Actress Gail Bean takes the lead in the “Snowfall” spinoff as Wanda Bell, a former addict now chasing a new kind of high.
Wanda had a front-row seat to Franklin Saint’s drug operation before struggling with her own addiction. Her then-boyfriend, Leon Simmons, later helped her get sober.
Now, “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” puts a clean and sober Wanda at the center of her own rise, with Bean bringing Black women’s ambition and resilience to the forefront.
In an exclusive interview with Atlanta Black Star, Bean, 33, opened up about stepping into Wanda’s sober shoes and the parallels between her and Damson Idris’ character Franklin Saint.
“Snowfall” ended with married Wanda and Leon leaving Los Angeles for Ghana, escaping the streets and drug game Saint once controlled.
In a major plot twist on “The Drop,” the two return as single individuals living legit lives after Saint’s story ended in alcoholism.
Wanda has already battled her own drug addiction, but now she gets a chance at redemption.
Despite their different endings, Bean sees striking similarities in how sober Wanda and Franklin chase something bigger than themselves.
“Before we get to the dark side of Franklin, right, he saw something with crack cocaine and wanted to not just help himself, but help people around him. I do see that in Wanda,” Bean tells ABS. “That she cares and has a heart for others. She does.”
@lashay.aep franklin had to show wanda who is the boss fr. // #snowfall #snowfalledit #snowfallseason #franklinsaint #franklinsaintedit #lashayslade12 #fyp #foryou #viral #dontletthisflop ♬ original sound – 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗬
“The Drop” shifts from the 1980s crack epidemic to the booming 1990s’ hip-hop scene.
Bean says this time around, viewers will see Wanda take selfish actions for the greater good.
She describes her character as a visionary in West Coast rap, set to build a music empire by recruiting raw local talent.
Her ambition isn’t purely selfish. She creates opportunities for her family, particularly her producer cousin, Lamar, played by “When They See Us” actor Asante Blackk.
In episode 1, which aired Sept. 8, Wanda climbs through a bedroom window, chasing a different kind of high: a hot record from Lamar.
Its been 55 minutes and Wanda has hopped in 2 windows already #thedrop #thedropfx pic.twitter.com/WZlle6PWfU
— Mr B. (@HoeAssMrB) September 9, 2026
Her relentless pursuit of success and fight to stay sober also takes center stage in another scene Bean mentioned.
She recalls a kitchen scene where Wanda’s aunt, “Mama G” Casey, played by Nicki Micheaux, encouraged her to look out for herself.
“[Wanda’s] saying, ‘This would be good for Lamar. He wants this,’ and then Mama G says, ‘And good for you too, huh?'” the actress shares.
Hey, now. Show some respect to Wanda. She's come a long way from being addicted to crack and getting chained to radiators. #TheDrop pic.twitter.com/16w6IUIX2n
— Omari Daniels (@TheOtherBigO) September 9, 2026
That moment, Bean explains, also reveals Wanda’s desire to fight for herself while bringing her people along, much like Franklin did.
“She wants this for herself, but she also wants to take our people with her. And that’s [what] Franklin wanted … to elevate. He also wanted to take his people with him. He wasn’t trying to get brand new and leave them behind. He’s like, ‘We can all win.'”
Bean noted other similarities between herself and Franklin, including ambition, determination, and resilience. Both characters carry the weight of their pasts, but now Wanda has something to lose.
“They are both cut from the same cloth,” she tells ABS. “So I asked myself, does this redemption path get dark? And if so, how does [Wanda] handle it?”
She questions whether that pressure could pull Wanda back toward the very vices she fought so hard to escape.
“Franklin turned to alcohol like his father. We already know… that Wanda has a vice. So how long can she be in something like this and stay clean?” she wonders.
Episode 1 of “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” is streaming on FX and Hulu, with new episodes airing Tuesdays.
