| Veronica Harrington | |
|---|---|
| |
| Portrayed by | Angela Robinson |
| First appearance | "The Big Surprise" |
| Details | |
| Gender | Female |
| Employer | Founder of Higher Hope Rehab Facility |
| Occupation | Attorney (Retired) Drug counselor |
| Residence | Savannah, GA |
| Relations | |
| Ex-Husband | David Harrington |
| Romantic Partners | Benny Young (Ex-Lover) |
| Parent(s) | Unnamed Father (Father, deceased) Unnamed Mother (Mother) |
| Child(ren) | Unnamed child (abortion) Several miscarriages Unnamed child (son; stillborn) Jeffrey Harrington (son) |
| Sibling(s) | five siblings |
| Other Relations | Unborn Grandchild Katheryn Cryer (Former Best Friend) Jim Cryer (former friend) |
Veronica Harrington is the central main antagonist on The Haves and the Have Nots. Veronica is a member of The Harrington family, a part of the show collective of rich people known as the titular "The Haves". She is portrayed by actress Angela Robinson.
Personality
Veronica is a woman with a sharp tongue and even sharper mind. She can be very elegant and dashing at times but also very catty and haughty. She manages to mix smooth elegance with forceful delivery. She is not afraid to admit that she pulled herself up by her bootstraps from an impoverished life in the projects to the wife of an affluent attorney and will return to her roots when needed.
Veronica does not appear to be homophobic but seems to have a fixation on her son Jeffrey (a closeted gay man, though his sexuality is known to Jim, Wyatt, Amanda, Candace and Katheryn) being attracted to what she describes as a "tall, busty, natural Black girl".
She can be very manipulative as she blackmailed her own son into following her demands, it has been shown that other characters are amazed by at how cunning she can be even the manipulative Candace.
Relationships
Family
David Harrington
David is Veronica's loving husband, a lawyer, and father to their son. David and Veronica appear to be happily married though occasionally have a few issues such as regarding their views of their gay son Jeffrey as well as each other's loyalty but all in all their marriage is similar to the Cryers with their arguments. David once left the house until veronica came to terms with Jeffrey's lifestyle but this was overlooked when she caught David with Maggie Day (even though nothing happened between them). However, their relationship hit a boiling point when David found out that Veronica had Jeffrey's car and was using it to blackmail him as well as allowing Quincy Maxwell(a murderer) to attack their son just because she didn't accept their son's sexuality. This made David see that Veronica was truly evil and caused him to call her a "delusional simple bitch" twice and made his wife lose her composure and lash out at her husband. When David returned home, she threatened to kill him but he went to bed any way and as he slept Veronica poured gasoline around the bed and lit the entire house on fire with her husband still inside attempting to burn him alive. However, David awoke and ran out of the house looking for his wife until finding her out on the porch where she casually revealed that she attempted to kill him. He was truly shocked by this revelation while Veronica sarcastically reminded him she told him not to come back or else he'd died. The next day, he and Veronica spoke and he asked "Would you have really let me burn in that fire" to which she replied that she'd be grieving widow on that day which made broke David's heart.😢
Jeffrey Harrington
Jeffrey is Veronica's son, and apparently only child with David. He is her partner at the rehab facility, and is a closeted gay man, though his sexuality is known to a few characters on the show and eventually to Veronica, who refuses to accept her son's sexual preference and treating him with nothing but disgust. Veronica would later gain power over her son by locating his car (that was used in Wyatt's intoxicated hit-and-run) and use it blackmail her own son or she'll throw him in prison. For most of season 2 and 3, she would set Jeffrey up on dates with random women stating in one episode that she "would rather not have a son at all than to have one who prefers men slong busty, natural Black girls" after he comes out to her. She gleefully revels in holding leverage over his head and gets angry when he tries to rebel against her. Veronica has even told Jeffrey that he will continue to have sex with women until it becomes natural to him and he enjoys the thrill and prospect of sleeping with random woman. When nothing Veronica does seems to be working, she takes extreme measures by having a Quincy Maxwell (a criminal she recently released) attack Jeffrey to "beat the gayness" out of him. This later causes Jeffrey to reach a breaking point with his mother's treatment and manipulation, when visiting she details the reasons for her disgust at his sexuality all of which makes him release his pent up frustration and stand up to her. He tells his mother he's tired of her threats and states he will do whatever he wants with his life with whoever he wants and tell Veronica "You go to hell !"
In the near-end of Season 3, Jeffrey learns that because of his encounter with Melissa she is pregnant with his child as Veronica had made sure to get Jeffrey with her at a certain so he would marry Melissa and raise his child. Jeffrey is beyond disgusted and sickened by his mother's actions, even more so when he catches her sleeping with Benny Young. In Season 4, while in police custody Jeffrey states he would willingly testify against his mother but not his father or the cryers as he believes she is need of help after listing all the things she has done to him. When Veronica found about Quincy's disappearance after from his sister, she realized Jeffrey had a hand in that with Candace and visited them. She taunted them with her knowledge and put him back in her control. When Jeffrey was grieving over Wyatt's death, veronica mocked his manhood continuously until he loses control and stabs her in the chest before leaving the Cryer House. It has been implied as of recently that despite Veronica's cold nature towards her son and being extremely demanding, she is beginning to recognize that after being stabbed by him and remembering the incident he suffered as a child, Jeffrey can be very dangerous, and she still wants to control him but as of recently she has began to take a little more caution. Jeffrey could not believe his action and worried for his mother's safety and was relieved she was alive but scared as she'd most likely come for him. This fear was valid as Veronica later threatens to make him suffer if he were to ever put hand against her in anyway before leaving him in a state of fear. In the Season 4 finale, gets a call from Melissa and his mother telling him to get ready for his engagement but finally having enough he tells her that the police are searching Candace's house and refuses to return to her house as she has lost her trump card. When she once more demands he come over, he states he will take his chances and tells her "Go to hell Veronica" meaning he has lost all fear and affection for her.
Friends
Katheryn Cryer
Katheryn and Veronica are old friends. It is unspecified whether they met through their husbands or were close before they married. Early in season 1, the two are extremely close and will meet for breakfast some mornings just to spend time together. It might be more apopos at times to describe them as "friend-enemies", since the two trade barbs over breakfast for most of season 1. However, it is shown that Katheryn doesn't really view Veronica as a true friend as she tells her friend Hanna that although she talks to Veronica they are on different planes of views. This was later confirmed when the latter wouldn't even listen to her about Jeffrey's sexuality after Amanda committed suicide. In the season four finale, when Katheryn overhears Veronica was the one who assigned an inmate to rape Wyatt in jail, she is angry. Later on, she invites Veronica over along with Jennifer Sallison and it is here where she insults Veronica for her actions and when Jennifer refuses to give her back control over Wyatt's inheritance, Katheryn pulls out a gun. Katheryn then shoots Jennifer multiple times and threateningly tells a terrified Veronica it is her job to clear her of the crime charge.
Jim Cryer
Jim is Katheryn's husband and a fellow judge with Veronica's husband who works as a buisness partner with David. It is hinted that the two may have also had a one time sexual encounter but unlikely as Jim and David are close friends and it doesn't seem Kathery has given her a number (as she does with all of Jim's lovers ). While Veronica and Jim are friends it is shown she is more close to Katheryn than to Jim but the two get along to a degree to the point of where Veronica is aware of Jim's sexual affairs as well as the fake image of happy family the Cryers put up. In season 3, their friendship ends when Jim is told by Veronica that she arranged for Wyatt to be raped by an dangerous prisoner this caused Jim to become angered and lash out Veronica as well leading to her mocking him over having no control over all his kids. When talking to some associates Jim arranges for Veronica to be among the list of people he wants to dead. he later calls off the hit after seeing David's worried face.
Enemies
Jim Cryer
Jim chokes Veronica, and David protected her.
Katheryn Cryer
In Season 5: Katheryn and Veronica discuss about Wyatt being assulted by the guy she put in the cell with him.
Hanna Young
Hanna caught Benny and Veronica having sex, she told Veronica not to see Benny again.
Candace Young
Candace is the daughter of the Cryer's maid Hanna Young though this is unknown to either the Cryers or Harrington families in season 1 as Candace lies, telling them her father was a doctor and her mother is dead. Veronica is suspicious but says nothing. Later on, when Candace blackmails Jim (with whom she had been having an affair) Veronica finds photos of David delivering the second part of Candace's blackmail price, a car, and believes he is cheating on her. She subsequently confronts Candace, who promptly denies any involvement with David but this does not shrink any hostility as veronica would call Candace a whore for her affair with Jim. This would increase when Candace begins to encourage her son Jeffrey's lifestyle and cause more dislike on either side.
Maggie Day
Maggie worked as the assistant in Jim and David's government campaign, veronica is shown to dislike her snobbish attitude as well as her controlling ways even bluntly telling her she's still looking for a reason to like her. Veronica later becomes suspicious of Maggie believing she is trying to sleep with David but this was invalidated but Veronica continues to think something is up especially when twice catching her in David's hotel room. However, Veronica was very surprised to learn that Maggie did not sleep with David and she wanted him to become governor. In the season three finale, after learning of a hit being placed on her, Veronica used this as a way to get rid of Maggie by inviting her over for tea and letting her open the door as the gunman shot her multiple times before he is killed by police (who Veronica called to look innocent).
Landon Peyton
Landon was a worker for Jim's governor campaign and has become a very close friend to Veronica's son Jeffrey as a fellow gay man. Upon finding out about Landon's sexuality along with his and Jeffrey's friendship, she openly treated him with hostility and even told him to stay away from her son. However, Landon was amused by the way Jeffrey's mother acted to the point of openly humiliating her by having a gay rights publicist question Veronica about her feelings of gay people which had him fired. Landon even states that although he hates Veronica he "loves that he hates her" because of how far she will go with her controlling ways.
Wyatt Cryer
Veronica originally thought very little of Wyatt but this changed once she learned it was Wyatt (not David as she thought) that had called the DA over to her house looking for the Black Sedan that Wyatt drove during his hit and run. When founding out she cursed Wyatt's name and when confronting Wyatt about this she stated she was determined to make him repay his "debts" while the latter shrugged off her warnings. When Jim put Wyatt in prison to teach him a lesson for his actions, veronica found out and had arranged for a known dangerous inmate to be transferred to his cell and had him rape the latter as revenge for his action
Benny Young
In season 1, Veronica had defended and bailed Benny from jail after finding out her husband (unknowingly)had something with the latter's incarceration. She firmly told her husband she wanted him (Benny) out of jail and this whole mess behind after seeing his character was different from his sister (Candace). Veronica again bails Benny out when the latter attacked Quincy and had him drive her home due to drinking which he was happy to do as repayment but on the ride home she seduced him and the two had sex. She later gave Benny her car as gift for making her "feel better" for all her marriage problems. Like his mother, Benny is unaware that Veronica was the one who released Quincy out of prison which led to him causing more trouble to his family. He and Veronica later met up again, he attempted to resist her advances and remind her she's married but eventually succumbs to temptation and the two had sex once more until Hanna walked in on them.
Quincy Maxwell
Veronica met with Quincy when the latter was incarcerated and asked him for his help in controlling Candace (the mother of his child). At first, Quincy was unwilling but after some convincing as well as veronica guaranteeing him freedom if he did as she asked to. Their relationship is a bit shaky as Quincy who had no luck in finding Candace would sneak into her house attempting to sleep with her. Veronica told Quincy to leave and showed no fear of Quincy's threats stating she's been dealing with people like him all her life and put many of them in jail. Her lack of fear led to her calling Quincy weak which angered him but did not scare Veronica who even threatened to put him back in jail even he didn't leave her house. Quincy left the house impressed with Veronica's attitude and told her he'll be back when she's ready. Later on he returns to the House and attempts to sleep with Veronica again and like last time she showed no fear and told him to leave but when he refused and tried to rape her, she listed the names of all his family and stated she'd kill them if he didn't go. Though the two have a dislike for each other Veronica contacted Quincy and told him Candace was at her son Jeffrey's apartment. She gave him clear instructions to not kill him but beat him to a point where he would have minor injuries. When Jeffrey called Veronica about Quincy being in his home, she berated Quincy for telling him it was her who gave him instructions to come to the house. Quincy even stated before beating Jeffrey, he liked how crazy and cold Veronica was to allow him to beat up her own son. Later after Quincy beat up Jeffrey, Veronica contacted him and scolded him about really injuring her son but he said he did as she told him to do. When she threatened to put him in jail, he turned the threat around by saying he would go back after killing Jeffrey and raping her
Storyline
Season 1
At the beginning of the series Veronica is a retired lawyer, living a life of luxury and spending most of her time with her friend Katheryn plotting to get their husbands to become elected officials. She frequently stops by her husband's offices to meet with him and take him to lunch.
In mid season 1, at the insistence of Katheryn, Veronica comes out of retirement to defend Benny Young, the son of the Cryer's maid Hanna, who has been arrested on falsified charges of possession, after being pulled over while driving his sister's new car. Veronica agrees to work pro-bono, as Hanna cannot afford her fees.
Season 2
In Season 2 Episode 10: "Oscar", Candace told David that Jeffrey has been beaten by Quincy, and said that Veronica did it. "Unglued", David confronts Veronica about Quincy out of jail and beat up Jeffrey.
Season 3
In the Season 3 finale, Katheryn finds out that Veronica had Wyatt raped in prison. At the end, Katheryn shoot the D.A. multiple times in the stomach, and Veronica is going to get her off.
Season 4
In Season 4 Episode 1: "A Cup of Tea", Veronica is stunned after Katheryn lashes out in anger. In Season 4 Episode 3: "It's Ok to Love", David went to see Katheryn, but Veronica and Katheryn are pointing eachother. In Season 4 Episode 4: "A Mother's Wisdom". Jim arrives home and clean up the evidence that Katheryn made.