Source: John Lamparski / Getty
‘s first season took viewers for a ride, as fans of the
Power Book franchise gained insight into Kanan Stark’s childhood.
The deadly character, played by
50 Cent in
the original Power series, killed his own cousin and son as an adult — but it turns out that while young Kanan (Mekai Curtis) was exposed to the drug business at home, his mom Raquel ‘Raq’ Thomas never wanted her son to go into it. Actress
Patina Miller does an amazing job with her portrayal of Raq, a dedicated mom who eventually gives into her son’s desire to learn organized crime. Not only does Raq give in, but as fans of the show saw in the most recent
Raising Kanan episode, she asks him to kill — and unbeknownst to Kanan, the target is his own father.
In real life, Patina Miller is a South Carolina native, who was raised in church. So, of course this role took some training.
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“Raq is a complete boss. She is the sole provider for her family, she is always on the go, and you know, she is the queenpin,”
she told Shape, adding “She’s a female in a man’s world. So she takes pride in her appearance — from her strong physique, down to her make-up and hair. Everything with Raq is deliberate and well thought out. So I wanted to train in a certain style to attain a look that reflects strength and power. Raq wants to dominate and she’s going to dominate on every level — and her looks go hand-in-hand with that.”
Miller went on to reveal she did a combination of dance cardio, pilates, and strength training to up her stamina for the role (after catching COVID-19). The 36-year-old actress says she takes care of her body preventatively, explaining “I want to be able to do the things that I’m doing now up until I’m 70 or 80 years old. I realized early on that having a fitness routine and being in tune with your body helps things along the way.”
It’s no secret… she looks great and she definitely outdid herself with her badass portrayal of Raquel Thomas. So, salute the queen for all her preparation and dedication. More photos of Patina Miller slaying below!
ALSO: Meet Hailey Kilgore, The Actress Behind Raising Kanan‘s Incredible Portrayal Of ‘Jukebox’
