Actress Tika Sumpter stars as villainess Candace Young in Tyler Perry’s hit television drama The Haves and The Have Nots which debut its new season Tuesday night, January 6, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on OWN.
Sumpter’s Candace is a shady character but New York-born Sumpter is a sweetheart. And she’s Tom’s Woman Crush Everyday. On the show, Candace has been especially hard on one White judge, who should have just retired at this point after everything that’s happened.
“I’m definitely in control again,” Sumpter says. “I definitely have a lot more control. And I’m in every single episode this season,” Sumpter says.
This could be due to Tom’s influence. He says he “complained” that Sumpter needed more airtime to Perry personally.
Sumpter is so convincing on the show that people think she might be the same as her character. But on social media, she stays away from the negativity that trips up a lot of other celebrities. (Chris Brown, we see you.)
“I feel like you give people the access you want them to know. I’m just trying to stay above the fray and I really want people to enjoy my work and not see my personal life as a circus. I don’t have a circus of a personal life anyway. It’s me, it’s real and I don’t have a bunch of drama anyway.”
But does she have a significant other? Inquiring minds want to know.
“I celebrated New Year’s with my family,” Sumpter says. “But I’m dating.”
Who? Well, like she says, she’s private. No details on that one.
