News: Showtime Promotes Shamon Brown Jr., Michael Epps, and Barton Fitzpatrick To Series Regulars on Season 2 of The Chi.

UPDATED Mon 7/23/18 – Showtime Ups Three to Series Regulars

The Chi – Season 1 Key Art

SHOWTIME^® HIT DRAMA THE CHI

UPS THREE TO SERIES REGULARS

Shamon Brown Jr., Barton Fitzpatrick And Michael Epps Promoted for Season Two

NEW YORK – July 23, 2018 – Fan favorites Shamon Brown Jr. (Papa), Barton Fitzpatrick (Reg) and Michael Epps (Jake) have been upped from guest stars to series regulars for the highly anticipated second season of THE CHI. The hit SHOWTIME drama series is currently in production in Chicago and will return to the network in 2019. THE CHI averaged 4.5 million weekly viewers across platforms and ranks as the highest-rated SHOWTIME freshman season since BILLIONS in 2016.

In season one, viewers watched as best friends Kevin (series regular Alex Hibbert), Papa (Brown Jr.) and Jake (Epps) navigated the rocky terrain of teen life on the South Side in their journey to become young men. In addition to normal adolescent pitfalls (girls, school hierarchies, bullies), they were also exposed to some of the darker elements of inner-city life, at times by Jake’s older brother and guardian, Reg (Fitzpatrick). Kevin and Papa battled Reg’s influence over Jake, praying that their friend would maintain his innocence and avoid temptations. But whether the boys are able to shield Jake from Reg’s twisted lessons in street survival remains to be seen.

News: Showtime Promotes Shamon Brown Jr., Michael Epps, and Barton Fitzpatrick To Series Regulars on Season 2 of <i>The Chi</i>. 2

L-R: Shamon Brown Jr., Michael Epps, and Barton Fitzpatrick – Photo courtesy of Showtime.

Created and executive produced by Emmy^® winner Lena Waithe (Master of None) and executive produced by Academy Award^®, Emmy and Golden Globe^® winner Common (Selma), THE CHI explores the humanity behind the headlines sensationalizing the South Side of Chicago. Ayanna Floyd Davis (Empire, Hannibal) serves as executive producer and showrunner for season two. Produced entirely in its namesake city, THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. The ensemble cast includes Jason Mitchell (Mudbound, Straight Outta Compton), Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (Queen of Katwe), Jacob Latimore (Sleight), Alex Hibbert (Moonlight), Tiffany Boone (The Following), Yolonda Ross (Treme, The Get Down) and Armando Riesco (Bull). In addition to Waithe, Common and Floyd Davis, Aaron Kaplan (Santa Clarita Diet, Divorce) also serves as an executive producer, along with Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), who also directed the pilot episode, and Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of Freedom Road Productions. The series is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios. To learn more about THE CHI, visit SHO.com and follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Join the conversation using #TheChi.
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———— Posted January 30, 2018 ————

SHOWTIME^® ORDERS SECOND SEASON OF THE CHI

Drama Series From Emmy^®Winning Creator And Executive Producer Lena Waithe

Has Grown Every Single Week Since Premiere

Ayanna Floyd Davis Named New Showrunner

LOS ANGELES – January 30, 2018 – SHOWTIME has renewed its hit drama series THE CHI for a second season, it was announced by Gary Levine, President of Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. Created and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Lena Waithe (Master of None) and executive produced by Academy Award^®, Emmyand Golden Globe^® winner Common (Selma), THE CHI explores the humanity behind the headlines sensationalizing the South Side of Chicago. Ayanna Floyd Davis (Empire, Hannibal) has signed on for season two as executive producer and showrunner. Produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, the series will go back into production in Chicago later this year.

News: Showtime Promotes Shamon Brown Jr., Michael Epps, and Barton Fitzpatrick To Series Regulars on Season 2 of <i>The Chi</i>. 4

Alex R. Hibbert and Jason Mitchell – Photo CR: ©Showtime

“From viewers and critics alike, the response to THE CHI has been so enthusiastic from the very start that our decision to renew the series was an easy one,” Levine said. “We love the vibrant characters and the nuanced world that Lena has created. Her vision for THE CHI has clearly struck a chord, and we know she has many more moving, personal and resonant stories to tell about her beloved hometown.”

THE CHI ranks as the best SHOWTIME series premiere since BILLIONS in 2016, averaging four million weekly viewers across platforms. Since its January 7 debut, the series has consistently grown its audience week after week – with its most recent episode outperforming the premiere by 41 percent. THE CHI has also been embraced and amplified on social media consistently among the top trending topics on Sunday nights on Twitter.

Produced entirely in its namesake city, THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. The ensemble cast for season one includes Jason Mitchell (Mudbound, Straight Outta Compton), Jacob Latimore (Sleight), Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (Queen of Katwe), Alex Hibbert (Moonlight), Yolonda Ross (Treme, The Get Down), Armando Riesco (Bull) and Tiffany Boone (The Following). Kevin (Hibbert) is the pre-teen who must step past shattered illusions and embrace the normal rites of childhood, while Brandon (Mitchell) the dreamer makes his own nearly impossible leap of faith to succeed in life and love with girlfriend Jerrika (Boone). Emmett (Latimore) is the carefree teen thrust into the complex responsibility of fatherhood with guidance from his mother Jada (Ross), and Ronnie (Mwine) is the drifter whose struggle to love and be loved calls into question his every pursuit. Sonja Sohn (The Wire), Jahking Guillory (Kicks), and Steven Williams (The Leftovers) recur in season one. In addition to Waithe and Common, Elwood Reid (The Bridge, Hawaii Five-O) and Aaron Kaplan (Santa Clarita Diet, Divorce) serve as executive producers for season one, along with Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), who also directed the pilot episode, and Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of Freedom Road Productions. THE CHI airs Sunday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.