Some really exciting news for Tequan Richmond may end up being sad news for fans of General Hospital. The actor, who has played T.J. Ashford off and on since 2012, has landed a plum role in BET's upcoming series Boomerang -- which could mean his already sporadic days in Port Charles could be numbered.
Deadline reports Richmond has been cast as a lead opposite Tetona Jackson in the series, which is based on the 1992 American romantic comedy film of the same name. Executive produced by Halle Berry and Lena Waithe, Boomerang will follow the lives of Jacqueline Boyer's son (Richmond) and Marcus and Angela Graham's daughter (Tetona Jackson) as they try to step out of their parents' shadows and make a legacy of their own.
"Completely honored to be apart of this classic with my twin @itstetonajackson," Richmond shared on Instagram. "I've taken a lot of losses just to win like this."
Richmond's Bryson is described as resourceful, tough, and charming. "Raised by a single mother, he's self-assured and doesn't hide his vulnerability. Every bit as driven as Simone, Bryson wants to make his mark on this world."
Jackson's Simone is described as privileged, beautiful, cool, and driven to a fault. "She has an easy confidence that she inherited from her father, but a down-to-earth, chill vibe, which she inherited from her mother. The shadow of both her parents looms large and she is eager to step out of it and make a name for herself."
Leland B. Martin will star as Ari, a digital producer with big dreams. He is handsome, charming, and effortlessly confident, and he has an edge and swagger that is completely disarming. Ari doesn't believe in labels. He's an equal opportunist when it comes to dating. Meanwhile, Lala Milan will star as Tia, a misguided performance artist with high ambitions. She is a classically trained dancer who wants to topple the patriarchy. She's charismatic and wildly unique. Tia is an activist at heart, but she doesn't mind being a little ratchet every now and then.
News of Richmond's new opportunity quickly got GH fans worried. While Richmond hasn't appeared on GH regularly in some time, filming a lead role in a primetime series isn't an easy thing to juggle with a soap opera gig -- especially because Boomerang is filming in Atlanta, Georgia. Another thing impacting viewer unease about the actor's status at GH is the fact that the ABC series recently placed a casting call for "Terrance," who is listed as a "Male, African American, 23-25. Handsome, charming, smart. Successful grad student has overcome some adversity" -- which sounds a lot like Richmond's T.J.
At this time, neither Richmond nor reps at GH have indicated that the actor is indeed moving on from General Hospital. Stay tuned as this story develops.
Would you like to congratulate Richmond on his new role? How would you feel if he had to leave GH in order to star in Boomerang? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
