‘P-Valley’ star Nicco Annan says his character getting snubbed by her lover for being non-binary was ‘unexpected’ and ‘heartbreaking’

Uncle Clifford is heartbroken when Lil’ Murda disrespects her in the club. Photo Credit: Starz “P-Valley” star Nico Annan spoke to Insider about his character Uncle Clifford’s relationship with Lil’ Murda. Lil’ Murda snubbed his non-binary lover, leading Uncle Clifford to ghost him.

Annan explained where Uncle Clifford was coming from and why she took the betrayal so badly. “P-Valley” star Nicco Annan spoke to Insider about his character Uncle Clifford’s tragically short-lived relationship with rising rapper Lil’ Murda (J. Alphonse Nicholson) and how Lil’ Murda’s betrayal affects Uncle Clifford in season two.

Uncle Clifford, a non-binary strip-club proprietor who goes by the pronouns she/her, and Lil’ Murda fall for one another in season one of Starz’s “P-Valley,” a drama set at a fictional Mississippi strip club named the Pynk. Their relationship is cut short due to rampant homophobia and transphobia in the Mississippi Delta area.  In season one episode five, Lil’ Murda reveals his real name is LaMarques and tries to convince his lover to allow him to take her on a date.

Uncle Clifford is content to allow their passion to simmer under the radar to keep them safe, rattling off a list of hate crimes in the area as examples of why their relationship needs to remain a secret. But ultimately, Uncle Clifford gives her lover a chance to “show me what you really are about” by introducing him to her grandmother and opening herself up to him.  Lil’ Murda says that he wants to go beyond being forced to “suck and fuck in the dark” and is ready to have a real relationship, but at the end of season one, he shrugs off his new flame for fear of someone finding out that he is attracted to a gender-fluid person.

When the music industry comes calling, he disrespects Uncle Clifford by being rude to her in front of executives who have come to see him perform. He is nasty and dismissive to her and goes out of his way to hide that he has any affection or respect for her. He even asks her to leave the section because of his discomfort, sneering at her to keep his cover.

 Instead of honoring his commitment to Uncle Clifford, Lil’ Murda clings to the fake relationship he has with a stripper named Keyshawn, who acts as his beard in an effort to boost her social-media following. Lil’ Murda and Keyshawn work together to build fanbases on “P-Valley. “Photo Credit: StarzAnnan told Insider the “unexpected” brush-off after Lil’ Murda persisted in convincing Uncle Clifford that he wanted to love her out loud made Lil’ Murda’s eventual denial “so, so heartbreaking.

” She initially chooses to ghost Lil’ Murda because of it; when he comes around and tries to win her back in season two, she hides her broken heart from him behind a door and lets her grandmother (Loretta Devine) speak to him instead.  “I think it’s about choice,” said Annan. “Sometimes you might want to answer the phone call when that person calls you, but you still don’t.

”  She keeps his romantic postcards from tour but will not return messages. Annan said his character is waiting until Lil’ Murda “proves” to her “how much you really, really want this, especially when you took it for granted before. ” In real life, Annan does not agree with the tactic.

“I’m not really one for ghosting, I tell you straight up,” he said. But he completely understands his character’s reaction given how seriously Uncle Clifford takes personal integrity, which is something she considers integral to sex work. “Uncle Clifford is coming in this world and has these rules because, listen — we do what we do.

We sell fantasies for work, but you will not sell your soul,” the actor said. The Lil’ Murda storyline is impactful in real life because it reflects potential difficulties facing entertainers who suspect their music will be perceived if they present differently than their fans expect. Annan believes it is up to the artist to determine how much it matters what others think about who they sleep with, and he thinks that’s something Lil’ Murda will need to confront if anyone finds out about him and Uncle Clifford in season two.

Uncle Clifford is pining for Lil’ Murda but she can’t let the hurt go. Photo Credit: Starz”I think that if anyone were to find out about the relationship, and the connection that Lil’ Murda has with Uncle Clifford, I think that’s the space where Lil’ Murda will be able to define for himself how much that means,” Annan added. “P-Valley” airs Sundays at 10 p.

m. ET. The first four episodes of season two are now streaming on Starz.

 Read the original article on Insider.