Mirabelle Calais — Mary J. Blige in Black-ish (2015)

Mirabelle Calais — Mary J. Blige in Black-ish (2015)

Show: Black-ish | Network: ABC | Episode: Pops' Pops' Pops | Season 1 Episode 24 (Season Finale) | Aired: May 20, 2015

Okay y'all can we talk about the fact that Mary J. Blige appeared in the Season 1 finale of Black-ish SET IN THE 1920s HARLEM RENAISSANCE alongside Diddy and performed I'm Going Down in a speakeasy and it was one of the most stunning television moments of 2015? Because I feel like not enough people talk about this and it deserves its flowers.

About the Episode

The Season 1 finale of Black-ish is unlike any other episode of the series. Instead of the usual present-day Johnson family comedy, the show transports us back to the 1920s Harlem Renaissance for a love story about the Johnson ancestors. Jack and Diane are trying to find out about their family history for a school project, and Pops comes to the rescue with the colorful story of how their great-great-grandfather Drexler Johnson bet the future of the entire Johnson family against a ruthless gangster named Elroy Savoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4HAdFNi9UE

The episode is set in a swinging speakeasy called the Savoy Club, beautifully recreated using downtown Los Angeles's historic Cicada Club as the filming location. The costumes are extraordinary. The hair is gorgeous. And right in the middle of all of it is Mary J. Blige as Mirabelle Calais, the club's headliner, wearing a stunning period gown and singing her heart out.

Mary as Mirabelle Calais

Mirabelle Calais is the singing sensation of the Savoy Club. She is the one who convinces Drexler that Bea is worth fighting for — that love is worth the risk of everything. She is elegant, powerful, and magnetic. In a episode full of incredible performances Mary walks in and immediately commands the room.

She performed her classic hit I'm Going Down in the episode and it is everything. Hearing that song performed in a 1920s speakeasy setting with Mary in full Harlem Renaissance regalia is one of those television moments that lives in your memory. Screen Rant called Mirabelle one of the best guest star performances in the entire Black-ish run. I completely agree.

What is Mirabelle Calais Wearing

Wearing: Mac Duggal @macduggal

Jewelry: LionetteNY @lionetteny

The Diddy Reunion

One of the most special things about this episode is that it reunited Mary J. Blige with her longtime collaborator and friend Sean Diddy Combs. Diddy plays Elroy Savoy, the villainous gangster and club owner. Mary and Diddy have been making music together since the early 1990s and seeing them share a screen together in this gorgeous period setting was a genuine treat for anyone who has loved them both over the decades.

The episode also starred Anthony Anderson as Drexler Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross as showgirl Bea, with choreography by the legendary Fatima Robinson. It is one of the most ambitious and beautifully executed episodes in Black-ish history and Mary is right at the heart of it.

The Costume

I need to talk about what Mary is wearing in this episode because it is absolutely stunning. The 1920s period costume designed for Mirabelle is gorgeous — a beaded, figure-hugging gown that captures the glamour of the Harlem Renaissance perfectly. Mary wore it like she was born in that era. The styling team did extraordinary work and Mary made every single piece sing.

Why This Role Matters

Black-ish is one of the most acclaimed comedies in ABC history and its Season 1 finale is considered one of the best episodes the show ever produced. Being invited to appear in it and to play the role that anchors the emotional heart of that finale says everything about where Mary J. Blige stood in Hollywood in 2015. She was the go-to person when a show needed someone with genuine star power, genuine vocal ability, and genuine dramatic presence all in the same package.

Mirabelle Calais. Club singer. Harlem Renaissance icon. Played by the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul herself. I am obsessed with this role and I need everyone to watch this episode immediately.

Have you seen Mary in the Black-ish Season 1 finale? Drop your reaction in the comments and subscribe for more on every role in her career! mary j blige mirabelle black-ish