Fans of CBS’s Elsbeth know Brittany Inge as a new addition to the hit procedural that expertly infuses the crime-solving with comedy and moments of authentic affection. As Julia Payne Wagner, she has delighted us with her ability to set her father, Wendell Pierce’s Captain Wagner, on his heels.
In addition to Elsbeth, Brittany is a regular on BET+’s The Ms. Pat Show and was a core cast member on the two seasons of BET’s Boomerang.
Speaking exclusively with TV Fanatic from Atlanta, Georgia, via Zoom, Brittany shared her excitement to work with Pierce, her pride and joy at the success of The Ms. Pat Show, and her passion for performing in live theater.
Brittany Inge as Julia Payne Wagner on Elsbeth
What was it like booking the role of Julia? How much did you know about the show before landing it?
I was a big fan of [Paramount+‘s] The Good Fight, so I was familiar with the Elsbeth character. When she got her own show, I was really excited. Excited for Carrie Preston, the actor, and also just excited for myself as a viewer to follow this character’s journey in a different way.
I was watching the show and [so was] my mom! She was my source for really keeping up with it. So when I initially got the audition for Elsbeth, she was the first person I called. I’m like, “Oh my god! Mom, look at this! And I’m auditioning for Wendell [Pierce]‘s daughter!”
I was overjoyed and jumping at the chance to work with somebody like Wendell. He’s an actor I’ve watched and admired for so long. I was really eager and excited, just hoping that I nailed the audition… and I guess I did.
What was the first day on set like?
It was so much fun, a little nerve-wracking, to be honest, because I do respect Wendell so much. I had previously met him, I think, the summer before. He came to see a show I was in on Broadway called Home, but we didn’t know each other. He’s a theater guy and just came to see the show.
So I met him, but I wasn’t sure if he would remember me. I was nervous. I just wanted to do a great job.
It was really wonderful. He is the most generous, warm-hearted, open scene partner, and we had a really good time.
Production Connections
Besides meeting Wendell when he came to see your show, had you worked with anyone else on Elsbeth before?
It was an entirely new environment. The only person associated with Elsbeth who I’ve worked with before — and I still haven’t worked with her on Elsbeth! — is Mary Lou Belli.
She directs often on Elsbeth and she is our producing director on the Ms. Pat Show. So she’s the only person that I kind of have some crossover with, but I still haven’t been in one of her episodes yet.
Ashley James on The Ms. Pat Show
Tell us about The Ms. Pat Show.
The Ms. Pat Show is a BET+ sitcom. We’ve been Emmy-nominated three times. I play Ashley James, who is Pat’s oldest daughter, on the show. Ashley is a proud lesbian.
She and her mother have a very complicated history that they’ve done a lot of work to heal and resolve, but Pat had Ashley when she was 14 years old, so there’s a lot to work through between them.
Ashley is a therapist, and she spends a lot of her time trying to keep her wacky family on the right track because she’s done so much work herself that they haven’t yet done.
You play daughters on both Elsbeth and The Ms. Pat Show. What sort of work do you put into fostering that parent-child relationship?
A lot of time, to be honest with you, it’s on the page. I will say, specifically for Pat, because her and Ashley’s history is so checkered and complicated, we had to jump into some really deep situations and conversations, like [on] Season 1, my first episode.
We did spend some time just talking, making sure we really understood each other, were comfortable with each other, trusted one another. That came from spending time, holding space, just being in conversation. I was intentional about that because there’s so much history there.
With Wendell, similar but not as much time. We jumped in and just locked in, trusted each other, and went for it. We were talking in between takes: “I think he’s feeling this. He’s actually just trying to steer her this way.” “Yeah, but she’s trying to assert her independence.”
We’re discussing it in between takes so we can establish the history, but either way you do it, it works out.
Kindred Spirits
What do you think Julia’s take on Elsbeth as a person is?
I play it as Julia loves that Elsbeth walks to a beat of her own drum. She loves it. She’s here for everything Elsbeth.
She’s also here for anything that kind of makes her dad [does a fantastically spot-on facial impression of Wendell Pierce looking quizzical], anything that challenges him, she’s here for all of that because she also operates in that energy with him.
She loves Elsbeth. In future episodes, you may see moments where she’s so focused on whatever she has to deal with with her dad that she isn’t paying Elsbeth any attention sometimes but it’s not from lack of love.
There’s a deep affection implied by the way Julia purposefully and deliberately disrupts her father’s life. However, if someone were to question his integrity as a man or a police captain, how do you think she would react?
Oh, I think Julia would be ready to go to war for her dad.
She has her own journey with him as his daughter, but in terms of how she sees him as a man, as a stand-up human being, as a good police captain, somebody who is trying to lead with integrity and purpose and intention, I know that she would go to war for him. Without question.
How much of Julia and Ashley’s nature as daughters and disrupters is Brittany coming through?
I’d say that’s very me. Maybe 90%. Honestly. [laughs] A proud, very loving daughter in real life, and also a little bit of a disruptor.
Walking to the beat of my own drum, not afraid to make those hard pivots when needed. Yeah, I identify with Ashley and Julia in that way.
Life on Broadway
What do you feel is the biggest difference between live theater performance and on-camera work?
The biggest difference is that real-time response and reaction that you can get from an audience. Now, what I will say [is that] the beautiful thing about The Ms. Pat Show [is that] we tape in front of a live studio audience. Very retro!
So it’s a TV show, but you have that live theater dynamic. With the ability to call “Cut!” but you still get that live audience reaction. For me, that show is the perfect hybrid of both worlds, both things that I love so much.
The physical demands of theater are tenfold. You really have to be an athlete. The level of discipline… not to say that you don’t have to be disciplined when you’re doing television and film, but it’s a different type of discipline. Your physical has to really be in tip-top shape when you’re doing theater.
If you had to choose one to do exclusively, which would it be?
If money’s off the table — I’m keeping it real — theater. Theater all day. It’s where I really got my roots, really honed my craft. Theater is the actor’s medium. It really is. It’s our medium. Television is the writer’s medium. Film is the director’s medium.
You’re asking someone who just really loves to perform, who loves telling stories. Theater. All day.
Stepping Behind the Camera
Your bio mentions “aspiring director.” Is there a dream project you would jump at the chance to helm?
Anything that would tell a real story — a historic story, a biopic, things like that. I love period pieces. I love telling the stories of real heroes, whether they’re sung or unsung. A real story of triumph, challenge, overcoming, etc.
And as an actor, is there a bucket list of roles you would like to take on?
YES. I didn’t want to say it for directing ’cause I’m like, “I wanna play this person.” And that’s Oprah. I could not play her and direct it, so I didn’t want to say it for the directing question. I would love to play Oprah.
Finding Balance
With the recurring role on Elsbeth, the regular role on The Ms. Pat Show, and your theater obligations, where do you find your balance?
I really find my balance through movement. In the gym, that physical activity helps quiet the noise. I also find my balance by being intentional about nurturing my artistic self, my artistic soul, whatever that is.
Sometimes, it’s just going to see a lot of theater because theater is always the thing that reminds me why I do this.
When this journey gets challenging, when a lot of rejection is coming up, which is always going to be a thing, theater is the thing that centers me and grounds me and reminds me why I’m doing this.
Also, right now, I’m doing The Artist’s Way, the book by Julia Cameron. It’s a 12-week course. I try to take myself through different things. That’s just one example because I’m in it right now. I try to nurture my artist where I know she needs it, and that can look a lot of different ways.
Where It All Started
Seeing as you’re connecting with us from Atlanta, Georgia, tell us about the theater scene in that city.
The Atlanta theater scene is very abundant and beautiful. It’s actually where I got my start. I started off doing theater in Atlanta, doing regional theater here. This is where I cut my teeth.
The Atlanta theater actors are some of my dearest friends and biggest inspirations. I came up with folks like Danielle Deadwyler. We all were here doing theater together. It’s great. It’s a beautiful scene.
What was your first significant role on stage? One that really affected you.
I think my first big one was Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts 1, 2, and 3 by Suzan-Lori Parks. I played Penny, the female lead in that show, at Actor’s Express here in Atlanta.
The Call To Write
Have you considered writing as well as directing?
Absolutely. I would write. I have written in the past. Independent things, small short films, etc. I prefer directing to writing, but it’s just because of how much mental space you need to write and how much time it takes.
My preference is definitely telling the story after it’s on the page. That’s just being honest. But I absolutely would write and do write and feel especially called this year to put pen to paper, to make sure I can bring to life the stories that I want to tell.
So often as an actor, we’re blessed with these opportunities, but you still are relying on someone else to create something that you possibly fit.
There’s no guarantees, but if you put pen to paper yourself, you’re more adept to create the story that you really want to tell, the character you really want to portray. I’m trying to find my way to that writer path, for sure.
Everyone Needs a Reset
What do you do in your downtime to recharge?
I try to reread The Alchemist once a year, so I’m finishing that right now. That story always re-energizes me, reminds me that everything’s working together to help me accomplish my goals.
That’s a book I revisit every year, and it helps keep me on the path. Again, this journey can be very challenging at times.
I love to binge a good show. I just binged His and Hers on Netflix, and that was a limited series, but a great binge. Just so enjoyable to take in a good story, some great performances.
The thing about being an actor is it’s rare that you can watch a show and fully detach yourself from the art form. You really just want to sit and be entertained — and I was by that show — but I also was leaning forward, [thinking,] “Look at these choices!”
You’re still doing the thing where you’re studying, you’re pulling from… “Okay, let me put that in my back pocket.” It just happens, but it’s because we love what we do so much, so I go with it.
A good binge. A good book. A good walk. I like to get out in nature — “touch grass,” as the youth of today say.
That really helps ground me and remind me what’s really important in this life, so the more I can be out in nature, around things that are real and off of my phone, the better I am as a human being but also as an artist.
A World of Possibilities
Where do you see Julia, Ashley, and Brittany’s separate paths leading?
I think that Julia’s path is very open to possibilities. She’s still so young. She’s 27, really trying to live her best life, trying to figure out who she is and what she wants.
That generates a path of open-ended possibilities. In all the best ways, as long as she doesn’t let fear consume her, it’s possibility, not anything to be afraid of.
For Ashley, her path forward is hopefully finding love. Now that she’s tapped into her self-love and self-acceptance, I see and hope for her that she’ll find external love, outside of her family, some romantic love. Someone who really sees her and appreciates her and wants to build a life with her.
Ashley’s in her 30s, has finally accepted herself, and is ready for a more settled life.
Brittany’s path is, honestly, kind of similar to both of those but more in line with Julia in the sense that the possibilities are endless.
I feel like Brittany’s path is definitely an onward and upward path, a path of spiritual elevation and continued evolution as she grows and expands, and hopefully has a very long-lasting career in this industry. [laughs]
Need more Brittany Inge in your life?
Who doesn’t? Check out her earlier work on FX‘s Atlanta, The CW‘s Dynasty, FOX‘s The Resident, and Starz‘s Survivor’s Remorse. Boomerang streams on Paramount+, and The Ms. Pat Show on BET+. Elsbeth airs new episodes on CBS on Thursdays.
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