SHOWTIME^® ORIGINAL SERIES THE CHI ADDS TONY AWARD^® WINNER PHYLICIA RASHAD, NAACP AWARD^® WINNER WENDY RAQUEL ROBINSON, AND EMMY AWARD^® WINNER KARRUECHE TRAN TO SEASON SEVEN CAST

New Season Returns on the Heels of a Record-Breaking Season Six; Series Created and Executive Produced by Emmy Winner Lena Waithe

(L-R): Phylicia Rashad, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Karrueche Tran. Photo Credits (L-R): Luis Barrios, Jerimiah Richardson, Jordan Keith

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April 8, 2025 – SHOWTIME^®  today announced that award-winning actresses, Phylicia Rashad (The Beekeeper, This is Us), Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Game, Poppa’s House), and Karrueche Tran (Claws, Bel Air) 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. 

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.

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. 

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.

Phylicia Rashad will play “Renee,” one of the few people who sees Pastor Zeke for who he really is and can get through to him. Wendy Raquel Robinson will play “Riley Dalton,” sweet but also direct. She has suffered great loss, which allows her to help others during the most trying times in their lives. Karrueche Tran will play “Zuri,” a woman who, no matter how much she’s trying to fix her problems, trouble seems to find her.

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^® 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^® 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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