‘Ghosts’ Star Danielle Pinnock Addresses the ‘Big Hot Mess’ That Led to Alberta’s Death (Exclusive)

On Thursday night, audiences watching Ghosts on CBS finally got to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Alberta Haynes’s death and it was a shocking revelation, to say the least. After what series star Danielle Pinnock has suggested is some slight gaslighting from the other Woodstone Mansion spirits over her character’s passing, it was discovered through the help of Sam (Rose McIver) and the return of the overzealous Todd (Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll) that Alberta’s death was in fact, not a heart attack.

[Spoilers are ahead for Season 2, Episode 2: “Alberta’s Podcast”] In the episode, superbly realized through the writing of Talia Bernstein and directing of Trent O’Donnell, it is revealed that Alberta was murdered. While it has not been confirmed yet who was responsible for the dynamic 1920s jazz singer’s ultimate fate, the first suspect is revealed to be Clara Brown (Mercedes Morris) after Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones) and Sasappis (Román Zaragoza) recognize her from a photograph in Todd’s book that they recall had appeared at Woodstone the night Alberta died. The whole reveal was a moment Pinnock tells PopCulture.com was an amazing scene but one that also rocked her to the core.

“I was shooketh! I was like ‘Oh my God, Alberta has a nemesis?! I love it,’” Pinnock told PopCulture of her character’s rival performer Clara, played by Mercedes Morris. “[She] was incredible to work with. We truly had the best time and knowing that Alberta had a bestie [Madeline Eddy], it just made me so excited to know what else would be in store for our girl.”

With the episode playing to a touching conversation about slip-ups that ties to the show’s themes of Woodstone’s ghosts often feeling a lot of regret in their past life as seen with characters like the mansion matriarch Hetty (Rebecca Wisocky) or even Flower (Sheila Carrasco), Pinnock says “Alberta’s Podcast” was an important one for her, let alone one that hit home. 
“Growing up, that phrase ‘snitches get stitches’ is a code that was rampant in my neighborhood as well as in popular culture. Being a snitch, or a ‘rat’ as Alberta calls it, I think has more negative connotations as a Black woman because it meant in her day she couldn’t be trusted,” Pinnock said. “As a ‘rat,’ she was leading this double life as an incredible artist and someone who put someone in jail so she could finally perform on stage. It’s all a big hot mess.”

Regardless, Pinnock says that’s where the fun comes in as she loves the layers the writers and showrunners are giving her character this season as Alberta gets a permeating storyline throughout the 22-episode run thanks to the podcast playing as a gradual device for her character’s arc. “She did some dirt, and now has to live up to it once Sam [McIver], Creepy Todd [Stoll], and the ghosts find her diary,” she said.

While her diary will no doubt unravel more of the mystery as well as Sam diving into who Clara really was, Pinnock admits her favorite part of the episode was no doubt the opening scene singing Bessie Smith’s “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” which fans will unquestionably get emotional over. “[That opening] meant the world to me. As an actor, I was finally able to spread my wings,” she said. “I wanted to do my best for Alberta’s flashback and I wanted to pay homage to all of the greats who came before me.”

That included getting into costume, another aspect of the episode Pinnock is a big fan of as she gushed over the Harlem Renaissance scenes. “My favorite parts of filming the episode were getting to work with a predominately all Black cast in those flashback scenes,” she said. “I love when this show gives casting opportunities to actors who look like me. Getting to act with all of the incredibly talented Black musicians, dancers, and performers for this episode brought me so much joy.”

Pinnock, who is also quite the fashionable personality off-camera, beamed over the wardrobe department’s custom dress made just for her in the opening scene. “[It] made me feel so confident and fierce,” she said of her character who is usually donning demure red velvet, pearls, and feathers in the afterlife. The New Jersey native and one-half of the comedy duo Hashtag Booked also praised her vocal coach Yvette Cason for helping her prepare for Alberta’s big numbers. “I’m not a trained singer, but I spent a lot of time in voice lessons with [her],” she said. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed it’s well received, but either way, I was so honored to have the opportunity to sing as Alberta.” 

From the sounds of the fan response on social media tonight, we are sure everyone loved it and, for the most part, dying to see more. Ghosts airs every Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS and streams on Paramount+. For more on Joe Port and Joe Wiseman-created comedy, and everything you need to know, stay up to date with PopCulture.com.