The Oval’s Paige Hurd addresses whether she’d return as Gayle Franklin after her exit fromthe Tyler Perry show. Debuting in October 2019, with Perry credited as writer and director on the episodes, the BET political drama focuses on the Franklins. Led by Hunter Franklin, who is the U.S. President, the story examines the people in power, the people who work for them, and their entanglements. The main cast also includes Kron Moore and Daniel Croix Henderson, with Hurd playing the First Daughter Gayle Franklin.
In an interview withTV Insiderto discuss her new movieGirl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story, Hurd looked back on her career so far and was asked about whether she’d be open to returning toThe Oval. The actor said thatshe wouldn’t be opposed to coming backto the political drama “at least one more time,” acknowledging that viewers want to know where the First Daughter disappeared. Read her response below:
You know what? I wouldn’t be opposed to coming back to the show. I think it would be cool for the fans to see her at least one more time. Just to kind of figure out where this president’s daughter disappear to. Yeah, I think it would be pretty cool to come back and give the fans the answers they’ve been looking for all these years.
What Happened To Gayle On The Oval?
She Was Seemingly Sent Away In Season 2
Gayle was last a part ofThe Ovalseason 2. Hunter and Victoria (Moore) decide to ship their children off as a form of discipline. They’d be watched over by Victoria’s parents, with the possibility of physical harm as a method of punishment. Gayle was last seen on a private jet with her brother Jason (Henderson) and her maternal grandmother. Jason manages to make an emergency landing after tussling with his grandma. As for Gayle, though, she might have eventually reached the intended destination, but she hasn’t been seen since.
Hurd, who also playedLauren Baldwin inPower Book II: Ghost, was part of the main cast in season 1 but only a guest for the first few episodes ofThe Ovalseason 2.
The series has oddly handled Gayle’s on-screen absence since, at times, characters are asked about her whereabouts. But more recently, Hunter has spoken in a way that indicates that he knows where Gayle is. Shemay just be living her life away from the public eye, which would not be unusual for family members of politicians as they get older. But it is atypical for the soapy and ever-evolving world ofThe Oval.
Where Else Have You Seen Paige Hurd?
She Made Her TV Debut In The Early 2000s
Hurd’s first major TV role came in 2022 whenshe played Natasha in an episode of the J. J Abrams and Matt Reeves college-set dramaFelicity.She also appeared in single episodes ofBoomtown,George Lopez,The Division,E.R.,The Medium, andThe Suite Life of Zack & Cody. But her first recurring role happened in 2006 when sheplayed Tasha Clarkson inEverybody Hates Chris,opposite Tyler James Williams as the girl who befriended the titular Chris and dated him for a time.
Power Book II: Ghost
Lauren Baldwin
Hurd would have anothermajor recurring role in the CBS reboot ofHawaii Five-0, playing Samantha Grover. As the daughter of Hawaii Five-0 member Lou Grover (played by Chi McBride), Hurd appeared in seven episodes of the popular procedural and made her final appearance in the season 8 premiere, which first aired in 2017. She would joinThe Ovala few years later, appearing in more than twenty episodes of the political soap.
10 Best Hawaii Five-0 Characters, Ranked
The show Hawaii Five-0 certainly had plenty of characters over the course of its ten-year run. Here’s how they compare.
Hurd’s most well-known role isarguably as part of thePowerfranchise on Starz. She was the love interest of Tariq St. Martin (played by Michael Rainey Jr.) and appeared in the first three seasons of the series as Lauren Baldwin. Although no longer part of thePowerensemble, a significant development involving Lauren helps shapethe events ofPower Book II: Ghost.
Her current role sees her playing Laura Cowan in the Lifetime movieThe Girl in the Garage. The 90-minute drama tells the story of Laura and her children as they are abused in a dark garage. Her other film credits includeCradle 2 The Grave,The Cat in the Hat,Beauty Shop, and the 2018 slasher movieThriller.
Our Take On Paige Hurd’s Potential Return As Gayle
It’d Be A Great Twist
The Ovalseason 6 premiered on January 7. If Perry wants to surprise the audience with the troubled child returning to cause some chaos, it’d be a nice bit of hectic energy that would tie into the events of earlier episodes and core family dynamics. It’d be cool, especially, to see Victoria mix it up with a presumably changed Gayle. There’s an inherent tension in what’s happened to Gayle, and how she’s changed, that would make for a compelling comeback that could stretch beyond just a single episode.
The Ovalseason 6 airs Tuesdays at 9 PM ET on BET and BET+.
