought in our life experience into these characters this season especially. It definitely helps that we have a great relationship off screen and so it allowed us to go as far as we needed to portray that tension without having to worry about the tension following us off screen.
Kat: Season 3 is darker and more intense overall with Georgia’s trial unfolding. How did the heightened drama around the main storyline influence your scenes or how you approached Bryon’s emotional stakes?
Agape: The season had an overall air of intensity and I think it just helped ground every scene throughout the season. We get to see Bryon take care of the people around him and really be there emotionally for his friends who might be dealing with the drama and intensity surrounding the main storyline and that was definitely something new for the audience to see.
Kat: Bryon starts to question his compatibility with Bracia this season. What do you think he’s really afraid of, being vulnerable, being misunderstood, or something else entirely?
Agape: When you first see Bryon in season 2, he is on the football team, a very cool, very chill guy. And when you see Bracia in season 3, she’s trying to get into the school play. So I think initially they are quite different in their interests and I think they’ve both tried to bridge that but in the third season, their relationship requires something deeper than common interests and I think that is the hurdle that they’ve had to overcome.
Kat: High school characters are often boxed into stereotypes. How do you make sure Bryon feels real, layered, and more than just ‘the chill football guy’?
Agape: For me, it was more so just remembering guys that reminded me of Bryon when I was in high school and also putting parts of myself that resonate with him. I think that helped him feel more human as opposed to an idea of what a high school kid is like or boiling it down to just a stereotype of what I think Bryon is like.
Kat: If you could write one scene for Bryon in Season 4, something the audience hasn’t seen from him yet, what would it be and why?
Agape: I think it’d be cool to see how Bryon talks about Bracia when her and her friends aren’t around. Maybe a scene where he’s talking to his friends so we get to see what he thinks of her and how he really really feels about her.
Kat: Looking back at your first appearance on the show to now, what’s something you’ve discovered about yourself as an actor through playing Bryon?
Agape: Putting myself into the character, it’s hard not to walk around feeling a little more confident and self assured, and so I definitely feel that has grown compared to when I started in season 2.
Connect With Agape On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/off.agape/