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Strip culture is oftentimes viewed as taboo in America, and while some of the entertainment industry’s most celebrated celebrities — like Cardi B, NeNe Leakes and Lady Gaga — trace their beginnings to a strip club, exotic dancing is frowned upon by many. Katori Hall, creator of the hit strip-based series P-Valley, says she didn’t think twice about showcasing strip culture on the big screen.
Ahead of the season 2 premiere on June 3, Hall spoke to ABC Audio about her “humanizing project” that’s been in the works for over a decade. “I never had any reservations,” she said. “I think because I knew that these women were just like me, were just like you. They have struggles, they have dreams.”
Hall said the history of hypersexualization of Black women cemented her desire to create an in-depth story and put forth a “nuanced portrayal of why women go into sex work.”
“These women are doing a type of work that, yes, a lot of people denigrate, but it is work,” she said. “I just really wanted people to understand that there’s a world that has created the reason as to why a lot of women step into this lane.”
Hall said she’s never felt pressure working on the record-breaking Starz show, instead she feels blessed to produce groundbreaking work.
The cast members — Brandee Evans, Nicco Annan, Parker Sawyers, Elarica Johnson, J. Alphonse Nicholson and Shannon Thornton — who, like Hall, have waited almost two years for the return, say they’re excited for fans, aka the “Pynk Posse,” to finally get what they’ve been asking for.
As for what to expect on season 2 of P-Valley, debuting on Starz at 9 p.m., Hall says, “You better get your glue ‘cus these edges about to get snatched baby!”
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'P-Valley' Creating Katori never reservations series stripper
