“The secret is, she’s not really that strong,” says Miller of her character, Raquel Thomas on the hit STARZ show.
This article originally appeared on Popviewers.
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Patina Miller is the definition of a powerhouse—whether she’s commanding a Broadway stage or delivering an unforgettable performance as Raquel “Raq” Thomas in “Power Book III: Raising Kanan.” From her roots in a small South Carolina town to becoming a Tony Award-winning actress, Miller’s journey is one of resilience, passion, and raw talent.
A Star is Born (and Raised on Movies and Music)
“The acting bug bit me probably when I was about nine,” Miller shared at the recent PopViewers Presents: Vibes & Views event sponsored by Loverboy. “I always loved watching movies and singing and stuff like that. I grew up singing in the church, so singing was a big part of my life, but the theater stuff and acting came later.”
Movies were her first love, serving as both inspiration and education. “I had a lot of memorable moments just being at my dad’s house, watching all these iconic films like Sister Act. I’d watch all of those and be like, ‘God, one day I’m gonna do that.’”
That “one day” came when she attended a performing arts summer camp at nine or ten years old. “That was my outlet because in my town, we didn’t really have anything like that,” she recalls. Her first major role? Miss Hannigan in Annie. “I remember being on stage and how it felt to perform in front of an audience and to sing in front of an audience and trust my voice. And I was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m gonna do it, but maybe I’ll do it.’”
Rising Through the Ranks
Miller’s journey wasn’t without its hurdles. When she first auditioned for a prestigious summer arts program in Greenville, South Carolina, she didn’t get in. “I was heartbroken. How did they? How dare they?” she jokes. But instead of giving up, she tried again the next year. “My mom told me, ‘Don’t worry, don’t cry. If you believe, you can get it. If you’re going to worry, don’t pray.’ So I tried it again, and I got in.”
From there, it was clear she had something special. “I knew that I was pretty good at crafting characters,” she says. That skill became her superpower, allowing her to transition seamlessly between theater and television.
Hitting a Roadblock: Motherhood and Career Uncertainty
During the intimate convo, Miller opened up about a particularly difficult period in her career after having her child in 2017 while starring on “Madam Secretary.” With the show coming to an end, she faced an uncertain future, unsure of what would come next.
“I had a mini breakdown,” Miller admitted. “Being a new mother… losing yourself a little bit. I started to have a lot of things that mothers always go through, especially as a working mother. I didn’t really know what was going to happen once ‘Madam Secretary’ ended.”
Determined to take control of her future, Miller took a trip to Los Angeles, setting up meetings with industry contacts in hopes of finding her next opportunity. One of those meetings, with a casting director at Lionsgate, would ultimately change the course of her career.
Patina Miller on Becoming Raq: The Art of Transformation
When Miller steps into a character, she doesn’t just act—she becomes them. Her portrayal of Raq in ‘Raising Kanan’ is a masterclass in nuance and power. But for Miller, playing a “strong Black woman” wasn’t enough. “I didn’t really just wanna play a strong character. Like, that’s cool, but we have those characters always,” she explains. “She’s strong because of all the things that are going on inside and going on around her. The secret is, she’s not really that strong. She’s just holding it together because she has to hold it together—like a lot of Black women got to hold it together.”
To embody Raq, Miller pulls from personal experience. “No, I’m not a drug dealer. No, I’m not a queenpin. I don’t really kill people,” she laughs. “But the weight of taking care of a family? I know what that’s like. I know how tricky relationships between mother and son can be. I watched my mother navigate that with my brother.”
For Miller, acting is more than just a craft—it’s therapy. “It has to be real for me so that it’s not acting. Well, it is acting, but it’s kind of therapy in a way to take on a character that has so much trauma and find the beautiful things about her.”
What’s Next? Maybe Diana Ross?
With her incredible talent and range, it’s only a matter of time before Miller takes on another iconic role—one that allows her to tap into her first love: music. “I get a lot of Diana Ross,” she says, smiling. “A lot of people say that. It’s these big eyes. Diana’s an icon, so who wouldn’t want to tell that story? I would love to play Diana Ross.”
With her undeniable presence, unmatched skill, and deep understanding of character, it’s safe to say that whatever Patina Miller does next, we’ll all be watching.
You can catch new episodes of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” Friday on Starz.
