It’s been a minute since we first stepped into Greater Hope Baptist Church, but honestly, the drama still feels fresh. When Saints & Sinners premiered on Bounce TV back in 2016, nobody quite expected it to become the powerhouse it did. It wasn’t just a "church show." It was a gritty, Southern-fried soap opera that leaned into the messy intersection of faith and greed.
The secret sauce? The saints and sinners actors who brought those scripts to life.
You had legendary veterans like Vanessa Bell Calloway and Clifton Powell squaring off against rising stars. These weren't just cardboard cutouts of "good" or "bad" people. They were complex, often frustrating, and deeply human. Now that the series has wrapped its six-season run, fans are still digging into where these actors are now and how they felt about those wild plot twists.
The Powerhouse Behind Lady Ella: Vanessa Bell Calloway
If there is a queen of the "ambitious church lady" archetype, it’s Vanessa Bell Calloway. In Saints & Sinners, she played Lady Ella Johnson, a woman who basically makes Lady Macbeth look like a Sunday School teacher. Calloway has been open about how much she loved the role because Ella wasn't just sitting in her husband's shadow. She was a councilwoman, a businesswoman, and a mother with a serious thirst for power.
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Calloway actually beat out several other big Hollywood names for the part. She’s often joked in interviews that while she isn’t quite as "bad" as Ella in real life, she understood the character’s opportunism. Ella wasn’t necessarily a villain in her own head; she was just doing what was necessary to win. Since the show ended, Calloway hasn't slowed down. You've likely seen her in Shameless or reprising her role as Princess Imani in Coming 2 America.
Why Clifton Powell’s Rex Fisher Still Matters
Clifton Powell is one of those actors who just commands the screen. You know him from Ray, Next Friday, and about a hundred other projects. But as Rex Fisher, he got to do something he felt was missing from network TV: play a gritty, dark-skinned male lead without the "watered down" edges.
Rex was the "street captain" of Cypress. He was the guy with the money, the muscle, and the history that tied the whole town together. Powell has mentioned that Rex was far removed from his own personality—he’s never even been arrested in real life! But he played Rex with such a straight, menacing reality that you couldn't help but be terrified and fascinated at the same time.
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The Supporting Cast That Kept Us Hooked
- Christian Keyes (Levi Sterling): Before he was appearing in The Boys or All the Queen's Men, Keyes was the leading man holding down the early seasons of Saints & Sinners. His character, Levi, was often the moral center—or at least the guy trying to find it in a town that had lost its way.
- Demetria McKinney (Tamara Austin): A triple threat. McKinney brought her musical background and her House of Payne experience to play Tamara. She’s since moved on to major roles in The Winchesters and Motherland: Fort Salem.
- Keith Robinson (Miles Calloway): Robinson, who many remember from Dreamgirls, played the R&B star-turned-choir director. His character was a perfect example of the show’s theme: a man with "demons" trying to use his gift for something better.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Production
There’s this misconception that the cast just showed up and read lines for a paycheck. Kinda the opposite. Many of the actors, like Keith Robinson and Vanessa Bell Calloway, were actually friends before the show even started. This built-in chemistry is why those heated scenes at the church felt so intense. They weren't just acting; they were playing off people they truly respected.
The show was also a massive risk for Bounce TV. It was their first original drama. If the actors hadn't sold the "juicy and delectable" nature of the scripts—as Clifton Powell once described them—the network might not have become the destination for urban drama that it is today.
The Legacy of the Saints and Sinners Actors
When the final episode aired in May 2022, it marked the end of an era for Black soap operas. The show didn't just provide entertainment; it gave veteran actors a platform to play roles that weren't "safe." It showed that audiences were hungry for stories that explored the darker side of community pillars.
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If you're looking to follow the cast today, you’ll find them all over the place. Demetria McKinney is still dominating the sci-fi and fantasy space. Christian Keyes has become a staple of both streaming dramas and holiday movies. Vanessa Bell Calloway remains a force in both comedy and heavy drama.
To really appreciate the impact of the saints and sinners actors, you sort of have to look at the landscape of TV now. Shows like Greenleaf or Kingdom Business owe a debt to the ground broken by the crew at Greater Hope. They proved that a "church show" could be just as scandalous, high-stakes, and well-acted as anything on HBO or Netflix.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Watch the Movie: If you missed it, there is a stand-alone film titled Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day that bridges the gap between seasons 4 and 5. It’s essential viewing for the full story.
- Follow the Music: Many cast members, including Keith Robinson and Demetria McKinney, are active R&B artists. Their discographies often mirror the soulful, emotional energy they brought to their characters.
- Check Streaming: While the show originated on Bounce, it frequently pops up on various streaming platforms. It's worth a re-watch just to see the subtle acting choices Clifton Powell makes in those early episodes.
The show might be over, but the careers of the people who made it happen are very much in their prime. Whether they were playing the "saint" or the "sinner," they left a mark on television that isn't going away anytime soon.