Everything You Want To Know About Mignon Von – From The Cast Of Tyler Perry’s ‘Sistas’
Tyler Perry's Sistas stands as one of the most anticipated series on Wednesday nights and that's largely due to the cast's seamless chemistry.
Here, we're shining a light on actress Mignon Von who plays the free spirit of the group: Danni.
While speaking with Von, we learned about the unforgettable — and hilarious — moment she learned she booked the part, how her faith directly lends to her purpose as an artist, and why she claims to have a "bastardized southern voice."
Learn more about Mignon Von, below:
How did you find out you booked the role of Danni in Sistas?
I found out from Tyler’s in-house casting director and the phone call was like 62 seconds [long]. I was at my mom’s house in my underwear eating Costco pizza… I was so uncomfortable, because I hadn’t gotten a phone call yet, so I was like, “I don’t know if I have it!”
Some are calling the show the millennial equivalent to Girlfriends. How do you take this comparison and how does it feel to hold that voice for Black women?
To be honest with you, to be compared to Girlfriends, it’s beyond an honor, it’s beyond surreal. I just think about being a girl and watching Girlfriends and how much I looked up to them, and how much I loved them and how much I identified with the goofy part of Joan, the free part of Lynn, the outspoken part of Mya, [but] not really identifying with Toni at all [laughs]. But just watching that and then for people to get a show the way I got it and then to go through my journey the way I did and then to get it the same way, I’m honestly humbled by it, and I view it as a responsibility, because I know how important it is for Black women, but just the teenage girls who shouldn’t be watching our show… It’s a responsibility, and honestly I’m humbled by it, and I’m grateful for it.
Danni is the free spirit of the group who clearly has no filter. She provides the comedic relief in the tensest of times. Why do you think this particular personality type is needed in any friend group?
Because life isn’t all drama and life isn’t all comedy. You need someone who can let the air out the balloon to release some of that tension.
It’s not great for Danni to always be the one in the position to speak the uncomfortable truths. Maybe it’s not the truth, but it’s her truth. But it’s important to have that, because as a balance, you have people like Sabrina and Andi — Andi specifically — who’s carrying around a secret, [and] she doesn’t feel like she can vocalize it [to the group]. So, in a universal sense, being able to provide balance to the extremes… Danni just says, “F it all. If I’m going to have backlash either way, I might as well be true to myself in the process.”
Of each of the characters, which are you most like in real life and why?
To be honest, in real life, I’m more like Sabrina [laughs]. I’m a lot like Danni at the core. As I’ve gone through my journey, I’m more like Sabrina in the sense of wanting balance and wanting homeostasis. Danni doesn’t care as much about the balance because, for her, the world is a chaotic place, and so it’s either be swept up with the whirlwind and just accept it or just kick and scream against it, where I, myself, try to kind of settle.
What are three things everyone should know about Mignon Von, at the core?
I am also a writer and director and they can look for content from me in the future.
I’m from all over the place — I kind of have a bastardized southern voice. I’m really from DC, but I lived it Georgia, but I’ve lived in LA for forever, so I am a lot like Danni in that I’m a free spirit.
I am a very devout Christian and my purpose here as a storyteller is to bring hope and love and light and so Danni is wild and crazy — she’s a lot different from me in the way she expresses herself, but Danni and I align with our good intentions.
What does “sistahood” mean to you?
"Sistahood" means a safe space that you can count on and, rain or shine, you have a safe space to go to and cry, laugh, rejoice and be human, be vulnerable and find strength, but also to find strength in the world to keep pushing forward against everything outside of the sister circle. It’s just a very sacred place.
Tyler Perry's Sistas airs Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. ET on BET.
