ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

This Nigerian actor is playing a major role in Netflix's new sitcom, 'Family Reunion'

Nigerian-American Anthony Alabi plays the lead male role on Netflix's 'Family Reunion' (John P. Fleenor/Netflix)
  • Netflix has a new sitcom called 'Family Reunion'.
  • It features an incredible cast that includes Anthony Abayomi Alabi, an American of Nigerian descent.
  • He plays a lead role in the recently aired TV show.

Netflix aired its latest sitcom "Family Reunion" on July 10, 2019.

It tells the story of the McKellans, a family that leaves their glamorous city life in Seattle family to move to their hometown Georgia in order to be closer to their relatives. 

The lighthearted nostalgic show stars Nigerian-American Anthony Abayomi Alabi as the father, Tia Mowry as his wife and veteran actors Loretta Devine and Richard Roundtree as his parents.

ADVERTISEMENT

He is a former American football player born to a Nigerian father and Puerto Rican mother.

His professional career started after he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2005. He made his National Football League (NFL) debut the next year in a reserve role.

Alabi played for a while until he retired in 2009 to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. He recently opened up about making the difficult decision to leave his sport career to follow his passion in an interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW).

ADVERTISEMENT

In his words, "It's not that I was unhappy playing football. I love playing football. I wasn't "in love" with football and I think that was a big difference for me. It was very scary and I was fortunate enough to just be single and not have to worry about kids and my family. It was a huge decision, but it was something that I think needed to happen for me. And that's what they call a calling."

His acting career kicked off with appearances on popular shows like 'Bosch', 'Modern Family', 'Insecure' and 'Raven's Home'.

He eventually landed his first major role in Netflix's Family Reunion where he plays Moz McKellan, a character with a very similar background to the actor. Moz and Alabi are both retired NFL players.

ADVERTISEMENT

Discussing the similarity between himself and his characters, he explained, "I think a lot of people have an idea in their head of who an NFL player is and I wanted to be sure that though Moz is an NFL player and he's played 15 years, he's not just this kind of meathead or blockhead. He is sensitive, he has an idea of what he wants and he can be whatever he needs to be, whatever the situation calls for. And whether that's a loving father, a loving husband or disciplinarian or just the comic relief, he is that no matter what."

Alabi also told fans what to expect from his new show saying, "I think what viewers will get first and foremost is a sense of nostalgia. I think you'll get a throwback to shows like Family Matters and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I think we really wanted to make sure that viewers felt that family dynamic, that sitcom feel, and after that, you're going to laugh a lot."

Apart from being a talented actor, this Nigerian-American is also a writer and has produced many comedic digital sketches.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT