YOU SIN ME

As a mother and daughter in “Wrath: A Seven Deadly Sins Story,” Michelle Williams and Tina Knowles-Lawson showcase the dangers of obsession.

A+E Network’s Lifetime Channel recently featured the film “Wrath: A Seven Deadly Sins Story,” starring Michelle Williams and Tina Knowles-Lawson. Beyond their roles in the thriller, which is executive-produced by T.D. Jakes, Derrick Williams, and Shaun Robinson, the two have a longstanding connection: Williams was a member of Destiny’s Child, one of the most successful recording groups of all time; and Knowles-Lawson — a fashion designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist — happens to be Beyoncé’s mother.

The movie, which is an entertaining thriller but also a modern morality tale of sorts, follows single attorney Chastity Jeffries (Williams). who thinks she has met the man of her dreams, Xavier (Antonio Cupo). As his affection turns to obsession, Chastity realizes that she has been swept up by Xavier’s passion and abandoned her principles. When Xavier’s jealousy and wrath lead to suspicious actions and dangerous threats, Chastity confides in her mother Sarah (Knowles-Lawson) and turns to her former childhood boyfriend Roger Thompkins (Romeo Miller). But in the end, it is Chastity that will have to fight to save herself.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day this May, it is noteworthy that Knowles-Lawson’s portrayal of Sarah centers on the character providing various moments of maternal wisdom. Knowles-Lawson began her career as a stylist for the superstar group Destiny’s Child and later designed for Beyoncé’s world music tours, television performances and red carpet appearances. As a designer, she created successful clothing lines, House of Dereon, Dereon and Miss Tina. Her philanthropic work includes the establishment of The Knowles-Rowland Center for youth in Houston Texas, the Survivor Foundation and Miss A Meal. Tina is the author of “Destiny’s Style” and is now working on her second book. With husband, actor Richard Lawson, her latest philanthropic initiative is the launch of the non-profit WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles. The WACO Theater is dedicated to the empowerment of artists within a diversified pool of L.A. communities and creates a space where art can be made and artists can thrive.

As part of their many initiatives, the center offers community mentorship programs, which includes Tina’s Angels, a year-long mentorship program and platform that focuses on the education and empowerment of girls and emphasizes the importance of proper etiquette, dental and personal hygiene and exposure to arts and culture. The overall goal of the mentorship program is to provide experiences that will improve the young people’s quality of life and encourage them to dream big.

As for Williams, she reunited with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Kelly Rowland in 2018 for a long-awaited Destiny’s Child reunion performance during both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. She has also recorded four critically-acclaimed albums as a solo artist — including “Journey to Freedom,” which featured the certified gold single “Say Yes.”

Between recording projects, Williams made her theatrical stage debut in the title role of the hit Broadway musical “Aida.” Williams has since appeared in productions of “The Color Purple,” and Broadway and London’s West End productions of “Chicago.” She also was featured in the acclaimed stage play “What My Husband Doesn’t Know,” and a national tour with the musical “Fela!” Williams also starred in the Oxygen network series “Fix My Choir” and has served as a guest host on the talk shows such as “The View,” “ET,” “The Real” and many more. In 2019, after making it to the semifinal round, Williams was revealed as “Butterfly” on the #1 rated FOX television show, “The Masked Singer.”