The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ Precious Way and Jalyn Hall Discuss Their Favorite Parts of Their Characters

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is another mockumentary coming to NBC, focusing on the titular character finding redemption after being kicked out of the NFL for illegal betting.

This is more than just a story about one man’s redemption, though, as his actions have had a knock-on effect on everyone around him.

Precious Way and Jalyn Hall play Reggie’s fiancée, Brina, and son, Carmelo, two people who have been directly affected, and the two chatted with TV Fanatic about their characters.

TV Fanatic: Since our time is so short, I’ll jump straight in and ask what it was about Brina and Carmelo that drew you into their characters on The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins.

Jalyn Hall: I would say his realism and being a true-to-life teenage boy who loves his father. He loves his parents, loves the village around him.

I also love the aspect of him being a third parent to everybody. He and Monica are the most self-aware of the situation they’re in, but I feel like he’s that guy who steps back and looks at everything that’s happening.

This is the family, and he’ll try his best to make sure everything goes smoothly. I love that aspect, even as he’s juggling life as a teenager. Being able to play that dynamic is such a treat for me.

Precious Way: I think initially, I just had to play Brina because I understood her. I knew exactly where she was mentally, and I just felt that connection to her because there’s so much more to Brina than meets the eye.

I feel like people initially go into it thinking they know who she is. She’s trying to get that man’s money. They all think that, and as the story progresses, the writers give me such a gift: the ability to tell the story I felt from the start.

She has so much going on. She’s so smart; she makes her own money and does all these things.

I feel like it brings so much more to the character and to who she is, rather than the story you automatically expect.

Yes, what I love about Brina in the first episode is not the usual dynamic between a fiancée and an ex-wife. Brina and Monica are in it together, and they have a positive female relationship. What’s that like for you to show this story?

I feel like it’s such a gift. I love Erika [Alexander] in real life. I admire her. She’s such a legend, so talented and such a genuine person.

I feel like it bleeds into me playing Brina, and the way Brina admires Monica. She keeps Reggie afloat, creates this whole lifestyle and world, and still holds on to her power in this environment. Brina really admires that, and she wants Monica to see her power and what she brings.

That unfolds, and Monica starts to see and appreciate her for who she really is, and then it becomes this beautiful, unlikely friendship.

Jalyn, we see a father-son relationship that is quite tense at times, as they deal with his dad’s past. In that first episode, he says how hard it is to have Dinkins as his last name. What’s that like for you to portray?

JH: He loves his dad, and he loves his lineage. He wouldn’t give up being a Dinkins. He loves being part of the Dinkins family.

I think it’s more so him expressing to his father how he feels. A lot of the time, he’s probably had to make sure his dad was okay. 

We put the ones we love above us, and his dad didn’t really understand the full extent of how he felt. Carmelo let him know that it’s not just about him; it doesn’t affect him alone.

It’s empowering because we’re a team and we’re all fighting for that redemption.

We’re fighting for that journey of self-exploration together, and I feel like that’s kind of the vibe between Carmelo and his father.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins will air an encore of its pilot episode on Monday, Feb. 23 at 8/7c on NBC, and it will then air on Mondays at 8:30/7:30c.

Interviews like this take time and care — and we hope it shows.
If you liked hearing from me, please comment or share the article. That’s how we keep conversations like this going.

_{This interview has been edited for clarity and length.}