Aahana Swrup
‘Tyler Perry’s Finding Joy’ is a film full of holiday cheer and the magic of romance. The Prime Video production revolves around Joy Brooks, a hopeless romantic who is optimistic about finding true love despite her many previous failed attempts. Therefore, when the chance arises to spend Christmas with Colton, a potential Prince Charming in her story, she takes it and flies out all the way from New York to Colorado. Nonetheless, things aren’t always what they seem, and what was supposed to be a chance for romance to bloom turns into a solidification of Colton’s apparently platonic feelings toward her.
As a result, Joy ends up running away in the middle of a snowstorm, which inevitably strands her in a remote cabin. Fortunately enough, she has the cabin’s handsome owner, Ridge, for company. Unfortunately, the duo, both inclined to keep their hearts guarded, get off on the wrong foot. With Joy and Ridge at the center of the story, their relationship and chemistry become the most important aspect of the film. For the same reason, fans are bound to grow curious about the real faces behind these on-screen characters.
Shannon Thornton Brings Joy’s Transformative Journey to the Screen
Shannon Thornton leads ‘Tyler Perry’s Finding Joy,’ stepping into the role of the titular protagonist Joy Brooks. While the actress has a number of memorable projects to her name, fans of Tyler Perry’s work will remember her from her previous collaboration with the filmmaker. She plays the role of Charlise in Perry’s 2024 erotic thriller film ‘My Fault’ (Originally titled ‘Mea Culpa’). Thornton’s relationship with acting began at a young age. In seventh grade, she was a part of a play production of ‘Cinderella,’ cast as one of the evil stepsisters.
As per her own recollection, she was hooked from the minute she heard the audience’s reaction to her comedic performance. Thus, she began taking classes to hone her craft and enter the entertainment industry. Thornton’s debut came in 2010 with an episode of the police procedural show ‘Blue Bloods,’ in which she makes an appearance as Sara. From there, she continued booking episodic roles in a number of television series, including ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,’ ‘Power,’ ‘Dynasty,’ and ‘Inventing Anna’ among many others. Eventually, breakout role came in 2020 with ‘P-Valley.’ In the critically acclaimed show, Thornton plays the role of Keyshawn, aka Miss Mississippi.
This performance went on to win the actress her first Gracie Allen Award and a Women’s Image Network Award. Now with ‘Tyler Perry’s Finding Joy,’ Thornton adds another notable project to her filmography. In a conversation with Blavity, she spoke about the role and said, ‘I love telling the story of somebody (Joy) who, despite everything she’s been through, was still kind of optimistic about love and still allowed herself to fall. It was something about her naivete that was very endearing for me. I love that about her, like not having a chip on her shoulder despite everything that she’s been through.” For the future, Thornton has more exciting things lined up, including a season 3 for ‘P-Valley’ and another mystery project.
Tosin Morohunfola Delivers a Compelling Performance as Ridge
Tosin Morohunfola takes the helm opposite Shannon Thornton in ‘Tyler Perry’s Finding Joy.’ He plays the role of the co-lead and romantic interest, Ridge, a country boy with a tough exterior and soft heart. It was these same co-existing ideas of strength and vulnerability that drew Morohunfola to the holiday romcom film. The actor spoke about the same in a conversation with Variety. He said, “Not every holiday movie has depth, and that’s something that drew me to this one. When I saw Ridge, I immediately saw somebody more than two-dimensional. On the outside, he has a rough exterior, but underneath that, you’ve got a vulnerable, loving, and caring person who needs the help of the right person to bring that out.”
Born to Nigerian parents who are immigrants, Morohunfola grew up in Kansas. His journey with acting began pretty early on as he pursued thespian interests throughout his college career. In fact, he was the founder and artistic director of the Multicultural Theatre Initiative at the University of Kansas, from where he graduated in 2010. Since then, the actor has amassed countless titles, building a truly impressive filmography. His early career sports appearances in popular shows like ‘Chicago Fire,’ ‘Empire,’ ‘APB,’ and more. Furthermore, he appears as a recurring character in titles like ‘Chicago Med,’ ‘Julia,’ ‘Love Is_’ and more. Fans will also recognize him for his widely recognized roles in shows like ‘The Chi,’ ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves,’ and ‘Black Lightning,’ or films like ‘Black Box,’ ‘1992,’ and more. Additionally, Morohunfola is also an independent filmmaker whose projects, including ‘The Pulpit: Prelude,’ ‘Endowed,’ and ‘On Sight,’ have received festival selections.
Read More: 10 Movies Like Tyler Perry’s Finding Joy You Must See
