Meet the stars of Tyler Perry’s latest drama

Taraji P. Henson as Janiyah Wiltkinson

Front and center is award-winning actress Taraji P. Henson, whose sensational career began with the crime drama Streetwise (1998). Since then, she’s achieved prominence with performances in Hustle & Flow (2005) and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Henson’s other film credits include Think Like a Man (2012), Hidden Figures (2016), What Men Want (2019), and most recently, The Color Purple (2023).

She’s just as notable on television, playing major roles on Person of Interest (2011–2013) and the hit series Empire (2015–2020), which earned her two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe win for Best Actress in a Drama Series. Henson has also received Emmy nods for Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story (2011) and the mockumentary sitcom Abbott Elementary (2023).

In Straw, Henson carries the heavyrole of Janiyah Wiltkinson, a single mother doing everything she can to care for her seriously ill daughter.

It’s a performance rooted in authenticity, something Henson spoke openly about to Entertainment Weekly.

“Janiyah is a woman who doesn’t have much in life, but she has a lot of love for her child. I’m a single mother, so I understood her journey and her struggles,” she said. “She’s a single mother trying to make the best of the cards that she’s been dealt in life. She finds herself in a horrible situation where one of those days, you wake up and everything that could go wrong goes wrong. It’s about how she maneuvers through it.”

Sherri Shepherd as Nicole

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Emmy winner Sherri Shepherd flex her acting chops in a scripted role. Lately, she’s been more known for co-hosting The View (2007–2014) and her own daytime talk show, Sherri (2022–present).

But longtime fans will remember Shepherd from her many scene-stealing roles in shows like Everybody Loves Raymond (1998–2003), The Jamie Foxx Show (1999–2001), 30 Rock (2007–2012), Mr. Iglesias (2019–2021), and The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021–2024).

She also competed on season 14 of Dancing With the Stars, where she and partner Val Chmerkovskiy were the third duo eliminated.

In Straw, Shepherd plays Nicole, the bank branch manager caught in the middle of Janiyah’s desperate stand.

During a recent episode of The View, Shepherd opened up about why the role hit so close to home, explaining, “I just connected to this character. I am a mother, and everybody knows about my son … everybody knows about my relationship with my son, and … that strength and sisterhood is what drew me to the character.”

Teyana Taylor as Detective Kay Raymond

Teyana Taylor may have started as an R&B singer, but she’s quickly proven that she’s just as commanding on screen as she is on stage.

Her acting breakthrough came with the critically acclaimed A Thousand and One (2023), earning her the National Board of Review’s Breakthrough Performance award. But her film career began much earlier with Stomp the Yard: Homecoming (2010), followed by Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family (2011).

Taylor’s filmography has grown with roles in Coming 2 America (2021), White Men Can’t Jump (2023), and The Book of Clarence (2023). And she’s not slowing down, seeing as Taylor is set to headline upcoming projects including Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another (2025), Hulu’s legal drama All’s Fair (2025), and the Netflix movie The RIP (2026).

Behind the camera, she’s known as “Spike Tee” for directing music videos. As of March 2024, Taylor will make her feature directorial debut with Get Lite, a dance drama starring Emmy winner Storm Reid, per Deadline.

Taylor plays Detective Kay Raymond, a skilled crisis negotiator who forms a unique connection with Janiyah.

Ahead of the film’s release, Taylor spoke with BlackTree TV and revealed that the role was deeply personal. “I see a lot of me in her, so I was like, ‘Okay, this is going to be heavy but it’s going to be easy because I’m just naturally empathetic and naturally compassionate,'” she recalled.

Gabby Jackson as Aria

Gabby Jackson may be new to the industry, but she’s already making a strong impression as a rising young star. Though still early in her career, Jackson has landed recurring roles on Will Trent (2024) and Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (2024), the latter of which also starred her Straw costar and onscreen mom, Henson.

Up next, Jackson is stepping into a major role as young Ruth in R&B, a faith-based romance produced by Perry that reimagines the biblical story for a modern audience.

In Straw, Jackson portrays Aria, Janiyah’s sick daughter, who is the emotional heart of the film.

Sinbad as Benny

Nearly five years after having a stroke, Sinbad has made his highly anticipated return to film in Straw.

With a career spanning nearly 40 years, Sinbad has long been a beloved figure in comedy, thanks to hilarious roles in Coneheads (1993), Jingle All the Way (1996), First Kid (1996), and Good Burger (1997), as well as sitcom hits like A Different World (1987–1991), The Sinbad Show (1993–1994), and Rel (2018–2019).

Sinbad portrays Benny, Janiyah’s kind-hearted neighbor who never fails to remind others of her generosity and the tough hand she’s been dealt.

Though he hasn’t spoken extensively about the part, Sinbad shared a moving message on Instagram, thanking Tyler Perry for giving him an “incredible opportunity at such a pivotal time” in his life.

“I don’t have the words to express how much this means to me and my family. It was an honor to be able to work with you,” he wrote. “Seeing how you work and interact with your cast and crew was inspiring. It’s been the best experience on a movie set since I came to Hollywood.”

Glynn Turman as Richard

Emmy winner Glynn Turman has built a remarkable career out of unforgettable supporting roles, and he’s only getting better with age. He took home the Emmy in 2008 for his guest spot on In Treatment and earned another nomination in 2019 for his brief role on How to Get Away With Murder.

Since the late 1950s, Turman has been a consistent force across film and television, with credits like Peyton Place (1968–1969), Gremlins (1984), A Different World (1988–1993), The Wire (2004–2008), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020), and Rustin (2023), to name a few.

Recently, he stepped into the world of fantasy as the wise centaur Chiron in the Disney+ show Percy Jackson and the Olympians (2023–present). Thurman will soon saddle up for Kevin Costner’s sweeping Western Horizon: An American Saga –Chapter 3.

Turman plays Richard, Janiyah’s stern boss at the grocery store.

Rockmond Dunbar as Chief Wilson

Rockmond Dunbar is no stranger to the limelight, with a career that spans both the big and small screen. You’ve likely seen him in films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) and Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys (2008), but his real claim to fame might be his unique TV resume.

From Kenny Chadway on Soul Food (2000–2004) to C-Note on Prison Break (2005–2017), Lieutenant Eli Roosevelt on Sons of Anarchy (2011–2013), and Michael Grant on 9-1-1 (2018–2021), Dunbar knows how to leave a mark. Most recently, he appeared as Uncle Willie in Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, which also stars Henson.

Up next, he’ll appear in the action thriller One Spoon of Chocolate, written, directed, and produced by RZA, which made its debut at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.

In Straw, Dunbar plays Chief Wilson, a hard-edged, no-nonsense police official who has zero sympathy for Janiyah’s situation.

Ashley Versher as Tessa George

Actress and director Ashley Versher may be a fresh face in Hollywood, but she’s quickly becoming one to watch, especially with Tyler Perry in her corner. Though still early in her acting career, Versher has appeared in Jennifer Lopez’s This Is Me… Now (2024) and Perry’s Netflix drama Beauty in Black (2024–2025).

Versher takes on the role of Tessa George, a cool-headed bank teller whose day takes a sharp turn when Janiyah arrives and holds up the bank.