By Emily Cappello
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Billy Gardell as Bob
Folake Olowofoyeku as Abishola
Gina Yashere as Kemi
Christine Ebersole as Dottie
Matt Jones as Douglas
Shola Adewusi as Olu
Barry Shabaka Henley as Tunde
Vernee Watson as Gloria
The end of CBS's multi-cam sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola ushers in a new era for the network, as it's finale, paired with that of Young Sheldon, will mark the first time since 2003 that a Chuck Lorre-produced show isn't currently airing on the channel. Bob Hearts Abishola premiered in 2019 and tells the story of compression sock salesman Bob (Billy Gardell) who, after suffering a heart attack and being admitted into the hospital, falls for his nurse, Abishola (Folake Olowofoyeku). Produced by Lorre, the show set out to tackle the experience of Bob as he attempts to learn what Abishola's life is like as an American immigrant from Nigeria. Throughout the show's four seasons, the relationship between Bob and Abishola, as well as that of their families, have continued to evolve, with Abishola's character now headed to medical school to become a doctor. With the fifth and final season airing on February 12, here is a cast and character guide to refresh your memory on Bob, Abishola, and the whole family.
Bob Hearts Abishola
TV-PG
Comedy
Romance
An American guy falls in love with his Nigerian nurse.
- Release Date
- September 23, 2019
- Creator
- Eddie Gorodetsky, Alan J. Higgins, Chuck Lorre, Gina Yashere
- Cast
- Billy Gardell , Folake Olowofoyeku , Gina Yashere , Christine Ebersole , Matt Jones , Shola Adewusi
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 5
Billy Gardell as Bob
The first of the titular characters, Bob Wheeler, is a compression sock salesman living in Detroit who suffers a heart attack and falls in love with his nurse, Abishola (Folake Olowofoyeku) while he is recovering in the hospital. Bob works at the compression sock company, "MaxDot," alongside his brother, Douglas (Matt Jones), and his sister, Christina (Maribeth Monroe). Through his relationship with Abishola, who is originally from Nigeria, Bob learns about life as an immigrant to America and the challenges that presents. Season 4 focused on Bob's struggle between supporting Abishola in her dreams of attending medical school in Baltimore and his desire to stay put in Detroit. This comes out through Bob's subconscious, which he deals with in the Season 4 finale, "Uncharted Waters of Mediocrity."
Billy Gardell is no stranger to the Chuck Lorre world, as he played a reoccurring role in Lorre's sitcom, Young Sheldon, as the Cooper family's neighbor, Hershel Sparks, father to Sheldon and Missy's friend, Billy Sparks. After Gardell got his role in Bob Hearts Abishola, Hershel was written out of Young Sheldon with the explanation that Billy's parents were getting divorced. Gardell also starred in Lorre's executive produced show (Bridesmaids), which ran for six seasons. His other acting credits include shows like My Name Is Earl, Sullivan and Son, and New Girl.
Folake Olowofoyeku as Abishola
Abishola is the nurse who started it all, treating her future husband Bob (Gardell) after his heart attack. Originally from Nigeria, Abishola lives with her son, Dele (Travis Wolfe Jr.), her aunt, Olu (Shola Adewusi), and her uncle, Tunde (Barry Shabaka Henley). Abishola's ex-husband decided he didn't want to live in America and returned to Nigeria without her and Dele. Throughout the show, Abishola has taught her now-husband Bob about the immigrant experience in America, while experiencing the highs and lows alongside her family members. Season 4 ends with Abishola being accepted into medical school in Baltimore, and her decision to move with Bob to Baltimore causes a rift between the two, as Bob hadn't realized how badly he doesn't want to leave Detroit. This decision takes Abishola away from her loved ones and into uncharted territory with the secretly unhappy Bob.
Folake Olowofoyeku has appeared in hit comedies like 30 Rock, Modern Family, and Transparent, with Bob Hearts Abishola as her first starring role. Like her character of Abishola, Olowofoyeku is originally from Nigeria, and has a thriving career in short films, winning multiple awards for her roles in the films Central & Broadway and When They Could Fly.
Gina Yashere as Kemi
Kemi is Abishola's best friend of over twenty years. Working in the food service department at the Woodward Memorial Hospital, Kemi is a dietitian. While Kemi and Abishola generally tell each other everything, they've had minor bumps in their friendship over the show's seasons, as Kemi begins dating Chukwuemeka (Tony Tambi) without telling her. This relationship continues to cause chaos, not just between Kemi and Abishola, but between Abishola and Bob, as Season 4 has Bob talking Chukwuemeka into proposing to Kemi, a decision Abishola attempts to remedy. Like Abishola, Kemi is very family-oriented, a quality that the two women bond over.
Bob Hearts Abishola is not Gina Yashere's first comedy, as she's appeared in shows like Just For Laughs, Crashing, The Standups, and The Neighborhood. Yashere is also originally from Nigeria, and she began her career as a stand-up comedian, living in London before coming to the United States.
Christine Ebersole as Dottie
Dottie is Bob's mother, and one of the co-founders of "MaxDot," the company that Bob now runs alongside his siblings, Douglas and Christina. Dottie co-founded the company with her late husband, Max, and after suffering a stroke, she moves in with Bob and is cared for by Abishola. Dottie continues to work on the MaxDot board of directors, but Season 4 has her ever-presence in Bob's life wearing on him.
Christine Ebersole has appeared in twenty-nine films over the course of her career, including The Wolf Of Wall Street, Tootsie, Licorice Pizza, and Richie Rich. A Season 7 cast member of Saturday Night Live, Ebersole's other previous television experience includes recurring roles in Sullivan & Son, American Horror Story, and Royal Pains. In addition to her roles in film and television, Ebersole is a Broadway actress, and has won two Tony Awards for "Best Leading Actress in a Musical" for the shows 42nd Street and Grey Gardens.
Matt Jones as Douglas
Douglas is Bob and Christina's brother, and a fellow employee at MaxDot. Like most siblings, Douglas has conflict with Bob and Christina, and in Season 4, he even takes credit for some of Christina's ideas at MaxDot. Tensions with Bob come to a head in Season 4, Episode 17, with Bob attempting to bridge the emotional gap between the brothers. Throughout the run of Bob Hearts Abishola, Douglas has had to learn to earn his role in the company, as he's used nepotism to help him in his career. After being demoted to the warehouse floor, Douglas learns that hard work and camaraderie between co-workers can make his work meaningful.
Fans of The Office will recognize actor Matt Jones as Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson)'s cousin, Zeke. Jones has also had recurring roles in Breaking Bad, Mom, and NCIS. He has also worked as a voice actor in several popular animated shows, such as the recently ended F is For Family, Sanjay and Craig, and Adventure Time.
Shola Adewusi as Olu
Olu is Abishola's aunt. At the start of the series, she lives with Abishola and Bob, alongside her husband, Tunde. Throughout the show, Olu has been a character that demonstrates the conflict between life in Nigeria versus life in America. This is shown through different mechanisms over the show's four seasons, but her strength through these obstacles always shines through.
Shola Adewusi is a British actress of Nigerian decent. She has appeared in hit films like Christopher Robin and Paddington 2, as well as the British soap operas Emmerdale Farm and Holby City.
Barry Shabaka Henley as Tunde
Tunde is Olu's husband and Abishola's uncle. Tunde and Bob have a sweet relationship, and he helps Bob through much of the conflict he's experienced both with work and with family through the show's episodes. He has been rooting for Bob and Abishola since the beginning, and has acted as a peacekeeper in many of the family's issues.
Barry Shabaka Henley has been in many popular films, like Dolemite is My Name, A Star Is Born, Miami Vice, Ali, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. His recurring television roles include Bosch, Better Call Saul, and The Royal Family. Henley is a staple in films by Michael Mann (Collateral), as he has appeared in five of the director's projects.
Maribeth Monroe as Christina
Christina Wheeler is the sister of Bob and twin sister to Douglas. In Season 1, she is the head of sales at MaxDot; however, throughout the four seasons of the show, Christina leaves MaxDot for a competitor, only to return to work her way back up to the company's marketing division. Divorced after having stabbed her husband in the butt with a steak knife, she finds a good friend in Abishola, who she confides in after losing her job. Bob Hearts Abishola has allowed Christina's character to grow over the show's time, and she continually tries to do better for the ones she loves.
Maribeth Monroe is a great comedic actress, having been a series regular on Workaholics, and appearing in shows like The Good Place, Key and Peele, and Parks and Recreation. Monroe comes from an improv background and has performed at the legendary Second City improv group, on both their Detroit and Chicago stages. In addition to her television and improv work, she has appeared in the films Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, Downsizing, The Back-Up Plan, and Keeping Up With the Joneses.
Vernee Watson as Gloria
Gloria is a charge nurse at Woodfield Memorial Hospital where Abishola works. Gloria's storyline in Season 2 about how she attended medical school but never completed her residency makes an impact on Abishola, who, at the start of Season 5, is getting ready to attend medical school herself. Gloria is someone that Abishola leans on in good times and in bad, and is a sounding board when Abishola has issues with Bob and their marriage.
Vernee Watson is a familiar face on sitcom television, playing Will Smith's mother in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and appearing in shows like Malcolm in the Middle and Welcome Back, Kotter. This isn't Watson's first time working on a Lorre production, as she's appeared in both Young Sheldon and Mike & Molly. The actress has appeared in the soap operas Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, and General Hospital.
- TV
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