<P> Each of the three families experience similarly overwhelming hardships and plights . Often, the plights, predicaments, and hardships that the three families encounter are of a juicy, scandalous, and controversial nature . Among the serious issues that have been tackled on the program to date have included: infidelity, cancer, substance abuse, homosexuality, suicide, prostitution, poverty, rape, law / crime, abortion, religion / Christianity, politics, and mental health . All of the main characters in the program have proven to be devious, immoral, vile, or at least nasty in their behaviors at one point or another, if not regularly . </P> <P> The show's cast is multiracial: one of the upper class families are Caucasian American and the other is African American; the poor family is also African American; in addition to this, there is a poor maid who's Hispanic . To that end, when Angela Robinson (the actress who plays Veronica Harrington) was interviewed about her new role on the series in late June 2013, she stated, "This is one of the only shows on television with a diverse cast that looks like America: Black, White, Latino, straight, gay, rich, and poor ." The characters are filled with experiences, typically of a serious and shocking nature, that they attempt to keep secret from one another; however, their secrets tend to dramatically come to light when all is said and done . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Character </Th> <Th_colspan="6"> Seasons </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> 5 </Th> <Th> 6 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tika Sumpter </Td> <Td> Candace Young </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Crystal Fox </Td> <Td> Hanna Young </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Renee Lawless </Td> <Td> Katheryn Cryer </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tyler Lepley </Td> <Td> Benjamin "Benny" Young </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jaclyn Betham </Td> <Td> Amanda Cryer </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Main </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Does not appear </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Aaron O'Connell </Td> <Td> Wyatt Cryer </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Peter Parros </Td> <Td> David Harrington </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Angela Robinson </Td> <Td> Veronica Harrington </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gavin Houston </Td> <Td> Jeffrey Harrington </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Eva Tamargo </Td> <Td> Celine Gonzales </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Main </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> John Schneider </Td> <Td> James "Jim" Cryer </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Allison McAtee </Td> <Td> Margaret "Maggie" Day </Td> <Td> Does not appear </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Recurring </Td> <Td> Main </Td> <Td> Does not appear </Td> <Td> Does not appear </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Shari Headley </Td> <Td> Jennifer Sallison </Td> <Td> Does not appear </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Recurring </Td> <Td> Main </Td> <Td> Does not appear </Td> <Td> Does not appear </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jon Chaffin </Td> <Td> Warlock "War" Lewis </Td> <Td> Does not appear </Td> <Td> Guest </Td> <Td> Recurring </Td> <Td> Main </Td> <Td> Recurring </Td> <Td> Does not appear </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Brett Davis </Td> <Td> Mitchell "Mitch" Malone </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Does not appear </Td> <Td> Recurring </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Presilah Nunez </Td> <Td> Erica </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Does not appear </Td> <Td> Guest </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Danielle Deadwyler </Td> <Td> La'Quita "Quita" Maxwell </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Does not appear </Td> <Td> Guest </Td> <Td> Main </Td> <Td> Recurring </Td> <Td> Guest </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nicholas James </Td> <Td> Justin Lewis </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Does not appear </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nick Sagar </Td> <Td> Charles Frederickson </Td> <Td_colspan="4"> </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Antoinette Robertson </Td> <Td> Melissa </Td> <Td> Does not appear </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Recurring </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Main </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Character </Th> <Th_colspan="6"> Seasons </Th> </Tr>

When does the new season of have and have not start