McKinley Freeman Talks 'Reasonable Doubt' Season 2, Showcasing A New Family Dynamic

Hulu's drama Reasonable Doubt had audiences on the hook since its September 2022 premiere. Produced by Onyx Collective and executive-produced by Kerry Washington, the show offers a fresh look at a Black family on television.

The series follows a corporate defense lawyer (Emayatzy Corinealdi) and her estranged husband (McKinley Freeman), who works as a software engineer. It takes us through their challenges with work-life balance, marriage, parenting and unexpected life events.

After an eventful first season, the second season continues to unravel the family's complexities. With one episode remaining, we anticipate how this will all end.

In an exclusive interview with The Quintessential Gentleman, Freeman discussed the second season, how he approaches acting and the significance of representation in media.

Freeman, humble about his position in the star-studded cast, emphasized the collaborative nature of the show. "Star is a very loose term," he shared when being named a star on the show. "I am one of many amazing people on a cast that hopefully people will love the stories that we get to tell this season."

The actor praised the show's creative team, highlighting the diversity of production. "We have all Black writers room, all Black directors," Freeman noted, explaining how working on this project was smoother than others. "When it comes to making things, speaking shorthand definitely helps, especially when you're on time crunches with budgets."

For season two, Freeman's character Lewis undergoes couples counseling, a storyline that the actor approached with intention. "I just spent a lot of time really trying to figure out and also kind of doing my own kind of study... almost the steps of recovery," he explained, discussing his method acting approach. Freeman believes storylines around therapy in our culture are important, stating, "Being able to see folks that look like you in therapy, that aren't perfect, but are still trying to figure out how to make it work... I think it's important."

Some actors take their characters home but Freeman isn't personally affected by his work on the show. "I like to make sure that I'm honest about how I go about my life and the choices that I make and what I choose to that inspires me," he reflected. "Only then, if I can be honest with myself, can I be honest about the perspective that I'm being asked to step into."

Freeman also shared insights into his personal style versus his character's wardrobe, emphasizing simplicity in his own life. "Simple is better," he said, describing his preference for easily maintainable outfits.

Offering advice to aspiring actors and individuals facing challenges, Freeman shared a powerful perspective: "One of the biggest lies I think that exists, is that other people have it figured out, and the reality is that none of us do. We're just surviving from day to day with more and more information."

Check out the full interview.

Photo Credit: Paris Libby