Wendy Raquel Robinson Shares Insights on Therapy, Her Role in The Game, and Sauda Johnson-McNeal’s Love the Skin You’re In

Wendy Raquel Robinson, Sauda Johnson-McNeal.
Credit :

Courtesy Love The Skin You’re In Film

Wendy Raquel Robinson’s latest cinematographic venture resonates with her on a personal level. The 58-year-old actress, widely known for her role as Tasha Mack on the sitcom The Game, stars alongside first-time director Sauda Johnson-McNeal in the indie film Love the Skin You’re In. The film follows the emotional transformation of a successful woman grappling with self-destructive tendencies as she seeks self-love, now streaming on various platforms including Apple TV and Fandango.

In Love the Skin You’re In, Johnson-McNeal portrays Sasha Staye, a photographer-turned-caregiver facing emotional turmoil and in need of therapy. Robinson plays the therapist, establishing a connection with the film’s vital themes. "I’ve never played a therapist before but I’ve been in therapy," Robinson shared. "This role really helped me to assess a lot of things… It was therapeutic for me to play the therapist."

Johnson-McNeal, who also practices law, derived Sasha’s character from her own experiences with mental health struggles. "When I was 33 I was going through it at that time. I just really never thought that I was enough," she recalls, reflecting on self-harm she experienced during that time.

Robinson also recounts a challenging period during the filming of The Game, following a painful divorce and the loss of her dog. "I felt like I was just drowning… I really needed to talk to someone," she recalls. Both Robinson and Johnson-McNeal emphasize the life-changing impact of good therapy, an experience mirrored through their characters in the film.

Robinson, a South Central Los Angeles native, expressed her affection for the community. "LA is everything to me, and I think [Johnson-McNeal] really captured the pulse of it," she stated, highlighting the neighborhood’s multifaceted nature as almost a character in its own right.

The film also weaves in sorority culture, with Johnson-McNeal including colors from both her and Robinson’s sororities, illustrating the support and camaraderie they’ve received throughout their careers.

As Robinson approaches the 20th anniversary of The Game, she reflects on her lasting relationships with co-stars like Pooch Hall and Tia Mowry. "We’ve really become a family… It’s just a blessing to have been able to do it for so long," she observed, amused by the longevity of her career.

Regarding her character Tasha Mack, Robinson humorously speculated where she might be today: "She’s over in Dubai or Greece, living her best life!"

Love the Skin You’re In is now available for streaming across various platforms, reflecting themes of healing and resilience.