Kelly Rowland and Trevante Rhodes are returning to film with a new Netflix movie.
Rowland will star as criminal defense attorney Mea Harper in “Mea Culpa,” a thriller directed, written, and produced by Tyler Perry. In the film, Harper is representing artist Zyair Malloy (Rhodes), who has been arrested for murder, but “the truth isn’t as obvious as it seems,” according to the official synopsis. “While she tries to determine the innocence or guilt of her cagy-yet-seductive client, it is uncovered that everyone is guilty of something. ‘Mea Culpa’ explores what happens when burning desire takes hold and things get hot… and dangerous.”
Rowland told Netflix’s Tudum that it was “so easy” to work with the media mogul. “If there was ever any moment where he was uncertain about something, he would say, ‘Well, let’s discuss it and then let’s try it,’” Rowland said. “But it was all about communicating.”
Rhodes added that he was so confident in Perry’s skills that he agreed to star in “Mea Culpa” before reading the script: “I told Tyler ‘yes’ before he sent the script,” he told Tudum. “We cookin’.”
Perry told Tudum that he “never had an experience where I was working with someone who had so many great ideas to bring to the table. As a producer, [Rowland] was fantastic.”
In the trailer, which dropped Wednesday morning, Rowland’s Harper meets Trevante Rhodes’ Malloy to discuss his case and their chemistry is jumping off the screen. A few scenes suggest who he is accused of murdering, and Harper seems conflicted by the case and whether or not Malloy committed the crime. Malloy argues his innocence to Harper, saying “this is my life and they’re trying to ruin me.”
After agreeing to take his case, Harper goes to meet Malloy at his studio, where he shows her some of his artwork and says, “Mea is longing.” Spicy! Harper responds that she is his attorney and not his friend. The trailer continues on where we see Rhodes and Harper seemingly hooking up, with loving looks and kisses, while a news reporter claims someone is covering up evidence in the case. There are a clips of a car crash, someone creeping into the night, someone walking with a knife, and a friend saying to Rowland’s Harper, “You have no idea who he is. A snake is never violent when stalking their prey. It’s only when they get right into striking distance, that they become violent.”
“Mea Culpa” also stars Nick Sagar, Sean Sagar, RonReaco Lee, and “P-Valley’s” Shannon Thornton in various roles. Rowland joins Perry as a producer on the film, which is being co-produced by Dianne Ashford, Will Areu, Angi Bones. “Mea Culpa” will be available to stream on Netflix on Feb. 23.
Check out the trailer:
