(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent Power Book IV: Force episode will be found below.)
Joseph Sikora has a lot to celebrate nowadays. The actors strike with SAG-AFTRA against TV and film production companies has come to an end with a new and fair deal for actors in place for the next three years. Power Book IV: Force, a show where Sikora stars as the lead character Tommy Egan, just wrapped up its second season. The connection between the two is now that the season is over, Sikora is free to speak about the second season of Power Book IV: Force which he was happy to do in connection with the season two finale.
The recent season of Power Book IV: Force was a big one for Tommy Egan. Over two months, we watched Egan climb the ranks of Chicago’s drug game to become one of the main distributors in the city. We watched him find and lose love throughout the season. We also watched Tommy struggle with family dynamics and how it balanced with his daily responsibilities. It’s everything we expected more through ten episodes out of the Power Universe.
Following the arrival of the season two finale of Power Book IV: Force, Uproxx caught up with Joseph Sikora to talk about all things Tommy Egan including his relationships with Mireya, Diamond, Jenard, and more as well as Egan’s legacy in the Power Universe and what to expect to season three.
Before we get all things Power Book IV: Force, the actors strike officially ended yesterday. What were your initial thoughts when you heard the news and what comes to mind when you reflect on the last four months of the strike?
I was following the strikes through the whole process. I always stayed cautiously optimistic that the leadership would get us a fair deal and stand strong for as long as it took. I think that actors are kind of beaten into submission to believe that they’re not as worthwhile as human beings sometimes, I know I felt that way. I’ve been doing this for 37 years now, 35 years in the Screen Actors Guild. I think that it showed that Fran Drescher and Frances Fisher, the negotiating committee, and everybody who marched like myself here in New York, LA, and Chicago, that we held on for what was fair.
I think that we came to a good part in terms of the studios not owning your image in emeritus and being able to give it a fake life through AI, I think that’s really important. Obviously, that made it to the halls of Congress and to the President’s desk where it should be because it’s a fine line. I think we walked that fine line and we got over the finish line and now we’ve got at least three solid years for fair compensation.
For much of season two, Tommy appears to be this untouchable figure in Chicago, and it’s not until this season finale that we see something really affect him with Miguel attempting to hurt his relationship with Mireya. Overall for his character, what would you say is Tommy’s weak spot, as in what’s the best way to get to him?
I think that Tommy’s weak spot is anything that he loves. The characters, we can believe them. Everything Tommy touches he destroys and that’s because he loves it so much. A lot of times I think of Tommy — even though I’m not a huge guy — like Of Mice and Men and Lenny trying to hold these things tight and so dear that he ends up killing them. Just like with Holly in the original Power series. Tommy’s destroying these things, these other people’s lives and he’s just trying to make them better. He’s doing the best he can, but he can’t have his cake and eat it too.
I think Tommy did have a lot of wins in season two, but I don’t know if he was untouchable because I think that through these wins, he got a little sloppy. He allowed Jenard to get those pictures of them. The police are getting closer and closer, and then ultimately, Miguel takes away the one thing that he loves in his life, but not the only thing that he loves in his life. Tommy also lost his family. So I think for as many wins as there are, Tommy got everything ripped away.
It’s been fun to see Tommy and Mireya’s relationship grow throughout the season. What makes her different than the other women we’ve seen Tommy be in relationships within the Power Universe?
I think it’s the combination of what she has in terms of her characteristics. There’s a magnetism that Tommy had with Holly, that he also has with Maria. They just can’t physically keep their hands off of each other. However, unlike Holly, Maria is honest and truthful. That’s something that Tommy respects greatly. She’s also, like Lakeisha, from the neighborhood and there was a familiarity there. Mireya grew up around the game, she grew up around that life. She understands it as much as she wants to stay away from it. So there’s this balance of the two characters that I think Mireya represents in a lot of ways. Let’s give Carmela Zumbado some love too. What a wonderful portrayal of Mireya she’s had, I think that she’s wonderfully shown this inner conflict that she had to be with Tommy. It’s always like, “No, but I can’t help it.” I think that that’s very relatable to us as human beings. It’s “No, no, no, no. I know this is bad, but I can’t help it.” That’s been fun for me as an audience member to watch their relationship and to see that fire, but unfortunately, also fireworks because things just exploded at the end.
The season two finale episode closes with a disagreement between Tommy and Diamond and seems to come down to a show of respect as partners in CBI. Can Diamond and Tommy, with their personalities and ideologies, be longtime partners or is this something that can only be short-term before it unravels for the worst?
I think it could be long-term for sure. I think that Tommy innately distrusts Jenard because I think he sees a lot of his old self in Jenard, he knows he’s a loose cannon. He also realizes that the bond of family is strong and deep, especially with Diamond. He knows that through his relationship with Ghost, he couldn’t even stop himself from killing his pregnant girlfriend, because she was going against his brother. I think that he has learned from previous mistakes, how deep those family bonds can go. So I think that there’s an innate conflict between the Sampson brothers and Tommy as much as they all keep their eyes on the prize. Each one of those characters, Diamond Sampson, greatly played by Isaac Keys, the dynamic and wonderful Kris Lofton as Jenard Sampson, and Tommy Egan, they all want to be at the top of the game. They all want to be the head of distribution in Chicago. Can these three work things out so it is a three-person game? Or is it like a Highlander situation and there can only be one?
There’s an eerie similarity between Diamond’s reaction to his dad in the hospital and Tommy’s own with his mother. Diamond was able to patch things up, or at least get closer before his father’s death. How likely is it that Tommy and Kate repair their relationship?
It seemed so final when JP said you’re out of this family. It’s so interesting to me, I just think Anthony Fleming III, who plays JP, has this wonderful gravitas. When he delivers the line, there’s this wonderful finality to it. I’m interested to see where that relationship is gonna go because Tommy also feels so strongly about D-Mac — I also love this actor Lucien Cambric. I think that he was given so much through the writing to do this season and he just took it to that next level. I’m so proud of him. He’s so dear to Tommy, D-Mac is. Out of any other character, Tommy really wants to raise him right. It’s almost like Tommy knows he’s going to be in the streets. So Tommy’s like, “Let me teach you the best I can to keep you safe because taking you out of the street isn’t going to I tried that. Not gonna work. So let me see if I can teach him.”
What do you think Tommy might say the flaw, if any, is behind Jenard and Shanti’s plan to take down Tommy and Diamond from the top of CBI?
Well, Tommy underestimates the both of them a little bit. So he’s got to make sure that he respects both of them. I think Shanti “Showstopper,” Adrienne Walker who plays her, I think she did a great job. I think that she is probably one of the more evil characters in this world. I don’t think that she’s as loyal to Jenard as Jenard thanks. I think Jenard has more loyalty and understanding. I think that she’s a real snake, so I think it would behoove Tommy not to underestimate her.
What would you say this season is responsible for in terms of Tommy Egan’s overall legacy in the Power Universe?
Gary Lennon’s back! Of course, it was a great season. The legacy of Tommy Egan lives and dies with Gary Lennon. I’m grateful for Courtney [A. Kemp] for creating the character along with me Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. I’m very grateful to Gary Lennon for flushing that character out with his real-life experiences and making Tommy Egan more like one of his brothers who were West Side gangsters from Hell’s Kitchen. I think that there’s an authenticity to Tommy and I think that’s why Tommy kind of became the working class hero. But I think the legacy of Tommy Egan lives and dies and Gary Lennon.
What can you tell us about the things to expect for season three of Power Book IV: Force?
I can tell you this: there are going to be twists and turns and appearances from people who you may not be expecting to pop up in season three. I’m as excited as you are.
‘Power Book IV: Force’ season two is now available to stream on STARZ.
