Coming off the series finale of Power, Naturi Naughton is set to star in the hour-long pilot of ABC’s Queens. Written by Zahir McGhee, Queens chronicles the reunion of four estranged bandmates who are clinching their opportunity to regain their fame and reprise their legendary 90s hip-hop group, Nasty Bitches.
Naughton will co-lead opposite rapper Eve. Naughton plays Jill, formerly known as Da Thrill, a former drug addict who now lives as a devout Catholic wife dwelling in Montana. Although Jill lives a seemingly quiet life, she’s confronted by her haunting past secrets when she journeys to revive her life as Da Thrill. Eve will play Brianna who is now juggling being a wife and mother of five. After leaving the life of glamour, the icon is struggling with reigniting her former level confidence and stardom.
In Starz’s Power, Naughton starred as Tasha St. Patrick, the wife of drug emperor James “Ghost” St. Patrick. Her role as the mother of three handling her husband’s extramarital affairs and drug empire garnered her much acclaim over the show’s six seasons. The actress is a two-time NAACP Image Award recipient for her work on the show.
Naughton’s acting credits include her work on the set of Notorious, Fame, and appearances in Mad Men and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Most recently, in 2020, she starred in Emperor, a biopic about an escaped slave who travels north and encounters Frederick Douglass and abolitionist John Brown.
McGhee, who has worked on Shondaland’s Scandal and For The People, will write and executive produce the pilot. Sabrina Wind will also join the crew as EP for the ABC Signature production.
