Image Credit: ‘Down In The Valley,’ Starz

We’re all dying for The Pynk—the Mississippi Delta’s hottest strip club—to re-open its doors for P-Valley‘s third season, but until then Nicco Annan is keeping us fed with docu-series that goes deep on the Deep South.

Since 2020, Annan’s been giving us life with his portrayal of The Pynk’s fabulous proprietrix Uncle Clifford on the acclaimed Starz series, a groundbreaking genderqueer character who’s as funny as she is fierce.

And this summer, Annan linked up with Starz to give us a different taste of the “Dirty Delta” with Down in The Valley, which finds the iconic actor traveling across the South to show us what its really like through the lens of the Black, queer experience.

Thus far, episodes have seen Annan head to Memphis to take a peek behind the doors of one of the city’s hottest clubs, outside of Dallas where musician Marley Santana is chasing his dreams after being outed, and to Tennessee’s infamous Beale Street district, where he meets women practicing spiritual Hoodoo traditions.

Down In The Valley‘s been keeping it hot all summer long, but before the August 4 finale heads to a Black-owned farm in Mississippi, we grabbed some time with Annan as the latest guest in our rapid-fire Q&A series, Dishin’ It.

In our conversation, the star shares his first impressions of the South from when he was just 11 years old, teases P-Valley‘s whiplash-inducing third season, and shares the most challenging thing about filming Down in The Valley (hint: it was the 100-plus degree temperatures!).

Is there a piece of media—whether a movie, TV series, book, album, theater, video game, etc…—that has played an important role in your understanding of queerness and the queer community? Why does it stand out to you?

Whenever I’m asked this question I have to mention Fame and my childhood hero Gene Anthony Ray, who is no longer with us.

As of late, the novel Drapetomania by John R. Gordon has really left a lasting impression on me. It displays representation of queer love in time periods before today such as the Civil War. A lot of times, people try to make it seem like there is a gay/queer agenda going on today, but the reality is same-gender loving people have existed since the age of time. I love period pieces and I love us! So there’s that!

You have family roots in the South, but were born—and grew up in—the Detroit area. What were your earliest impressions, or memories of the South? When’s the first time you visited? 

The first time I visited the south was when my family and I took a long roadtrip to Mobile, Alabama. I was 11 years old and what I remember most is seeing all of the greenery, the corn fields along the roads, as well as the music of the cicadas were so calming. 

Down In The Valley is this joyful adventure you’re taking viewers on, but what would you say was the most challenging aspect of filming the series that you and your collaborators had to overcome?

I’m glad that you find it joyous. That’s something that we really wanted to highlight in order to cancel out the trend of trauma porn being a means of entertainment. Southern joy, our joy, is just as exhilarating, if not more so. You also get to learn more about yourself and/or your neighbors.

The most challenging aspect of trying to maintain a positive outlook for the series definitely would be filming in 105 degree weather. lol #DownInTheValley gets really really hot. So we were good and sweaty and moisturized.

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In what ways would you say working on Down In The Valley has changed you?

I think Down in The Valley has made me more aware of the power of my voice and the platform I am afforded. This show has allowed me to realize how large my platform has become. I’ve always been a person that has been very vocal, and being able to create, executive produce, host, and promote a show has given me no choice but to speak my truth even so. 

In your opinion, what is the quintessential (or, at least, your personal favorite) Southern meal, and what makes it special?

That’s a toss up between baked macaroni and cheese, peach cobbler and dressing. All of those are traditionally made in a large pan for family portions which always makes me think about family time. I think it’s special when we take time to be together with our loved ones. We’re so busy in our day to day that we don’t always get to do that as often now.

Where’s one of the first spaces you can remember that made you feel a part of a queer community?

I’m going to say a dance class. Sure I was teased for sometimes being the only guy in class, but it was no other feeling when you would go to other neighborhoods and dance schools and there would be other people than you normally would see in these classes, fully embrace and accept each other. Even at times when we didn’t speak the same language, we used dance as a means of communication.

We know season three of P-Valley is on the way—is there anything you can tease about what’s in store for Uncle Clifford in the episodes ahead?

Yo neck game gotta be REAL STRONG! and you can take that for what you want. I just know that this season is going to cause whiplash and a lot of other things. So be ready!

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Who is a queer or trans artist/performer/creator that you think is doing really cool work right now? Why are they someone we should all be paying attention to?

Watch Down in The Valley and see great queer and southern artists on a stage amplifying their talents. To name a few: Sevndeep, Mykal Kilgore, and Marley Santana.

I’m also going to mention the southern artists who may not be queer—Thalibah Sophia and Jucee Froot—but I DO KNOW that their music is bomb. 

Down In The Valley‘s season finale airs August 4. The series is available to stream now via the Starz app.

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