SARUNAS J. JACKSON AND JACKIE LONG TO STAR IN THE NEW BET SCRIPTED DRAMA "GAMES PEOPLE PLAY"

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BARRY BREWER AND KENDALL KYNDALL ALSO CAST IN RECURRING ROLES

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Los Angeles, CA – January 31, 2019 – Sarunas J. Jackson (HBO's "Insecure") and Jackie Long (BET's "Real Husbands of Hollywood") sign on to star in the new BET scripted drama series "GAMES PEOPLE PLAY" from executive producer Tracey Edmonds. Comedian Barry Brewer (truTV's "Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks") and social media star Kendall Kyndall (host of BET's "The Mane Event" wedding special) are also cast in recurring roles. Based on the popular book by Angela Burt-Murray "Games Divas Play," "GAMES PEOPLE PLAY" is a sexy stylized drama about the L.A. high life, where everyone plays to win. A desperate basketball wife trying to protect her family, a tenacious journalist struggling to rebuild a tarnished career and a scandalous groupie looking to become a star find it's murder trying to stay on top. As previously announced, the 10-episode one-hour series also stars Lauren London, Parker McKenna Posey and Karen Obilom. Production is underway in Los Angeles on the BET original series premiering in 2019.

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SERIES REGULARS:

Sarunas J. Jackson will portray Marques King, an all-star baller who was able to prepare himself for all aspects of life as a professional basketball player except the women. His inability to resist temptation causes what may be irreparable damage to his marriage to Vanessa (Lauren London). Hailing from the Inland Empire, Southern California with strong Philadelphia roots, Jackson is a former professional basketball player turned actor. He can currently be seen on HBO's hit comedy "Insecure" playing Alejandro "Dro" Pena. Other credits include the feature film "Chi-Raq," Amazon's "Transparent," the Spike Lee-directed "NBA 2K16" video game and a recurring arc on the Freeform series "Good Trouble." He is represented by Artistic Talent and Thruline Entertainment.

Jackie Long will play Kareem Johnson, Marcus's best friend and assistant, a former college basketball standout once destined for fame and fortune. Frustrated by living on the sidelines, he's willing to risk everything for a shot at the life that should have been his. Long rose to prominence with a lead role in the hit film "ATL." Since then, he has been a fan favorite on multiple BET series including recurring roles on "Real Husbands of Hollywood" opposite Kevin Hart, "Let's Stay Together," Centric's "According to Him + Her" and the hugely successful BET miniseries "The New Edition Story." He also appeared on "Born Again Virgin." On the film front, Long stars in "Bodied," produced by Eminem, and can also be seen in the Webber Films feature "Never Heard." He is represented by PANTHEON and Atlas Artists.

RECURRING GUEST CAST:

Barry Brewer plays Eric Rowland, Nia's (Karen Obilom) live-in boyfriend in New York, an IT nerd who worships the ground she walks on. When Nia gets her new job in Los Angeles, Eric urges her to accept the opportunity, promising to join her in a couple months. Until such time, the question remains: Will their relationship stand the test of long distance? Brewer can be seen in his upcoming stand-up special "Chicago I'm Home" set to be released next month on iTunes. A percentage of the proceeds from the special are going toward Chicago public and charter schools with a goal of $1 million. Other credits include BET's "Comic View" and TV One's "Who's Got Jokes?" Brewer is repped by Jayson Kinslow of MMV and managed by Tonya Archie of Blossom Management Group.

Kendall Kyndall will portray MJ (a.k.a. Marquis Vaughn Jackson), Nia's assistant. He joins Nia on her journey to Los Angeles and is her right-hand man on her new job. Kyndall is an actor, host and social media personality who rose to fame in 2015 and best known for his unapologetic commentary on VH1's "Love & Hip Hop." With an appearance on TNT's "Claws," various BET programs and more, Kyndall is surely making his mark on the big screen. Kyndall is repped by Nandy Mason and Cooper St Mgmt.

"GAMES PEOPLE PLAY" hails from executive producer Tracey Edmonds, who has created and produced groundbreaking projects for television, film, music and digital media. Edmonds recently exited "Extra," where she earned an Emmy Award while serving as co-host alongside Mario Lopez and Charissa Thompson for three years. Edmonds currently serves as CEO and president of Edmonds Entertainment. As a television producer, Edmonds's past projects include the hit series "Deion's Family Playbook" (OWN), three-time NAACP Image Award-nominated "With This Ring" (Lifetime) and "Soul Food" (Showtime), based on the film of the same name, which ran for five seasons and won multiple NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series three years in a row. She also executive-produced several groundbreaking reality shows including "College Hill," "College Hill: Interns," "Lil' Kim: Countdown to Lockdown" and "DMX: Soul of a Man." Edmonds's other successes include the hit film "Jumping the Broom," which earned several NAACP Image Awards. In addition to TV and film, Edmonds is the founder and editor of the new lifestyle, health and wellness media brand AlrightNow.com. 

"GAMES PEOPLE PLAY" is executive-produced by Tracey Edmonds of Edmonds Entertainment, along with Angela Burt-Murray serving as executive producer. Vanessa Middleton and Kim Newton will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers for the series, as well. 

For more information about "GAMES PEOPLE PLAY" visit the network's official page at BET.com. Also, join the conversation on all social platforms @BET.

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About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks -- BETJams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET's growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

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