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Ghosts grows stronger with each season, and the new episodes bring fresh detail to the lives of its long-standing characters. In Ghosts Season 5, the writers turn toward Alberta and reveal a past that even close viewers did not expect. The story opens when Todd returns to Woodstone with new questions about her history, and the group pressures her to explain gaps in her old records.
Then the episode shows that Alberta once performed as a ventriloquist under the name Esther Greene, and the reveal changes how fans see her early years. Danielle Pinnock spoke about this work in her TV Insider interview, and she shared a clear line that caught attention:
No. So there was a joke in Season 4 where she’s trying to give Sam terrible scammer advice, and she says very quickly, “You think my real name is Alberta?” I was like, Oh, maybe Alberta Haynes is just her performance name. And so to get this glorious flashback, I love every time we get to go back into the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s because it just looks so beautiful. It also gives me an opportunity to have another costume and to touch props as well. And of course it would be ventriloquism, you know what I mean? I asked for something very odd this year. And that’s exactly what Emily Schmidt gave me, and so I’m so grateful. It is so funny. I went to puppet school for it. I got that script on a Thursday, we did the table read, and that Thursday evening, I was in ventriloquism school. So I am truly just building up my actor’s toolbox one season at a time. I’m learning how to sing, I’ve learned how to tap dance, I’m doing all kinds of stuff, and now I’m a ventriloquist. I love it.
That quote set the tone for her training, and it showed the level of care she brought to the role. This article explains how she prepared and why the new backstory adds depth to the storyline.
Ghosts: Danielle Pinnock's preparation for Alberta’s backstory
Alberta as a character in Ghosts
Alberta Haynes walks into every scene like she’s still on stage. She comes from the 1920s jazz world, a time that pushed Black artists hard and paid them back with very little credit. That history shapes her. You feel it in the way she talks, the way she holds herself, and even in the way she argues. Alberta knows she earned her place. She doesn’t shrink, not even for a second.
It makes sense for someone who spent her life under club lights, working crowds who judged her before she even opened her mouth. Being the center of a room became her safety net and her weapon. So when she’s in the mansion, she keeps performing in small ways: big reactions, sharp lines, and that showy confidence she throws around like a feather boa.
Why the training mattered
The show asks actors to sell odd moments with calm care, and the series asks for clear comic timing too. Danielle Pinnock focused on small details, and she learned to control breath and mouth movement. Then she added voice work that matched her facial shape. The result made the performance feel like a real past life for Alberta, and the scene did not read as a simple gag.
How she prepared for the role
Pinnock took short, focused lessons in ventriloquism, and she practiced between table reads and shooting. She worked on puppet handling, and then she added voice projection that matched the puppet’s age.
She also spent time studying old ventriloquist tapes, and then she copied small habits that felt honest. This steady work helped her play Esther Greene before she became Alberta, and it gave the moment emotional weight.
The episode and its beats
Season 5 places the reveal at a key moment, and the story connects past failure to present reinvention. The plot shows Alberta admitting she once used a puppet on stage, and then she explains why she changed her name. Ghosts uses that backstory to deepen the character, and the puppet scene acts as a hinge between her old life and new identity.
On-set choices and authenticity
The production used a simple puppet prop, and the prop needed lifelike motion for the camera. Pinnock handled the puppet close up, and she kept movements small and steady. The director then cut to reaction shots, and that pacing sold the moment. Ghosts benefits when actors take small risks, and this choice made the scene land for viewers.
Danielle Pinnock’s wider approach
Pinnock balances comedy and heart, and that skill fits the tone. She uses silence as much as speech, and she times her actions to give space to other actors. Her training in ventriloquism added a new tool to her kit, and it let her show shame and pride in the same scene. Ghosts Season 5 uses those shifts to change how viewers see Alberta, and the change feels earned.
How fans and critics reacted
The episode drew praise for its clear sample of character work, and social posts noted the puppet detail. Viewers said the reveal felt honest rather than forced, and reviews singled out Pinnock’s steady choices.
That reaction shows how small technical skills can raise a simple scene, and it shows how Ghosts keeps finding fresh ways to deepen its ensemble.
What the backstory means for Alberta
The ventriloquist past explains why Alberta keeps certain costumes and props. It also shows why she covers parts of her life and reinvents herself.
The reveal in Season 5 gives context to her choices, and it helps viewers understand her guarded mood. Alberta’s story now reads as an arc about reinvention and care, and the puppet episode gives the arc a clear shape.
Trending
The show keeps blending laugh lines and real feelings, and this episode showed that well. Danielle Pinnock’s work in ventriloquism made Alberta’s past believable, and it gave the scene real gravity. It used the skill to add depth, and it made the character change feel earned.
Fans who watch closely will see how a small craft choice can sharpen a moment, and Ghosts keeps showing that careful work pays off. The show remains a strong ensemble series, and this episode stands as proof of its steady craft.
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