Cassi Davis says her ‘House of Payne’ revival is going to give fans “a little happiness during all of this pandemic”

Cassi Davis is ready to serve up the laughs on the BET revival of Tyler Perry's House of Payne.

The new series, which returns tonight with its original cast, will once again follow the close-knit Payne family led by its matriarch Ella Payne and her husband Curtis. Davis tells ABC Audio what fans can expect from the hilarious family after so many years.

"Well, you can expect much of the same," she says. "It's five years later. So the young ones have grown up. China [Ann McClain] is in college and she's exploring that young adulthood. And Curtis is still the same. He is still full of tricks and gimmicks and coming home with all types of get rich quick schemes."

"C.J. is still rooted and grounded, Janine is still as beautiful," she continues, before adding, "Calvin and Miranda, they're going to give you a lot of spice and flavor."

After noting that "Doc is... just wonderful," Davis touches on her character Ella.

"[She] is pulling her hair out, but she's still the matriarch," she says. "And she wants to be that pillar for everyone to come to."

Of course, if that wasn't enough, Davis teases that it's going to be such "an exciting season" that you're not going to want it to end.

"I think this one season that we did may roll into other seasons," she says. "Hopefully. So it's a great story... [and] it's still funny. Oh, my God. It is so funny."

"But life is funny. So, art depicts life [and] we are trying to just give a little happiness during all of this pandemic, if you will."

Tyler Perry's House of Payne, also starring LaVan Davis, Lance Gross, Demetria McKinney and Keshia Knight Pulliam, premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET on BET.

By Candice Williams Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.