Television history is weird. Some shows fade into the background, while others, like Tyler Perry's The Haves and the Have Nots, manage to grip an audience for eight straight years despite—or perhaps because of—the sheer chaos of the plot. When the show premiered on OWN in 2013, it wasn't just another soap. It was a massive gamble for Oprah Winfrey’s fledgling network. It paid off. The show became a juggernaut. But once the cameras stopped rolling on the Haves and the Have Nots cast in 2021, the real question became whether these actors could escape the gravity of the "Perry-verse" and find success elsewhere.
The Anchors: Tika Sumpter and the Rise of a Leading Lady
Tika Sumpter was already a known entity before she stepped into the shoes of Candace Young. You might remember her from Gossip Girl or One Life to Live. However, playing the manipulative, brilliant, and often misunderstood Candace turned her into a household name for a specific demographic.
She was the engine.
While the show was still running, Sumpter was already diversifying. She didn't just act; she produced. She was the driving force behind Southside with You, the 2016 film about Barack and Michelle Obama’s first date. That’s a huge jump from the soap opera theatrics of Savannah, Georgia. Since the show ended, she’s moved into the blockbuster space, starring as Maddie Wachowski in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. It's a bit jarring to see the woman who once blackmailed judges on OWN now playing a supportive mom to a blue CGI hedgehog, but that’s the industry for you.
Sumpter has also stayed busy with the sitcom Mixed-ish, showing a comedic range that The Haves and the Have Nots rarely allowed her to explore. Her career is a blueprint for how to use a long-running cable drama as a springboard rather than a cage.
The Complicated Legacy of the Cryer Family
Jim Cryer was the man we all loved to hate. John Schneider brought a certain "slick politician" energy to the role that felt painfully authentic. Schneider, of course, was famous long before this as Bo Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard. For him, the Haves and the Have Nots cast was a career resurgence.
It wasn't all smooth sailing, though.
In recent years, Schneider has made headlines more for his personal life and political commentary than his acting. He’s been vocal about his struggles with the legal system regarding alimony and has leaned heavily into the independent filmmaking scene. He often produces his own projects at John Schneider Studios in Louisiana. He’s a workhorse. Even if you don't agree with his Twitter feed, you can't deny he's constantly creating.
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Then there’s Angela Robinson, who played Veronica Harrington.
If Sumpter was the engine, Robinson was the soul—or perhaps the lack thereof. Her portrayal of the icy, brilliant, and terrifying Veronica earned her a Gracie Award. Honestly, Robinson’s theater background (she’s a Broadway vet) was evident in every scene. She chewed the scenery but never made it feel "cheap." Post-series, she’s returned to her roots in theater and remains a highly sought-after acting coach. She doesn't chase the limelight as much as others, but her impact on the show’s legacy is permanent.
Breaking the Typecast: Crystal Fox and Renee Lawless
Crystal Fox spent years playing Hanna Young, the moral compass of the show who was constantly tested by her daughter’s antics. For a long time, Fox was "the lady from In the Heat of the Night." But Tyler Perry gave her a role that required immense emotional heavy lifting.
It worked.
In 2019, while the show was still airing, she landed a role in the second season of HBO’s Big Little Lies. Think about that. She went from a Tyler Perry set—known for its breakneck speed and single-take philosophy—to a prestige HBO drama alongside Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. That’s a massive validation of her talent. She also starred in the Netflix thriller A Fall from Grace, proving she’s a favorite of Perry’s even outside the series format.
Renee Lawless, who played the long-suffering Katheryn Cryer, has taken a different path. Lawless has become a vocal advocate for mental health and has toured with her own one-woman show, When We All Get to Heaven. She’s also a constant presence on the convention circuit. She interacts with fans in a way that feels genuinely grateful. You don’t always see that with actors who have done 100+ episodes of a single show.
The Reality of the "Perry-verse" Production Speed
To understand why the Haves and the Have Nots cast is so respected by peers, you have to understand how the show was made. Tyler Perry is notorious for filming entire seasons in a matter of weeks.
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We are talking about 80 to 100 pages of script a day.
For context, a typical film shoots about 2 to 3 pages a day. A standard network drama might do 5 to 7. The actors on this show had to be off-book (lines memorized) instantly. There was no time for "finding the character" on set. You either had it, or you didn't. This "boot camp" environment created a group of actors who are incredibly efficient. It’s why you see so many of them popping up in guest spots on Grey’s Anatomy, 9-1-1, or Chicago P.D. Casting directors know these actors won't blow the budget by missing lines.
Why the Show Still Trends Today
Even though the finale aired years ago, the show remains a top performer on streaming platforms. It’s a "comfort watch" for many, despite the high-stress plotlines. The class warfare themes—the wealthy Cryers and Harringtons versus the working-class Youngs—are timeless.
But there's a darker side to the show's lasting impact.
Fans often debate whether the show relied too heavily on tropes. Some critics, like those at The Root or Vulture, often pointed out that the female characters were often put through extreme trauma for the sake of plot progression. Yet, the audience stayed. They stayed because the chemistry between the Haves and the Have Nots cast was undeniable. You can’t fake the tension between Peter Parros (David Harrington) and Angela Robinson. That’s years of building a rapport.
Where Are the Men of Savannah Now?
Peter Parros has mostly stayed under the radar, occasionally appearing in procedural dramas. He’s always been the "steady" actor—the one who grounds the more histrionic scenes.
Tyler Lepley, who played Benny Young, has arguably had the biggest "heartthrob" trajectory. He moved from the Young family porch to the world of P-Valley on Starz, playing Diamond. He’s also a lead in the Amazon series Harlem. Lepley managed to shed the "Tyler Perry actor" label faster than almost anyone else in the cast, largely by choosing gritty, high-production-value projects that look and feel very different from the bright, soapy aesthetic of OWN.
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Gavin Houston (Jeffrey Harrington) has also stayed active, appearing in several Lifetime movies and the series Grey's Anatomy. He remains a fan favorite, particularly for his nuanced portrayal of a gay man coming out in a hyper-masculine, wealthy Black family—a storyline that was groundbreaking for the network at the time.
The Logistics of a Legacy
It's easy to dismiss soap operas. People do it all the time. They call them "trashy" or "melodramatic." But the Haves and the Have Nots cast provided a platform for Black actors that didn't really exist elsewhere in the 2010s.
OWN was a lifeline.
Before this show, if you were a Black actor, you were fighting for the "best friend" role on a sitcom or the "detective" role on a procedural. This show gave them the chance to be the villains, the heroes, the lovers, and the billionaires. It shifted the landscape of what Black cable drama could look like, paving the way for shows like Greenleaf or Queen Sugar.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Actors
If you're following the careers of this cast or looking to enter the industry yourself, there are a few real-world takeaways from their journeys:
- Diversify your skill set early. Tika Sumpter didn't wait for the show to end to start producing. If you're in a creative field, don't just do one thing.
- The "Speed" Skill is marketable. If you can prove you can work under high-pressure, fast-paced environments (like a Tyler Perry set), you become an asset to any production.
- Don't fear the "Soap" label. Actors like Crystal Fox proved that you can move from a daytime-style drama to prestige HBO content if the talent is there.
- Social media is a double-edged sword. Look at John Schneider. Building a brand outside of your acting roles is essential for longevity, but it also defines how the mainstream industry perceives you.
- Check streaming residuals. If you're looking for the cast, check Discovery+ or the OWN app. The show is frequently licensed, which keeps these actors in the public eye long after the show has wrapped.
The story of the Haves and the Have Nots cast isn't just about a TV show. It's about a group of professionals who took a high-risk opportunity and turned it into a decade of work. Some have moved on to movies, others to the stage, and some have embraced the quiet life of independent production. Regardless of where they are, the impact of their eight-year run in Savannah remains a significant chapter in the history of 21st-century television.