'Grown-ish's Marcus Scribner on Show's Final Season: 'I'm So Proud of the Art That We've Made' (Exclusive)
It's so hard to say goodbye, but after six seasons, the cast of Grown-ish is doing exactly that.
"They're forcing me to say goodbye again! Just too much heartbreak year after year," Scribner jokes to ET, although he admits the occasion is "bittersweet."
"I've been playing this character for 10 years; he's a great guy, I love the dude. And I'm excited for where Junior has been able to take things," he adds. "I never could have imagined when we started Black-ish that this is where the character would end up. So I'm very thankful and just happy with where he's gone, and I'm like, 'OK, it's time to say goodbye.'"
The upcoming two-parter sixth season picks up right where season 5 left off, welcoming back franchise star Marcus Scribner as he reprises his role as Andre Johnson Jr. (aka Junior) for the final time. It's a year of making big decisions for Andre, from deciding on a major to figuring out his relationship with Annika (Justine Skye). Meanwhile, Zoey (Yara Shahidi) is seeking a chance to revive her defunct clothing line as Aaron (Trevor Jackson) and Doug (Diggy Simmons) continue to seek balance and success in their post-grad adventures.
And just like the installments that came before, Grown-ish's season 6 will be a star-studded extravaganza featuring guest stars from Lil Yachty and Anderson.Paak and The Free Nationals to Kelly Rowland, Omarion, Latto and NLE Choppa.
Grown-ish's ending marks the conclusion of creator and executive producer Kenya Barris' -ish franchise. Black-ish ended after an eight-season run on ABC in April 2022. The prequel series Mixed-ish aired for two seasons on ABC between 2019 and 2021, and although Barris spoke of plans for an Old-ish spinoff starring Laurence Fishburne and Jenifer Lewis, it ultimately didn't move forward.
When revealing that season 6 would be Grown-ish's last, Barris said in a statement, "We've spent nearly a decade telling our stories through the -ish series and to say it has been an amazing journey would be an understatement. To be able to watch Yara, Marcus and our entire Grown-ish family grow up in front of (and in many ways alongside) us over these past several years has been both a joy and an honor. From the stories we've told to the talent we've fostered and, most importantly, the memories made, I could not be more proud of everything we've accomplished and the -ish family I've been a part of."
Despite a mature approach to the end of the road, Scribner admits that he's "gonna be sad" when all is said and done. "I'm gonna miss my crew, my cast, the people that I've known for years and years [who have] become like a family to me at this point," he shares. "It feels like I'm graduating again."
Much like its predecessor, the Emmy-nominated spinoff has never been afraid to tackle the tough subjects through the lens of college students, from unexpected pregnancies to the school-to-prison pipeline. Scribner says he still hasn't fully grasped being part of that legacy of introspection and authenticity.
"It's surreal. We went to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and we had like a little Black-ish installment put up there. Like, what? Are you kidding me?" the 23-year-old recalls. "My grandma was like, 'I get to see you in a museum.' And I was like, 'I know. That's insane.' It's nuts. I could never have imagined that this is where it would've gone. If you would've told 13-year-old little Marcus, running to the bus to make it to this Black-ish audition, that it was gonna change [his] life, I wouldn't have believed you."
"But here we are, and I'm so proud of all the art that we've made and the stories that we've been able to tell, and I'm thankful for all the people who have allowed our family into their homes and their conversations," Scribner says. "I'm very, very grateful."
Grown-ish was given a cast shakeup after the season 4 finale saw Zoey and her friends graduate from the California University of Liberal Arts, marking the start of their lives in the real world. It also marked the exit of the show's six original cast members, including Francia Raisa (Ana), Emily Arlook (Nomi), Chloe Bailey (Jazz), Luka Sabbat (Luca), Halle Bailey (Sky) and Jordan Buhat (Vivek).
Season 5 saw Scribner officially join his TV sister on the spinoff as Andre embarks on his own journey to being "grown." Shahidi, Simmons and Jackson stayed on as their characters showcased their lives post-grad, including Aaron's new role as a professor at the university.
Since a new beginning means a new gang, the series welcomed a roster of new faces as Andre's squad of friends, including new series regular Daniella Perkins, Tara Raani, Justine Skye, Amelie Zilber, Ceyair Wright, Matthew Sato and Slick Woods.
The experience has been a transformative one for Scribner, who shares what he's learned from playing the role over the past decade. "I think one thing is, it's OK not to have the right answer right away, cuz I feel like there's a lot of pressure in life and from people around you to always know exactly what you're doing at all times. And I think Junior is showing people that sometimes you don't know, but that's OK," he notes.
"And I think Junior has learned to seize things that he wants, you know what I mean? Actually grab life by the horns, try new things and take risks, which I think is very exciting and something that I've learned from the character and hope that people take away from him as well," he adds. "It's okay to be passionate about what you love."
Being able to portray the character's struggles with anxiety and mental health was "emotional" for Scribner, who lamented the lack of Black male characters that get to express those insecurities and fears onscreen as freely.
"It's been cool to see somebody go through that on TV. I mean, it's been anxiety-inducing to watch, but also, it's cool that we're showing that a character like Junior, who always seems so invincible and positive, can also suffer from mental illness and have his own demons to battle," he shares. "And I especially think it's important to have a young Black man show that. To have this and talk about his feelings and reach out for help, which is what I thought was beautiful. Like, he started suffering and immediately it was like, 'Y'all, I need some help. I'm not gonna be able to tackle this myself.' I really enjoyed the way we approached that and it's something I've been wanting for years, so I'm glad we finally got to do it on Grown-ish."
ET spoke to Shahidi at the premiere of her new film, Peter Pan and Wendy, in April where she dished on the show coming to an end this summer with its sixth season.
"I mean, we hit 100 episodes. Shows don't get to do that anymore," Shahidi said. "So, I think it's bitter, but primarily sweet, because we got to tell a lot of story, and I've gotten to be a lot of Zoey over the past six years."
Scribner shares a similar sentiment, telling ET he's excited to explore his options after saying goodbye to the -ish universe. "I'm so excited to continue to read fantastic scripts and hopefully get to be a part of more amazing projects, work with more amazing filmmakers and tell really cool stories," he says, smiling. "Just do the acting ting."
The first half of Grown-ish's final season premieres on June 28, with the second half to arrive in 2024.
RELATED CONTENT:
'Grown-ish' Gets Ready to Say Goodbye With Season 6 Trailer
Yara Shahidi Reacts to ‘Grown-ish’ Coming to an End and Having Her Own Tinker Bell Doll (Exclusive)
'Grown-ish' to End With Season 6, Final Episodes Airing in 2024
