SHOWTIME(R) ORIGINAL SERIES "THE CHI" ADDS KYLA PRATT, PUNKIE JOHNSON, REAGAN GOMEZ AND TAMMY TOWNSEND

New Season Returns on the Heels of a Record-Breaking Season Six

Series is Created and Executive Produced by Emmy(R) Winner Lena Waithe

May 5, 2025 - SHOWTIME(R) today announced that highly esteemed actresses Kyla Pratt (The Proud Family, Call Me Kat), Punkie Johnson (Saturday Night Live, Love Life), Reagan Gomez (The Parent 'Hood, Queen Sugar), and Tammy Townsend (Average Joe, Queen Sugar) will join the season seven cast of the original series, THE CHI in guest starring roles.

THE CHI will premiere Friday, May 16 on demand and on streaming for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, May 18, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Kyla Pratt will play "Angie," Hannibal's tough as nails wife, who doesn't tolerate anything less than her home being happy. Punkie Johnson will play "Shawnita," a career restaurant manager who's here to whip Smokey's into shape. Reagan Gomez will play "Candace," a textbook lover girl gone bad who's spicy new love interest is keeping her on her toes. Tammy Townsend will play "Nora," a charming and scrappy entrepreneur who dreams of helping people through her business.

Pratt, Johnson, Gomez and Townsend join previously announced award-winning actresses Phylicia Rashad, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Karrueche Tran as guest stars.

THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents on the South Side of Chicago who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. Produced entirely in its namesake city, THE CHI is produced by 20th Television.

This season, with Alicia at the helm, the pivotal women of THE CHI rise to reclaim their power. Yet, as loyalties are tested and new rivalries are stoked, it becomes clear that there's only one crown and it will come at a heavy cost.

Season six was record-breaking for THE CHI, with the drama series delivering its most-watched season yet on streaming, surging nearly 25% over the previous season.

THE CHI features an impressive ensemble cast, including Jacob Latimore, Lynn Whitfield, Yolonda Ross, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Birgundi Baker and Luke James. Kadeem Hardison, Chris Lee, Brett Gray, Rotimi, Jackie Long, Charmin Lee, Jill Marie Jones and Daniel J. Watts return to guest star, alongside Hannaha Hall, Jason Weaver, La La Anthony, Vic Mensa, Kandi Burruss, Tai Davis, Rolando Boyce, Ahmad Ferguson, Cortez Smith, Genesis Denise Hale, Joel Steingold, Judae'a Brown, Zaria Imani Primer, L'lerrét Jazelle and Brian Keys.

Created and executive produced by Emmy(R) winner Lena Waithe (Twenties, Master of None) under her Hillman Grad banner, the series is executive produced by co-showrunners Justin Hillian (Hillianaire Productions) and Jewel Coronel, and by Academy Award(R) and Emmy winner Common (Selma).

Additional executive producers include Aaron Kaplan (A Million Little Things, The Neighborhood), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Resheida Brady-Anderson, Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of ID8 Multimedia as well as Naomi Funabashi, who oversees for Hillman Grad and Rishi Rajani, CEO of Hillman Grad. Supervising producers Deondray Gossfield and Quincy LeNear Gossfield directed multiple episodes in season seven.

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