Why Sonya From Netflix's The Mother Looks So Familiar
Netflix's fresh action flick "The Mother" promises thrilling spectacle upon spectacle, but there's no denying that a major part of the movie's appeal is its cast. There's quite a few big names involved with the Niki Caro project, including Jennifer Lopez as the lead "Mother," Edie Falco as Eleanor Williams, and Omari Hardwick as FBI Agent Cruise, but it's also got a few recognizable faces that audiences may find familiar, but can't completely place where they've seen the actor before.
One such case is with the character of Sonya, who is portrayed by Yvonne Senat Jones in the film. Many of Jones' other acting projects over the course of her career have been relatively small-scale efforts, but recent years have seen the performer appear in a couple of TV shows and other projects that avid fans of the medium may recognize her from. Here are some of Jones' greatest and most recognizable credit highlights to date.
The Oval and Ruthless (2019)
Yvonne Senat Jones' most extensive credit to date is her role in Tyler Perry's BET franchise "The Oval." The actor originally recurred throughout Season 1 of the political drama series as Tally, an ex-member of a horrific cult who makes a desperate attempt to escape their reach with her daughter. Things don't end spectacularly for the character, but that didn't stop Perry from greatly expanding on her through the "Oval" spin-off series "Ruthless." That show, which gives a greater focus on the cult and its inner workings, sees Jones star as a main cast member and goes further into detail about Tally's life.
In an interview with Fansided, Jones spoke about her appreciation for Perry's nuanced writing of Tally. "I love it because it's such a universal theme of a mom who just wants the best life for her family," she explained. "Also, the way that Tyler wrote it is that Tally is a woman who is finally finding her voice for the first time. I loved the arc that he gave her. He's gifted at writing female characters."
The Orville (2019)
Moving from "The Oval" to the similar-sounding "The Orville," Yvonne Senat Jones guest starred for a couple of episodes on the sci-fi comedy series. Specifically, the actor has appeared in a single episode of Season 2 and Season 3 each as a character named Osaia. Osaia is a member of the Moclan, an alien race that's undergoing quite a bit of upheaval with regard to its patriarchal system. She initially finds herself at odds with the Orville crew, but they eventually work together to ensure the Moclan females' freedom from oppression.
While Osaia and her people's story arc in "The Orville" seems mostly resolved at this point, there's every chance that the space crew could cross paths with the character once again and see how she and her Moclan peers are doing. It's a storyline that sounds ripe for "The Orville" Season 4, if such a project ends up happening.
A few Disney+ originals
Beyond Yvonne Senat Jones' aforementioned roles, the actor has also recently been appearing in a couple of original projects for Disney+. 2022 saw her star as Denise King in the service's film "Sneakerella," which updates the classic Cinderella tale to modern-day NYC with an emphasis on sneaker culture. In an interview with The Knockturnal, Jones expressed her enjoyment regarding the film's exploration of this fashion niche. "Let me tell you, after seeing some of the shoes they had on set, I definitely want to up my sneaker game," she said.
Similarly, 2023 marked Jones jumping onto the cast of "The Crossover," a Disney+ original series that revolves around basketball and serves as an adaptation of Kwame Alexander's acclaimed 2014 novel "The Crossover." Throughout the show, Jones recurs as Janice, the compassionate English teacher of the main kids and a close friend of their mother, Crystal (Sabrina Revelle).