Any Day Now
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For the Joan Baez album Any Day Now, see Any Day Now. For the 1977 film Any Day Now (aka Vandaag of morgen) see Any Day Now
Any Day Now is a hit Lifetime TV series which originally ran four seasons from 1998 to 2002. The show stars Annie Potts and Lorraine Toussaint, who are in a controversial friendship.
The show's title is taken from the Chuck Jackson (1962) song "Any Day Now," which is also used for its theme song, later covered by Ronnie Milsap (1982) .
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[edit] Setting
The show is set Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960s, during the peak of desegregation. Any Day Now focuses on the lives and interactions of two female protagonists: Mary Elizabeth O'Brien/Sims ("M.E."), an outgoing white girl, and Rene Jackson, a shy black girl. The two had grown up as close friends but their friendship ends when M.E. becomes pregnant and chooses, despite Rene's disapproval, to keep the child and marry her boyfriend. Thirty years later, M.E. and her husband still live in Alabama where they struggle to make ends meet. Rene has moved to Washington D.C. where she is a successful attorney. After the death of her father, Rene decides to move back to her old hometown, where she reunites with M.E.. The two quickly resume their close friendship and contemporary storylines are interwoven with scenes from their shared past.
[edit] Format
Each episode lasts 60 minutes and consists of alternating scenes from two different timelines. The first timeline follows the young version of the girls, dealing with such issues as: M.E.'s racist parents, her loving grandmother, who often helps M.E. and Rene overcome daily obstacles that threateen their friendship, her uncle who is a Ku Klux Klan member, her brother who goes to war, and her cruel sister, Teresa. The second timeline shows the grown, present day, version of the girls, dealing with such issues as: racism, homosexuality (Rene's clients, Rene's brother Elston), religion, women's rights, rape, natural disaster, poverty, alcohol, suicide, and death. In most episodes there was either a common theme between the scenes presented from each timeline, or a direct connection between the events depicted in the past and how it affected those in the present.
[edit] Fourth Season Actors
In the fourth season, the young version of the girls became older and more mature. To show this change, the actresses Mae Middleton (M.E.) and Sherri Dyon Perry (Rene) were replaced by Olivia Hack and Maya Goodwin, respectively.
[edit] End
Any Day Now ended after its initial 4 season (88 episodes) contract expired. The show would have been renewed, but Annie Potts chose instead to care for her family. The series ended with Rene's marriage, as well as M.E. and Rene's mothers finally putting an end to their decades-long animosity.
[edit] Stars
- Annie Potts as Mary Elizabeth "M.E." Sims
- Lorraine Toussaint as Rene Jackson
- Mae Middleton as Young M.E. O'Brien (1998-2001)
- Olivia Hack as Young M.E. O'Brien (2002)
- Sherri Dyon Perry as Young Rene Jackson (1998-2001)
- Maya Goodwin as Young Rene Jackson (2002)
[edit] Supporting Cast
- Chris Mulkey as Colliar Sims
- Christopher Winsor as Davis Sims (1998)
- Calvin Devault as Davis Sims (1999-2002)
- Olivia Friedman as Kelly (Sims) Williams
- Derrex Brady as Ajoni Williams
- John Lafayette as James Jackson
- Donzaleigh Abernathy as Sara Jackson
- Christopher Babers as Young Elston Jackson
- William Converse-Roberts as Matthew O'Brien
- Nancy Mcloughlin as Catherine O'Brien
- Kentavius Haynes as Johnny O'Brien
- Elise Shirley as Young Theresa O'Brien
- Delta Burke as Theresa O'Brien
- Michael Pavone as Jimmy O'Brien
- Dan Byrd as Young Colliar Sims
- Millie Perkins as Grandma Irene Otis
- Richard Biggs as Bill Moody
- Bronson Picket as Joe Lozano
- Tony Barriere as Young Tully
- Mary-Pat Green as Odessa
- Taneka Johnson as Lakeisha Reynolds
- Don McManus as Graham Pearce
- Alyssa Nichols as April
- Alexandra Hedison as Rhonda
[edit] Trivia
In the pilot episode, James Jackson was played by Courtney B. Vance.
