‘Power Book II: Ghost’: Why Lauren Looks So Familiar
All the promotion for Power Book II: Ghost has some fans looking forward to seeing how Method Man and Mary J. Blige fit into the Power universe. In the latest installment, they play Davis McLean and Monet Tejada respectively, two figures who will play a major role in Tariq’s story arc.
While the series is welcoming back OG characters such as Tasha, Saxe, and Brayden, there are plenty of newbies joining the fray. One of them is Lauren Baldwin, played by Paige Hurd. Here’s why the actor looks so familiar.
Who’s Lauren in ‘Power Book II’?
Tariq St. Patrick finds himself at Stansfield, a prestigious Ivy League university whose benefactors include his father’s old partner, Simon Stern. It’s there he meets Lauren, a smart freshman who befriends Tariq when he first arrives on campus.
It’s too early to tell if she’ll be roped into his street schemes, but it’s possible she’ll be competing for his affections as the series moves on. Lauren and Tariq are in the same academic program, but his other life is bound to mix in with his educational one.
Paige Hurd starred in a fan-favorite comedy ‘Everybody Hates Chris’
If Hurd’s face seems like one you’ve seen before but you’re having trouble placing her, think back to the early 2000s. She played Tasha Clarkson in Everybody Hates Chris. Yeah, she’s grown up! Hurd had the girl-next-door vibe down in the series, and was once Chris’ big crush, first kiss, and first real girlfriend.
Hurd stayed in the role for several seasons and acted alongside Tisha Campbell (Peaches) and Whoopi Goldberg (Louise) who were part of Tasha’s family tree.
Hurd starred in ‘Hawaii Five-0’ too
For those who missed Hurd in Everybody Hates Chris, you may have seen her in Hawaii Five-0 as Samantha Grover, daughter of a former police officer. She held the role from 2013 to 2017 and once again played a teenager.
Before ‘Power,’ Hurd was cast in a popular Tyler Perry show
The 28-year-old can currently be seen in Power Book II: Ghost, but prior to showcasing her talents as Lauren, Hurd landed the role of Gayle Franklin in The Oval. In the Tyler Perry series, Hurd’s character is the president and first lady’s wayward daughter who constantly gets caught up in messy situations.
It’s a departure from her old character Tasha and she’s probably more like Tariq in this series which debuted in 2019.
“Gayle is super rude and I’ve never played a role like that,” said Hurd to CBS Los Angeles. “I’m always super kind, super sweet, the girl next door that comes in and out and that’s it. We learned very fast who Gayle was. She’s out of control. I had fun channeling that and playing that. At first, I thought I was going to have some problems with that, but it came a little too easy I think.”
So far, Hurd’s Lauren is intelligent, charming, and a welcoming face at Stansfield for Tariq. Will things stay that way? Following the premiere on Sept. 6, Power Book II will air each Sunday at 8 p.m. EST on Starz.
