Exclusive: Ito Aghayere Talks Starring on New CBS Show ‘Carol’s Second Act’

 Ito Aghayere stars in “Carol’s Second Act” on CBS. It is the number one watched new show.

In the series, Ito stars alongside sitcom legend Patricia Heaton as a type-a, high achieving chief resident of the hospital who is in charge of Carol (Patricia Heaton) and the other three interns.

The daughter of two Nigerian immigrants, Ito previously began her career on Broadway as a Lucille Lortel nominee and star in the Tony nominated play Junk. She is a graduate of Duke University where she received her BA in political science. She interned for the White House during President Obama’s first term while at Columbia University for her MFA.

The Knockturnal: How did you get involved with the show?

Ito Aghayere: If every audition could be seen as a “first date,” then I’m “that actor” who, from the moment I read a script I love, has mentally already picked out my wedding dress and party favors. I feel like I got involved with Carol’s Second Act from the minute I discovered the character of Maya. I hadn’t seen a full script when I initially went in for a different role, but in the space of 20 minutes, casting handed me new sides to learn, and asked me to try on the character of Maya. You could say I became involved from that moment buoyed by a singular hope that Maya would be a character I could call my own. About a week later, I got the call that made it official. I’d get to boss around Patricia Heaton. Just wild.

The Knockturnal: What has it been like to work with Patricia Heaton?

Ito Aghayere: I don’t know how she does it, but Patty is a force of nature. Her joy is contagious and her generosity is unparalleled. I’ve never worked with a more collaborative artist who also doubles as an executive producer. Her attention to detail and her ear for comedy is legendary. Learning from her has been an education in precision and the art of play. Playing Maya to her Carol has been SO. MUCH. FUN. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard at work than I have while working on this show.

The Knockturnal: How did you prepare for the role?

Ito Aghayere: Once I found out I was being considered for Maya, I drank a lot of coffee and stayed up all night to get off book before my next meeting with producers. I had a bit of catching up to do since the first time I read the role was in the room during my pre-read with casting.

The Knockturnal: What did you connect with most about your character?

Ito Aghayere: I connect the most with Maya’s overachiever complex. By the time I was 10, I had a list of the top 10 colleges I wanted to get into by the time I graduated from high school mostly because I’m an immigrant kid, and that’s just how we Nigerians do. I wouldn’t have lasted a day in medical school! In Maya’s world, I think she knew which college she wanted to go to by the time she hit kindergarten.

The Knockturnal: What do you love about TV vs. doing Theater?

Ito Aghayere: I can honestly say I love acting in TV as much as I love theater. But what I love about TV is the chance I get to tell stories using a deeper level of precision and technique moment to moment. It’s thrilling!

The Knockturnal: You majored in Political Science and interned for President Obama, what made you decide to shift to acting?

Ito Aghayere: I was actually in grad school for acting while I was interning for President Obama. I didn’t stop doing one in order to do the other. Moreover, I believe story telling is inherently political. Telling a story will always involve perspective and points of view. I see these things as intertwined. Every public social act is a political one on some level. As an actor, the stories I tell represent the kind of world I want to build and be a part of through the depiction of ideas through the use of narrative.

The Knockturnal: Do you think you will return to politics one day?

Ito Aghayere: I may never hold office, but I am a proud voter and a loud advocate for justice and reform. And I intend to use my work as an artist to tell the kinds of stories that I hope will have impact. Lorraine Hansberry said it best: “Write if you will: but write about the world as it is and as you think it ought to be and must be—if there is to be a world.”

Photo credit: James Lee Wall