You can’t think about the popular sitcom Moesha without thinking about Myles Mitchell. Marcus T. Paulk portrayed the character of Moesha Mitchell’s little brother, bringing him to life week after week. Within the show’s six-season run, fans fell in love with Myles and his antics, along with the fun-loving sibling dynamic. But in 2001, fans of the show were shocked to hear that Moesha would not be returning for a seventh season, especially with its last episode leaving many unanswered questions. Not only were fans saddened, but according to Paulk, the news was “heartbreaking” to the cast.
Born in Los Angeles, Marcus T. Paulk came to prominence once cast in Moesha. Prior to the Brandy Norwood-led series, which also starred Sheryl Lee Ralph and Countess Vaughn, Paulk appeared in shows like Grace Under Fire, Martin, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and The Parent Hood. Oddly enough, the child actor also appeared in Thea, another sitcom starring Brandy.
Throughout the years, Marcus T. Paulk has had nothing but great things to say about his experience with Moesha. The cast reunited on an episode of The Real for a walk down memory lane in 2017. Paulk touched on his “amazing” experience, stating that everyone was like an “older brother or sister.”
Once again, in 2020, Paulk interviewed about his time on the series, this time with BlackDoctor.Org. The actor recalled the kismet “connection” he’s had with the Norwood siblings, along with his initial expectations for the show. Paulk shared that he never expected it to run as long as it did upon booking the role. “We passed the 100-episode mark, and the show made it into the TV Hall of Fame,” recalled Paulk. His successful portrayal of Myles leads people to still refer to him as his character to this day, which he says he doesn’t mind. “It’s flattering to know that people were such fans of the show and that they connected with my character,” stated the actor.
But once the news hit the cast and crew that UPN decided to cancel the series, Paulk described the devastating moment as “almost like your dog dying or something.” Continuing, the entertainer reflected, “It’s almost like it had its own life. So, it was like a person that you’re never going to see again.”
Now that Moesha was given the ax, Paulk could no longer experience the various “elements” of being on set. He says the crew “mastered” their craft by the sixth season and felt they could have done it for four more years. As for what could have attributed to the cancellation, Paulk recalled the shift in television which caused the show to have a more dramatic approach. The “heartbreaking” call came in to Paulk, leading him to question why because “it wasn’t that the show wasn’t successful.” There was no warning of any trouble to add insult to injury, as they were “doing well” in his eyes.
But the end of Moesha was not the end of Marcus T. Paulk. He would go on to star in major films such as Roll Bounce with Bow Wow, Take The Lead with Antonio Banderas, and Red Tails. Recently, Paulk has served as a director for various projects and music videos, producer, and still remains active as an actor.
