The rollout for the second season of Diarra From Detroit has been a masterclass on promotion. Prior to the premiere and beyond, the cast has been everywhere from Atlanta to Los Angeles, and we even saw Diarra Kilpatrick—the series star and creator—serving ice cream in New Orleans during ESSENCE Festival weekend. From what I’ve seen, you all have so much fun together, I say to Perry and her co-star Bryan Terrell Clark.

“It’s a gift, man,” Clark responds. “Whatever your job is, you hope to show up every day and enjoy the people that you work with. Also, I think the gift is to do good work; but what a blessing it is to do it with people that you care about. So when you feel our chemistry on screen, it’s because Diarra has just done a really good job of casting a group of people that actually really get along and care about each other.”

Season One of the genre-blending series became a breakout hit on BET+ before making the move to Paramount+ earlier this year. The story centers on Diarra Brickland, a recently divorced schoolteacher whose promising rebound romance takes an unexpected turn when her date suddenly disappears—things get really interesting after that. The series features a standout ensemble that includes Kilpatrick, Clark, Jon Chaffin, Shannon Wallace, Phylicia Rashad and more. Perry, who plays the ambitious Aja, hopes audiences will get to see a new side of her character this season.

“I love the fact that there’s going to be some action involved with Aja,” Perry notes. “She’s very put together, and she’s about her business, but there’s a bit of a wild side to her, and I want her to go further with that this season—and also playing out the friendship between Diarra and I.” This season, Diarra and the gang are involved in a whodunit that quickly spirals into a far more dangerous mystery involving murder, rival gangs and a citywide treasure hunt, all while Diarra navigates complicated relationships, family expectations and the possibility of motherhood. More importantly, the series never loses sight of the humor and friendships that make it so popular, something speaks directly to Kilpatrick’s confidence as both its creator and writer.

“I’ve watched her make some artistic choices, and make some choices about her life and her family,” Clark says. “It’s so cool to sit back and go, ’Wow, when you stand 10 toes down in your artistic integrity, when you make decisions about what’s important, it can show up on the screen.’” Perry, who agrees with her co-star’s sentiment, adds with: “I love the fact that I can look up to [Diarra] as a Black woman, just a woman period, that has written an amazing show, and also be able to get it to where millions can see it—it’s a amazing to be a part of.”

The show’s inaugural season saw its finale in 2024, which added even more anticipation for the July 31 premiere. The series received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, with a storyline unlike anything else on television—so the major question this time around was: What now? With lofty expectations and much larger fanbase, I asked the two actors if they felt pressure at all this time around. “I was just to be back,” Perry responds. “I was just so in the moment, and glad to be back on set with my extended family.” As far as Diarra From Detroit, the actors, and the viewers have plenty to look forward to.

Another layer in this year’s season are the guests—which is pretty lengthy and filled with star power. Morris Chestnut returns, and audiences will also see Glynn Turman, Bokeem Woodbine, Amber Riley, Lil Rel Howery, Lovie Simone, Shoniqua Shandai, Nicco Annan, Skilla Baby, Icewear Vezzo, Chris “CP” Powell, and Jude Demorest. “Method Man grabbed me and hugged me,” Clark exclaims. The Grammy Award-winning rapper will also have a bit of screen time as Diarra’s ex-boyfriend. (Later the the conversation, Perry said that “everyone should be thanking me and Shannon Wallace because we are the ones that put Method Man’s name in the hat, I’m just saying.”)

In speaking with Clark and Perry, I realized that the key to the success of Diarra From Detroit is the cast’s chemistry. Before joining the series, many of them already knew one another through the industry or had worked together in some capacity. Those relationships carry over to the screen, giving the friendships and banter a natural authenticity that audiences see every Wednesday on Paramount+. “Honestly, we’re all just enjoying the journey,” Clark tells me. “We’re having a great time. It’s a whole lot to be grateful for.”