The first season of the Paramount+ revival of the 2006 BET series The Game features two FSU School of Theatre alums, Analisa Velez (‘12) and Karina Willis (‘17). The series revolves around the families of professional football players. As detailed by its official log line:
Relocating from San Diego to Sin City, The Game returns with a mix of new players and original cast to offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football. The team will tackle racism, sexism, classism and more as they fight for fame, fortune, respect, and love — all while trying to maintain their souls as they each play The Game.
Before appearing on The Game in the recurring role of Raquel Navarro, Analisa Velez starred in the play The Purists (dir. Billy Porter at Boston’s Huntington Theatre) and appeared in television series including Sneaky Pete (Amazon Prime) and Monsterland (Hulu). Now that the finale of The Game has aired, Velez uses Instagram to detail her artistic process and the production timeline from receiving her sides through shooting the scenes.
Prior to appearing as the no-nonsense Natalie on The Game, Karina Willis had roles in Boomerang, There U Go, Did I Kill My Mother?, Christmas in Mississippi, and The Quad. Willis reflected on her experience, “So grateful for the opportunity to work on this show. Had an absolute blast and can’t wait to see what comes next!”
The Game season 10 concluded on January 6, 2022 and is available to stream on Paramount+. For news about the careers of Analisa Velez (@analisavelez) and Karina Willis (@karina.willis), follow them on Instagram.