ABC’s Roseanne spinoff, The Conners, is adding Maya Lynne Robinson as a series regular. Robinson will play Geena Williams-Conner, DJ’s (Michael Fishman) wife and Mary’s (Jayden Rey) mother who returns home from active duty overseas in Afghanistan. The first appearance of her character was originally played by Rae’Ven Larrymore Kelly in the celebrated 1994 episode from the original Roseanne series, “White Men Can’t Kiss”. However, in the revival season this past year, Xosha Roquemore had played the role in the episode “Go Cubs”. Robinson is best known for role as Helen in Dead Women Walking and as Marsha in the TV mini-series, Mondays.
Showrunner and executive producer Bruce Helford shard in a recent interview how he is “thrilled to welcome the incredibly talented Maya Lynne Robinson to the cast this season”. He continued, “Her character 2nd Lt. Geena Conner, whom a younger DJ was reluctant to kiss in his school play, comes full circle as his wife and Mary’s mother, bringing back a little piece of Conner history. Yet, while Geena is no stranger to the family, viewers old and new will enjoy seeing how her ‘military-style’ discipline meshes with the Conners’ more laid-back attitude
Robinson has been seen on stage as well as on screen. She has been seen playing Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire at the Theatre at Boston Court and Eunice in the world premiere of Runaway Home at The Fountain Theatre. She is also the creator/producer of the web series, HTMAST as well as the co-creator/producer/director of the web series GURL. She’s repped by BRS-Gage and Principal Entertainment.
The Conners premieres at 8 PM Tuesday, October 16, on ABC.