Meet the Actual-Life Loves of the ‘She the Folks’ Forged

Terri J. Vaughn and Karon Riley

Vaughn, who stars within the sequence as Lieutenant Governor Antoinette Dunkerson, has been married to her husband, former NFL participant Karon Riley, since Jan. 19, 2008. He additionally seems in She the Folks as Michael.

The couple first met whereas engaged on a play. Throughout a January 2024 interview on the Relationships Matter podcast, Riley defined that he was initially drawn to Vaughn’s “gentle spirit” and the best way she didn’t take “herself or her life” too critically.

Vaughn and Riley have two youngsters, son Kal’El Joseph and daughter Lola. The actress can be a mom to son Daylen Ali, whom she shares with ex-husband Derrick Carolina.

After almost twenty years of marriage with Riley, Vaughn advised the Relationships Matter podcast that she appreciates the “consistency of rising collectively, as a result of we’re not the identical people that we had been after we first met.”

Jo Marie Payton and Leonard Downs

Payton, who performs Dunkerson’s brutally sincere mother Cleo, is married to her husband Leonard Downs.

She additionally has one daughter, Chantale France, with ex-husband Marc France.

In a Might 2025 interview with Director’s Lower Radio, Payton praised She the Folks‘s hilarious household dynamics, which supply a little bit of a reversal from the everyday mother-daughter relationship.

“[The family] is glad that their mom’s in that place, however we nonetheless wish to do our factor,” she stated. “[My character] nonetheless needs to go to the on line casino, be with my associates, go fishing. I am retired. I wish to have a superb time. I do not need anybody respiration down my again.”

Jade Novah and Devin Johnson

Novah, who performs Dunkerson’s cousin Shamika, has been married to her husband, music producer Devin Johnson, since Dec. 7, 2015.

He produced her 2024 album WHERE HAVE I BEEN? and has been instrumental in encouraging her creativity, as Novah advised Essence in March 2024.

“My relationship with Devin was the primary time I skilled somebody telling me they love me and in addition validating it with actions, doing issues to again it up,” she stated.

Johnson defined that he goes “exhausting for my folks.”

“I’m very loyal. And I’ll put my head down and do no matter must be finished,” he stated. “So, I identical to understanding that I’m considered, and it may be the smallest factor like Jade bringing me a smoothie or simply checking in and asking how I’m doing.”

Dyon Brooks

Comic and actor Dyon “Mojo” Brooks, who performs Dunkerson’s hot-shot driver, seems to be single.

In a 2024 TikTok, Brooks joked about breaking apart along with his girlfriend after she mistakenly thought the Chicago Bears gained the Tremendous Bowl.

Brooks additionally has a daughter from a earlier relationship.