https://blackgirlnerds.com/samantha-walkes-on-finding-elles-strength-in-cross-season-2/

In season two of Cross, actress Samantha Walkes says her character, Elle, arrives with a new kind of clarity that is shaped by mess, love, and the difficult work of choosing yourself again. In an interview with BGN, she she talks about how her character protects her peace.  Cross raises emotional and psychological stakes for everyone. When asked: How did that escalation impact your approach to your character this season? Here’s what she had to say:

“You just see Elle lean into it, not be afraid of it,” Walkes explains when reflecting on the emotional terrain of the new season. Where season one placed Elle inside uncertainty, season two allows her to sit with that discomfort instead of running from it. “I feel like it can be intimidating when there’s so much mess. It can be confusing,” Walkes says. That confusion, however, becomes a place of growth rather than paralysis.

Returning for a second season gave Walkes the opportunity to advocate for what Elle truly needs. She describes the experience as a chance to help Elle fortify herself, to dig deeper, and to set herself apart again. “Cause sometimes love makes you forget yourself,” she notes. Season two becomes a process of remembering. For Walkes, it was powerful to come back to the strength of the character and to actively champion Elle’s needs.

That strength also shows up in quieter, more observant ways. Elle watches closely, and she understands the people she loves. She knows her man. She knows this friend she has known since childhood. She can sense when something is off, whether it is through shifts in energy or through what the kids are expressing and needing. Elle reads the room in ways others may overlook.

Even when she cannot be physically close, Elle remains deeply present. Walkes describes her as “a protector of his peace,” someone who safeguards emotional balance even from a distance. It is a form of love rooted in awareness rather than control, and care rather than proximity.

Taken together, Walkes’ insight reveals season two as a return to self for Elle. It is about rediscovering personal strength without losing tenderness, and about choosing clarity even when emotions are complicated. In Cross, strength does not always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it listens, observes, and protects peace with intention.

Season 2 of Cross is streaming now on Prime Video

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