As Power Book IV: Force kicks off its third and final season, stars Kris D. Lofton and Adrienne Walker are telling BOSSIP what it takes to survive the streets of Chicago, where their power, partnership, and perennial plotting take center stage.
Source: Power Book IV: Force / Starz
Walker, who’s brought layered ambition and allure to perennial plotter Shanti “Showstopper” Page, told BOSSIP that season 3 feels like a homecoming.
“I feel like Shanti is really coming into her own. She and Jenard are finally making strides; it’s exactly what we needed for this final season.”
Lofton echoed that sentiment while injecting some of his trademark humor about Jenard Sampson, the street-savvy Southside hustler who’s almost lost it all, on more than one occasion.
“Coming into season three, I’m just appreciative of the journey Jenard has taken,” he said. “I’m impressed he lasted this long. I’m just happy to be here because honestly, he deserved to be gone a long time ago, thanks to Tommy. I’m just happy to still be standing.”
Source: Power Book IV: Force / Starz
Few rivalries in the Power universe have burned hotter than Jenard’s hatred for “the white devil” Tommy Egan, and according to Lofton, that animosity isn’t just for show.
“I think Jenard always makes mistakes,” he admitted. “But that hate is going to stay. It’s stemming from the right place. I think people look at it wrong; Janard is supposed to hate Tommy.”
To get there emotionally, Lofton built a deep backstory.
“I gave myself a complete backstory to make it seem more real while I was filming,” he said. “I’ve conditioned it in my head so much that I truly believe it.”
That level of psychological immersion, he believes, makes the final season especially POWERful.
“The fans are going to love this season,” he teased.
For Walker’s Shanti, the endgame is clear: she wants the same recognition she earns in the ring to match what she receives from her peers in the streets.
“She wants respect,” the actress told BOSSIP. “She wants the power. She wants to be in control of it all. Shanti’s not a fan of the white devil either,” she added with a laugh. “But her focus is on respect and control.”
Source: Power Book IV: Force / Starz
As the fiery club owner, businesswoman, and boxer with her own agenda, Shanti’s evolution from background player to power broker has made her one of the series’ most unpredictable figures. And as her partnership with Jenard deepens, it’s clear that neither character is playing a short game.
“Jenard’s not as dumb as people think,” said Lofton. “He’s very manipulative. In my head, he was going to an Ivy League school; I always said it was Brown. He’s smarter than he looks; he just dresses this way.”
That intellect, Lofton said, is what drives Jenard’s strategic submission to Shanti.
“Sometimes I think he lets her have it because he knows what he’s doing,” he said. “The key to the world is free will manipulation. You make somebody think they’re doing something for themselves, but really, you planted the idea.”
Lofton even likened Jenard’s manipulation to everyday marketing.
“We don’t eat McDonald’s because we want it,” he said. “We eat it because they told us to. They made us believe we chose it, and that’s where the power lies. That’s what Jenard’s doing.”
He also added that he finds Jenard’s soft spot for Shanti both dangerous and revealing.
“It’s not Kris letting her call the shots; it’s Jenard allowing it,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s strategy. Sometimes you let somebody lead so they think it’s their idea. That’s when you win.”
As Power Book IV: Force prepares to say goodbye, both stars are embracing the opportunity to go out strong and to give fans a finale worthy of the empire they helped build.
“I can’t wait for people to see how it all plays out,” said Lofton. “Janard’s playing chess, not checkers.”
The final season of Power Book IV: Force premiered Friday, November 7. New episodes air every Friday on STARZ.
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