ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE & FOOTBALL

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Baby Mama drama, illegal drug use and celebrity weddings make for must-see TV on season three of CW's "The Game," which follows a fictional NFL team and examines the personal lives of its players and their women. As usual, the show's hotheaded star quarterback Malik has something to say. Each week actor Hosea Chanchez breathes life into the athlete who recently married Robin Givens, who plays herself and is electric on-screen with Wendy Raquel Robinson who plays his mom and on-again, off-again manager. Chanchez shares with ESSENCE.com how Givens is far from the calculating roles she plays, what Tia Mowry's wedding taught him about love, and the secret to NFL players' success (hint: it includes you).


ESSENCE.COM: This season of "The Game" has been action packed, and now we have the new twist of your character Malik marrying Robin Givens. After working with her, what new things did you learn about her?


HOSEA CHANCHEZ: I was really intrigued by her. It was great to work and pick her brain and see what type of person she really is. She was nothing like I thought she would be. It was just a whole other layer to her that made her so much more interesting. She is the sweetest person on the planet and soft spoken. Most people think she is an extrovert and she is snappy and boisterous, but she's nothing like that. Hate to be disappointing, but she is acting to play herself, not that public persona that most people believe is the real Robin Givens. It's a fine line and she walked it.

ESSENCE.COM: So are you ready to walk down that aisle in real life after practicing with Robin Givens on the show?

CHANCHEZ: I definitely want to get married, but not anytime soon. I would not want to spend the rest of my life by myself. When you find the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with, you solidify it. I'm the type of guy who wants everyone to know, "it's mine." At the moment, I'm single. Doing this thing by myself gets a little hard, but it's coming. Watching Cory and Tia (Mowry)'s wedding, I really got to see how much this wedding meant to Tia. Tia just loved this guy so much that she wanted everybody close to her to see and experience this fairy tale under God and share in her day.

ESSENCE.COM: Wendy Raquel Robinson plays Tasha, your mom and on-again, off-again manager on the show, and you two have great chemistry even when you're arguing. How did you guys develop the bond we see on-screen?


CHANCHEZ: It came natural from the start. Our relationship began in the parking lot of CBS before I even had the part and we were testing. She reminded me so much of my real mom because my mom had me at a young age. I'm very familiar with having a mother that crosses the line between being my mom and my best friend. It just flowed. Sometimes it's hard to see when you have a mom that grew up with you versus a mom that [raised] you. It's hard to see her when she tries to be a mom because sometimes it just doesn't mix. I've learned, at the end of the day, she is still your mom. Since I've [matured], I've depended on my mom a lot more as a mom rather than as a friend.

ESSENCE.COM: What has been the response from real NFL football players to you about the show and what have you learned about their life?

CHANCHEZ: They love the show! I've not met one real NFL player that said something negative about it. They say, "Someone finally got it-it's so close to home." A lot of them started watching it through their wives, girlfriends or moms. What's relatable for a lot of these guys is that they come from underprivileged families. A lot of them have single moms, as a lot of us do in our communities. It's just the challenge and balance of going from nothing to something. Most of these guys are privileged, but they didn't come from that. The biggest epiphany for me has been these players are absolutely nothing without the women in their lives, whether it's a mother, sister or wife. I've interviewed or read biographies, some of the greatest of all time, and they all accredit their success to their women.

ESSENCE.COM: You seem to be completely different from your character Malik, who once punched a guy in a wheelchair. Do you think you would be friends with him?


CHANCHEZ: (Laughs.) I would. He's come a long way. In some ways, we are complete opposites and that is fun. [Daryl "Chill" Mitchell], who played the guy in the wheelchair, told me not to judge but to live my character [when I expressed] reservations about the scene. That's been with me ever since. Football players have a whole other life happening. I believe everyone should experience it because it's just that funny. What makes this show so interesting is that [the characters] are introduced and delivered through the eyes of the women. It's not just about football, which is why Mara [Brock Akil, the show's executive producer] is so smart. We are some of the lucky ones to be working and we are so grateful people are watching and telling their friends.

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FOLLOW YOUR HEART, BUT WATCH YOUR BACK.

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"The Family That Preys" is Tyler Perry's sixth feature film starring Alfre Woodard, Kathy Bates, Sanaa Lathan. This will be Perry's first film to feature white characters in prominent roles. The movie hits theaters September 12th.

Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard star as the matriarchs of two very different families being torn apart by greed and scandal in the contemporary drama. Perry chronicles the inner workings of two families—one upper-crust and the other working class—that become inextricably linked by scandal.

The movie definitely looks good and worth seeing, plus it takes a different route from Perry's last few films. Will you be going to watch it?

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IT'S GAME TIME... AND IT'S GOOD

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On tonight's season finale episode of The Game titled Baby Come Back Derwin tracks down Melanie to tell her the truth about how he really feels, which leads to a fight between Derwin and Jerome. Malik proclaims his love to Robin and tells her he's ready for a bigger commitment. Jason meets with the new team owner, Mickey (guest star Brian McGovern), who appears to be more interested in spending time with Kelly than making a new deal with Jason.

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YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS

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On the next episode of THE GAME things will definitely get steamy... On the new episode titled "I Got 99 Problems and My Chick IS One" Jerome questions Melanie's commitment to their relationship after she accepts an unexpected gift from Derwin. She decides to take Jerome to Los Angeles for a romantic weekend to prove him wrong, but her plans hit a snag when she finds out the Sabers are partying at the same hotel where she and Jerome are staying.

Derwin and Malik commiserate over losing Melanie and Robin Givens. Tasha shares her concerns with Rick Fox about becoming a manager and they end up having an intimate moment. Jason fires his manager and Kelly urges him to consider signing with Irv.
Tune in Sunday at 9/8 pm on The CW

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THE LORD GIVENS AND THE LORD TAKETH AWAY

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On tonight's episode of The Game Malik (Hosea Sanchez), fresh off a championship, feels as if his post season escapades have reached a high point when he meets Robin Givens and finds out her free-spirited attitude is juxtaposed with his.
After they begin spending time together, Malik realizes that his approach to relationships may be working against him. Jason (Coby Bell) suffers from post-championship depression and, with Kelly's (Brittany Daniel) advice, seeks out answers from their therapist.

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