Mankind will be salvaged. Well, on television.
On ABC’s new dramedy, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, warrior of God Yvette, played by Kimberly Hebert Gregory, lands on earth to guide Jason Ritter’s titular character on a worldwide rescue mission. A mission he’s pretty reluctant to take on.
“This show is really an optimistic, hopeful journey that, I think, we’re all longing for in this moment as a nation and globally,” Hebert Gregory exclusively tells Us Weekly. “When I read the script, I thought it was a nice shift from other things that can be edgy or go to a dark place. I was like, ‘I want to go on this journey!’”
The star of HBO’s Vice Principals spreads her wings for Us.
Us Weekly: Yvette is a warrior of God. What makes her different than an angel?
Kimberly Hebert Gregory: She’s not that angelic! She isn’t always smiling and she isn’t necessarily nurturing. Yvette is very mission driven and that makes her a warrior. But she’s fallible in that way. As we go through the series, you’ll that’s an interesting philosophy for someone who is a celestial being.
Us: How do you connect with her?
KHG: I like Yvette’s love for humanity. She has an ability to go against the odds and see the best in people. I want that. I want us to have a better world, environment, social justice, ideas. For me, Yvette continues to make me self-evaluate. I can get a little over-concerned and not stay positive about what’s happening. But there is so much going on in the world that, at some point, we have to figure out what can we do and what can we do positively.
Us: Yvette is there to guide Jason. But will the tables turn?
KHG: They really go back and forth with being the teacher and the student. With this show, you initially think, “Oh, she’s there to help him through something” and then you quickly see that he has the capacity to show her things. Yvette doesn’t have experience in the world so he shares with her what living is, what it’s like to live on earth. You have to tune into the episode where it just becomes abundantly clear that, “Oh my goodness, she doesn’t get it!”
Us: Will viewers see the world she’s from?
KHG: Well, she does have other beings with whom she’s able to interact with. That’s really exciting that she is simultaneously here but also managing the other warriors that she calls down to do this job.
Us: Ok, be honest: Of the cast, who do you think can probably save the world?
KHG: Jason, without question. And I’ll be his copilot. We have a great partnership. He has the kindness and gentleness that we all want. I think I have the fire that people want, too. Together, we could rock!
Us: Jason-Kimberly 2020?
KHG: I love it!
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World premieres on ABC Tuesday, October 3 at 10 p.m. ET.
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