Commentary

Robin Givens: Iconic Actress Stars in OWN’s “Ambitions”

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Givens stars in the new OWN series, “Ambitions,” as ‘Stephanie Carlisle,’ the wife of Atlanta Mayor Evan Lancaster (Brian White), whose true loyalty is to her family’s prestigious law firm, where she is the latest in a long line of distinguished lawyers.

Published

7 years ago

February 12, 2019

Oakland Post

By Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., NNPA Newswire Entertainment and Culture Editor

Enduring actress Robin Givens spent the day promoting her new OWN television series, “Ambitions” at the 2019 SCAD a TVfest film festival held in Atlanta, Georgia Feb. 7-9. Produced by Will Packer Media, in association with Lionsgate and Lionsgate-owned distributor Debmar-Mercury, and starring Givens (“Riverdale,” “The Fix,” “The Bold and the Beautiful”), “Ambitions” is a multi-generational family saga centered around one woman who, having recently relocated and intent on revitalizing her marriage, finds herself going head to head with some of the most powerful and deceitful players in the city of Atlanta.

Givens stars as ‘Stephanie Carlisle,’ the wife of Atlanta Mayor Evan Lancaster (Brian White), whose true loyalty is to her family’s prestigious law firm, where she is the latest in a long line of distinguished lawyers.

Givens, who has had a long career in television and film is excited about her role as a dynamic woman fighting for position in a power-hungry city. “Ambitions” is a soapy, kind of campy family saga, about a woman who tries to take over her dad’s law firm and everything that goes on in this town,” says “The Fix” actress. “I use the word delicious to describe the role because it’s so fabulous. I really feel blessed to be able to play her.”

Givens, whose professional acting career spans three decades, stepped back from Hollywood in order to raise her two sons. Now that her youngest is in college, she’s ready to get back to her career at full throttle. “I’m becoming an empty nester. I’m making my way back into the business, falling in love with this all over again and I’ve had the opportunity to play some great women recently.”

Givens played Mayor Sierra McCoy on “Riverdale,” (CBS) and will play Julianne Johnson on “The Fix,” (ABC), a crime drama executive produced by former prosecutor Marcia Clark, debuting in March of this year. Givens also stars in the indie film Gully (Romulus) about three teenagers in dystopian Los Angeles.

“The mayor of Riverdale is sort of a strong woman. The character I play in ‘The Fix’ is also a strong woman but in an entirely different way,” says the Boomerang actress. “Stephanie Lancaster is definitely strong and terrible and wonderful and all of these things. I find that stepping out of the characters and looking at them from outside, that they’re all sort of strong and connected.”

Not to worry, although Givens will be playing strong women, there’s still a little humor, at least when it comes to the character of Stephanie Lancaster in “Ambitions.” Givens says, “I love comedy so I’m giving Stephanie a little humor which I really love,” and hopefully audiences will too.

“Ambitions” debuts on OWN this year.

This article was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., entertainment and culture editor for NNPA. She is also founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire, an award-winning news blog covering news of the African Diaspora. Follow her on Twitter @Ntellectual.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

PRESS ROOM: Harris, Stabenow, Peters, Lawrence Introduce Legislation to Award Aretha Franklin with Congressional Gold Medal

Don't Miss

OP-ED: Upholding Our Values and Standing Against Discrimination

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 1 – 7, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 1 – 7, 2026

Published

3 days ago

April 6, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

3 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC