Tyler Lepley Talks 'P-Valley's' Highly-Anticipated [Delayed] Return

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AT&T Dream In Black celebrated Black culture and Black history at the 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture and one of their panelists was a P-Valley panty melter who celebrated #BlackBoyJoy.

Source: Erika Goldring / Getty

On June 29 – July 3 in New Orleans, the always-on platform where AT&T celebrates the culture and the creators who shape it hosted meaningful festival experiences and exciting activations across fashion, technology, innovation, and community to inspire greater possibility.

Source: Jafar M. Pierre / AT&T Dream in Black

Additionally, the brand donated a total of 500 refurbished laptops to local NOLA students and families as part of its nationwide commitment to help bridge the digital divide.

Tyler Lepley Talks “Dreaming In Black”, #BlackBoyJoy & P-Valley With BOSSIIP

In between the Dream In Black excellence flowing throughout the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Tyler Lepley sat down for a chat with BOSSIP.

2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ – Ernest N. Morial Convention Center - Day 2

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

Ahead of engaging in a #BlackBoyJoy panel alongside Sinqua Walls, and Kofi Siriboe, Lepley told us what the term means to him.

“It just means being authentic in my true self,” he told BOSSIP’s Managing Editor Dani Canada. “It’s having the audacity to dream out loud, to be exactly what I wanna be. One cool thing about it, Black boy joy is an experience but even when I look at the hashtags when I look online, I think it’s so cool that I see so many different examples of it.

So really just living in your unique self and, being fearless in it is gonna bring you that joy for sure.”

Source: Jafar M. Pierre / AT&T Dream in Black

He also likened the audacity that he had when embarking on his acting career to the message behind Dream In Black and said that when he first began he looked to certain stars as inspiration.

“Of course up top is Denzel then I see what Dwayne Johnson is doing—there’s a bunch of different people, but for me I don’t want to have to fit into anybody else’s mold but they carved out that lane,” Lepley told BOSSIP. “So what I feel like it means to me is being audacious enough to, to carve out my unique name.”

In addition to speaking on the Black Boy joy thriving at Essence, Lepley also gave BOSSIP some deets on what fans can expect when P-Valley finally returns. As previously reported the show ended with a cliffhanger when Big Bone (played by Lepley’s girlfriend Miracle Watts) kidnapped his character, Diamond.

Source: Starz

According to the actor, he had a “bone to pick” [no pun] with Watts after she threw him in a trunk on the show that will return when the WGA writers’ strike is over just like every other project in Hollywood.

The series was anticipated to have a 2024 release date with filming scheduled for this summer, but that could indeed be pushed back.

“Right now we’re just trying to walk down this writer’s strike,” said Lepley to BOSSIP. “The filming and writing process with P Valley is a long one in itself, so you know you combine the two,—it’s probably gonna be a little while but it took a little while between seasons one and two and I felt like P Valley delivered. We’re definitely going to raise the bar again but it [the release date] remains to be seen, you know I’m trying to keep my job too,” he added with a laugh.

Despite the delay, his the actor’s optimism remains and he expressed his gratitude to BOSSIP for supporting Katori Hall’s trip down in the valley.

“A show like that doesn’t go anywhere without this type of support,” Lepley told Dani Canada. “So, you know, we may see each other in passing here and there, but we got a chance right now for me to just give you those flowers back and just say thank you for making that what it is.”

Other stars spotted dreaming in Black with AT&T included Brandee Evans, Tabitha Brown, Rocsi Diaz, and HBCU Queen of the Year, Skylar Warren.