Alesha Renee, who’s served as a host on several BET and MTV shows, is heading to HBO in the series “Da Brick.”

“My character, her name is Chase. She’s a floozy, but it’s a great departure from who I actually am, which, of course, is what acting is all about,” she said. “It’s loosely based on Mike Tyson’s journey. It’s just essentially about a struggle of a young, Black kid who came from nothing. The cards were stacked up against him, and he fought his way out, literally and figuratively.”

Alesha said the series’ focus on a young man working hard to overcome the odds is something she admires and something today’s society needs to take to heart.

“In this day and age where people are looking for a quick way into a better situation rather than putting in the work, or people are using their environment as an excuse as to why they can’t excel above what people expect of them, it’s a great underlying message,” she said.

The show will be directed by the legendary Spike Lee, who Alesha said is hilarious in person.
“I enjoyed myself thoroughly working with him and picking his brain and getting some insight as a young actor in this industry… He was always open and willing to share some advice and some information,” she said.

Find out what advice Alesha got from Spike. Watch.

—Tracy L. Scott