Curtis Payne is played by LaVan Davis. He is always making jokes of nearly everything. He is the head of his household. Curtis is just great on quotes from the Bible. The only thing is he cites short bible quotes incorrectly and out of context. He constantly jokes about the number of people in the house. He seems to long for the days when it will be just him and his wife alone in the house. It is not unusual to hear him say auspicious instead of suspicious, or he has something “fur-sale” instead of for sale, or “besiegement” instead of bereavement. Curtis has been a firefighter for many years.
Ella Payne is portrayed by Ella Thompson. Ella is Curtis’ wife. Bless her soul. She is the very “glue” of the family. Usually she is the practical one. She holds fast to God’s word and waits on her husband hand and foot. He always appears as a helpless child, often complaining he can’t find the remote. She is practical and wants to help and solve problems. She uses God’s word when talking. It is not uncommon to hear her “binding the devil.” She always has a lesson to teach her family. Ella even talks to Miranda, her daughter-in-law, and Calvin her son, about the ups and downs of marriage. She talks to Miranda just as if she was her daughter. She definitely talks to Calvin about how to treat his wife and imparts her wisdom to him.
Calvin Payne played by Lance Gross is Curtis and Ella’s only college-age son. In the one episode Calvin kisses his friend’s sister Mercedes. That was a big mistake. When his wife Miranda found out, Calvin was in the dog house. Or maybe I should say just out, because she asked him to leave. She could not deal with it. Miranda is played by Keshia Knight Puliam. To add to this, the baby mama drama started when he and Miranda were working their problems out. Miranda becomes pregnant but then Calvin discovers he has a 2-year- old son that he was never told about by an old fling.
Clarence James Payne, Jr. is played by Allen Payne. He is usually referred to as C.J. Curtis. He is Curtis and Ella’s nephew and he too is also a firefighter like his Uncle Curtis. During a time when C.J. and Jenine were separated Jazmine, his daughter, made it clear she did not want a new mother my stating to her father, ” Dad do you remember the promise you made to mother when you got married?” “The promise to love her forever and ever, and ever?” I also recall the time that C.J. moved into his own apartment with his son and daughter only to return after being robbed of his television. Jazmine was terrorized. After returning to the home of Curtis and Ella Payne, Jazmine just happened to ask her Uncle Curtis, ” Uncle Curtis why is a pole and some disco music in my room?” Apparently Curtis and Ella had taken advantage of the empty room.
Janine Payne, played by Demetria McKinney, is Clarence’s wife. Curtis refers to her has a previous crack head. There are seens that show some of the problems families face when a loved one is addicted to drugs. It shows her stealing, lying, and manipulating. It is evident that although his wife is addicted and there have been times he wanted to give up on her, he loved her very deeply and his children definitely loved and needed her. She eventually did come clean and was rehabilitated after entering several treatment drug addiction facilities.
Malik Payne is played by Larramie Cortez. He is C.J. and Janine Payne’s 15-year-old son. Malik,his mother, father, sister, and twins live with Curtis and Ella temporarily. During the period where Malik’s mother was addicted to crack cocaine, there was a lot of drama in the family. There have been episodes where Malik got involved with bad influences and disobeyed his father only to get picked up by the police.
C.J. and Janine have a younger daughter-Jazmine played by China Anne McClain. She is a sweet little girl. She is very smart, witty, and out spoken. Her and Malik tend to have a few battles. During the one episode she wants so much to be accepted that she starts acting like someone that she is not in order to attract a little boy that she likes. She thinks if she changes he will like her.
Hayden Pane and Jayden Payne are the twins, the newest addition to the family .
Claretha Jenkins played by Denise Burse is Ella’s close friend and neighbor. She comes over and it is common to see her peering over her eyeglasses as she talks.
tbs.com – TV Shows – Television Shows – very funny shows several brief 22 min. episodes of Tyler Perry’s house of payne 30 minute Television series.
