'Really Love' Star Kofi Siriboe Says Netflix Series Is Breaking Barriers On Romance Dramas

At just 27 years old, Kofi Siriboe, the "Queen Sugar" actor’s resume can boast of several achievements. With roles in film and television that have casted him along black veterans like Queen Latifah, Ice Cube, Rutina Wesley, and Tina Liffo, he is no longer the new kid off the block.

It’s not surprising that Kofi has once again displayed his acting prowess in the new Netflix show "Really Love" a romantic drama that seemed to really pull at the audience's heartstrings.

Kofi disclosed that he believes the new Netflix show "breaks the mold," starring blacks in a show where the story is not rooted in trauma or crime.

However, he was disappointed that most shows in such a genre that featured black actors do not make romance the base of the chick flick ... probably because studio heads fear audiences won't accept it.

Well, his disappointment has done nothing to dampen the receipt of the film, as it is already getting tons of critical acclaim.

During an interview with TMZ, Kofi called the show a Unicorn stating that the movie goes beyond love and drama as black people can break out of the mold and do more than the usual perception.

"Beyond romance, beyond being a love story, we are getting to see black people not have to be what we always are. You get to see us in romance, see us in love, see us in friendship. It is a big deal though," said Kofi.

When also quizzed about the show in another interview with That Grape Juice, Koffi really had a lot to say. One of his responses was to the question; if he thought he could turn the show into a 21st century answer to classic Black love films like "Love Jones," "Jason’s Lyric," "Love & Basketball,"?

"My intention is to be true in representing where we [as Black people] are now. It’s never my desire to recreate a previous movie, but definitely to honor the past, where we are now, my personal experience with love, and what things have spoken to me along my journey," he answered.

He further disclosed what "Really Love" is really about to people unfamiliar with the show.

"I call it a psychological romance. It's character driven and about these individuals, their personal worlds, their personal friend groups, and how those all collide. It’s beautiful," he quipped.

In "Really Love," Kofi played the part of a promising black painter named Isaiah, who fell head over heels in love with Stevie, a beautiful and brainy law student played by Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing.

Isaiah's creativity flourished with her in his life but his work remained in the shadows, constantly overlooked by curators. When he finally got the chance to display his work, he poured himself into it, and neglected Stevie. Dissatisfied with this, Stevie decided to accept a dream job in Chicago, thereby breaking Isaiah's heart.

A year goes by, until Isaiah runs into Stevie at a show in Chicago. Unresolved emotions are rekindled, and Stevie returns to the district at Isaiah's behest, hoping they could continue from where they paused.

But Isaiah's life isn't what he imagined regardless of his artistic achievements and he's forced to face the truth, can he give Stevie what he knows she deserves?

The film was originally set to premiere at South by Southwest in March 2020. However, the festival was cancelled due to the pandemic. It later debuted at AFI's virtual film festival in October 2020.

Directed by Angel Kristi Williams and co-written by Felicia Pride the movie casted  Uzo Aduba, Mack Wilds, Naturi Naughton, Suzzanne Douglas, Jade Eshete, Blair Underwood and Michael Ealy in addition to Kofi and Yootha.

The movie also received critical acclaim from the audience and critics alike. Alex Saveliev in his review for the Film Threat compared the film to "If Beale Street Could Talk" and hyped it as a "gentle, poignant examination of two young people at the dawn of self-discovery.

In a similarly positive review, Robert Daniels wrote for The Playlist, saying; "Really Love" is a timeless black romance. Kristi Williams is an assured new voice already nestling herself inside audiences' hearts."

Really Love began streaming on Netflix on August 25, 2021.

Still in the interview with That Grape Juice, Kofi revealed he had some new projects coming up, but remained mute about the details.

"I definitely have some good projects coming up. I wish I could talk about them, but you’ll just have to keep your ears open about them."

He also discussed his new media company We’re Not Kids Anymore.

"It’s a community that anchors conversational nostalgia.  It’s not so much focusing on the past, but realizing we create nostalgia in real time. It’s about appreciating time and celebrating the moments that made us like ‘Love Jones’ and other movies like them." stated Kofi.

"Those things affected us along our journey, and We’re Not Kids Anymore is just being intentional and insightful about adding to that timeline," Kofi concluded.