WEBVTT - Brian Tyree Henry / "If Beale Street Could Talk" & "Widows" 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:19.400 You're listening to playback a Variety I Heart Radio podcast. 0:00:19.880 --> 0:00:22.960 I'm your host, Variety Awards editor Chris Tapley. This week, 0:00:22.960 --> 0:00:25.720 I'm talking to an actor named Brian Tyree. Henry Brian 0:00:25.800 --> 0:00:29.200 is one of my favorite actors working right now. You 0:00:29.280 --> 0:00:32.080 probably know him from TV's Atlanta, plays paper Boy on 0:00:32.120 --> 0:00:35.440 the show Emmy nominee, but he's all over the place 0:00:35.479 --> 0:00:37.560 this year. In addition to that, on the big screen. 0:00:37.600 --> 0:00:40.240 He's in White Boy, Rick, He's in Widows, He's in 0:00:40.280 --> 0:00:43.400 Barry Jenkins. If Beal Street could talk, where he delivers 0:00:44.240 --> 0:00:46.960 one of the finest performances of the year, and it's 0:00:47.479 --> 0:00:50.040 he's literally in it for ten minutes. And he's a 0:00:50.120 --> 0:00:52.600 voice in Spiderman into the spider Verse, which is out 0:00:52.640 --> 0:00:55.920 now as well. Uh, you know, this podcast is landing 0:00:55.920 --> 0:01:01.240 in that lull between OSCAR voting concluding and the nominations 0:01:01.240 --> 0:01:03.800 which will be announced next week. And look, if I 0:01:03.840 --> 0:01:06.240 had like a plea for the universe, it would be 0:01:06.319 --> 0:01:09.600 that this guy would somehow slide in for his work. 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:13.920 Nfbl Street could talk the longest of long shots, but 0:01:14.680 --> 0:01:17.000 strange things have happened. We got Michael Shannon that popped 0:01:17.000 --> 0:01:19.320 in for Revolutionary Road a few years back. I don't 0:01:19.319 --> 0:01:24.080 think many people saw like Maggie Jillenhall coming for Crazy Heart, 0:01:24.240 --> 0:01:27.160 for instance, so you never know, uh, but I'm telling 0:01:27.200 --> 0:01:28.840 you that he blew my mind. It's one of the 0:01:28.880 --> 0:01:31.960 most electric things I've seen on a big screen this year, 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:35.360 and I was so stoked to finally catch up to him. 0:01:35.480 --> 0:01:39.319 So here's my conversation with Brian. You can see all 0:01:39.319 --> 0:01:44.520 the traffic here exactly and see what rights the end 0:01:44.560 --> 0:01:47.560 of the day, and and it's not it's like I know, 0:01:48.040 --> 0:01:50.200 I know, I'm trying to figure out l A traffic 0:01:50.200 --> 0:01:53.520 and I'm like, so it's all the time basically from 0:01:53.560 --> 0:02:02.240 two o'clock. Ye Hawaii man, it's kind of like all 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:08.200 my inspired stuff right now. Chicken us Yeah, there No. 0:02:08.280 --> 0:02:11.360 I was filming um Godzilla Versus calling in for a 0:02:11.360 --> 0:02:13.360 week and a half and so like I was able 0:02:13.400 --> 0:02:16.519 to like rowing around and like you'd like to see 0:02:16.560 --> 0:02:19.520 the locals and like chills the chickens because there were 0:02:19.840 --> 0:02:23.079 five chickens that just run around and I was like, oh, 0:02:23.120 --> 0:02:26.000 this is great, this is really dope. It was like 0:02:26.800 --> 0:02:28.640 it's a chicken next in my car. There was one 0:02:28.639 --> 0:02:29.880 point I was trying to get in my car and 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:32.519 there was like literally like five chickens behind my car 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:34.760 and like they were like crowing, and I was terrified 0:02:34.800 --> 0:02:36.760 to get in my car because it was like, that's 0:02:36.800 --> 0:02:40.320 a game and I'm not gonna mess with the chicken 0:02:40.360 --> 0:02:42.600 at all. Like the roosters and stuff to wake you 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:46.040 up like five in the morning, they're ready to party. Yeah, 0:02:46.639 --> 0:02:48.760 Kawaii has them all over the place. I know, I did. 0:02:48.840 --> 0:02:50.280 I did not know that was gonna happen. But there 0:02:50.320 --> 0:02:52.440 was one point on the island and the chickens. There 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:57.640 were chickens and straight hats and like they got along. Like. 0:02:57.680 --> 0:03:00.160 I was like, so the cats aren't gonna like it's 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:03.200 like free game West Side Story. Yeah, I was like, Oh, 0:03:03.240 --> 0:03:08.600 they actually like respect each other. That's funny. We're rolling 0:03:08.840 --> 0:03:12.559 all right, Okay everyone, I'm here today with Brian Tyree Henry. 0:03:12.720 --> 0:03:14.799 He's a star of about thirty five movies this year. 0:03:14.800 --> 0:03:18.120 I mean, we're gonna talk about all he's all over 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:21.000 the place. You know him from Atlanta for sure. Uh, 0:03:21.120 --> 0:03:23.880 he's in movies. White Boy. Rick Widows of Beal Street 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:26.800 can talk Spider Man into the spider Verse, which is 0:03:26.800 --> 0:03:30.240 blowing up the pot. The almost called it the podcast podcast. 0:03:31.720 --> 0:03:35.080 I got the podcast on my box office right now. 0:03:35.120 --> 0:03:37.360 People are loving that movie. That movie is awesome. But anyway, 0:03:37.400 --> 0:03:38.880 thank you for coming on the show, and of course 0:03:38.920 --> 0:03:41.480 I really appreciate. It's good to be here. Man. Um. 0:03:41.560 --> 0:03:42.880 Before I get to some of that stuff, I just 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:47.440 want to talk about where you came from. I mean, Fayetteville. 0:03:47.840 --> 0:03:50.400 It's my neck of the woods, really believe it or not. Yeah, yeah, 0:03:50.400 --> 0:03:52.200 I met. My whole family is from the east side 0:03:52.200 --> 0:03:55.520 of North Carolina, north of Charlotte. Yeah, so you know 0:03:55.560 --> 0:03:59.880 all about cook and all that good stuff. I'll say. 0:04:01.520 --> 0:04:05.360 I was like, yeah, I missed those. Um. Yeah, man, 0:04:05.360 --> 0:04:08.120 that's home born and raised. For the most part, I 0:04:08.240 --> 0:04:11.680 spent time in Faytteville. I was born in Cape Valley 0:04:11.720 --> 0:04:15.640 Hospital in uh Fayeville, North Carolina, and then I spent 0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:18.400 a bit poor part of my life in Washington, d C. 0:04:18.560 --> 0:04:21.680 As well. So like all my sisters and my niece 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:23.680 and nephews are all there in d C and UH, 0:04:23.960 --> 0:04:28.440 but Fayetville, North Carolina is definitely home. That's that's the hometown. 0:04:28.520 --> 0:04:31.160 And then morehouse. So we were probably passing each other 0:04:31.240 --> 0:04:34.640 on five dude, but were like living next to each 0:04:34.680 --> 0:04:36.560 other what we find out we were like neighbors and 0:04:36.720 --> 0:04:40.320 like in the same ap class. Um, yeah, man in Atlanta, Georgia. 0:04:40.360 --> 0:04:42.920 Man still home to me too, And I love Atlanta 0:04:43.000 --> 0:04:44.880 so much. So that's what it's so great to be 0:04:44.920 --> 0:04:48.840 able to do Atlanta. It's like, oh, like the even 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:50.680 the title of the show, I was like, oh, yeah, 0:04:50.800 --> 0:04:53.240 this is definitely gonna be one of the best times 0:04:53.240 --> 0:04:55.080 in my life because Atlanta was the best time in 0:04:55.160 --> 0:04:58.360 my life. Like it's where I basically discovered that this 0:04:58.400 --> 0:05:00.240 is what I wanted to do. Tell me about that. 0:05:00.320 --> 0:05:02.960 What was that like discovery? Like for you was it early? 0:05:03.600 --> 0:05:05.840 You know what I mean? Like people always ask about 0:05:05.839 --> 0:05:07.680 I always want to be an actor, and if that 0:05:07.760 --> 0:05:10.120 was something I want to do, it wasn't you know, 0:05:10.200 --> 0:05:13.480 Like for me, it seemed like something very unobtainable, you know, 0:05:13.560 --> 0:05:16.919 like because you know, I grew up in front of 0:05:16.920 --> 0:05:19.320 the television, Like the television pretty much raised me, you know, 0:05:19.440 --> 0:05:21.039 Like I was in a house full of adults, so 0:05:21.920 --> 0:05:24.440 pretty much was left to my own devices. And that 0:05:24.480 --> 0:05:26.839 device happened to be the television and the remote control 0:05:26.880 --> 0:05:30.000 and so um, I didn't see me up there, you know, 0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:32.719 I didn't really see any any anybody that like was 0:05:32.760 --> 0:05:35.800 from like a little podunt town, like not that Famil's product. 0:05:35.800 --> 0:05:37.200 I don't need you An'll screaming at me and here 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:40.240 this um but you know, like a little town, um 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:43.280 well in a little city that that represented me, that 0:05:43.279 --> 0:05:45.359 that you know, had the upbring that I had, or 0:05:45.400 --> 0:05:47.680 like told the stories that I saw happening in front 0:05:47.720 --> 0:05:50.600 of me. So acting wasn't anything I thought I was 0:05:50.640 --> 0:05:53.120 gonna do, but it was like a mote of survival, 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:55.440 you know what I mean, because like here I have 0:05:55.480 --> 0:05:58.400 all these adults having these adult conversations and having these 0:05:58.440 --> 0:06:00.400 adult things going on and then them and I just 0:06:00.440 --> 0:06:02.400 always wanted to be a part of what that was. 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:06.560 So the storytelling aspect was always in me. And it 0:06:06.560 --> 0:06:09.719 wasn't until I got to Morehouse that um uh. Good 0:06:09.760 --> 0:06:11.560 friends of mine that I'm still friends with this day, 0:06:11.560 --> 0:06:14.880 we're like, um, why are you sitting in this class? 0:06:15.240 --> 0:06:17.160 I think I was like studying for business at the time, 0:06:17.839 --> 0:06:20.000 and I hated it so bad, like it and it 0:06:20.080 --> 0:06:23.240 was over like overbooked, you know how like classes are 0:06:23.279 --> 0:06:25.520 like packed to the masses, So like there was like 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:27.720 thirty of us in desks and then thirty of us 0:06:27.760 --> 0:06:30.760 standing in this classroom and I'm like by this window 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:33.120 reading the bluest Ide. I think at the time it 0:06:33.160 --> 0:06:35.200 was it was an assignment that I had, and I 0:06:35.279 --> 0:06:37.479 was just so into this book and like he's up 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:39.400 there talking about business law and I'm like not even 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:41.960 paying attention. And then my friends like knock on the 0:06:41.960 --> 0:06:44.000 window and they're like, there's like an audition going on, 0:06:44.360 --> 0:06:45.960 like you should probably come with us wiping on this 0:06:46.080 --> 0:06:48.200 for this play. It's cool, let's go to spelling audition. 0:06:48.640 --> 0:06:50.240 And I literally stood up in class and I was like, 0:06:50.320 --> 0:06:53.080 I won't be back. I see you later. I won't 0:06:53.080 --> 0:06:56.039 be back. I'm done. Uh And and I stayed there, man, 0:06:56.240 --> 0:06:58.400 and uh, you know, I think that's the best part 0:06:58.480 --> 0:07:01.800 about acting for me was the community I got to 0:07:01.839 --> 0:07:03.520 be around my fellow freaks, you know what I mean. 0:07:03.600 --> 0:07:06.760 Like I think my first class was a technical technical 0:07:06.760 --> 0:07:09.680 direction and production class. You know. Um this great man 0:07:09.760 --> 0:07:13.720 named Mr Thomas and he was teaching this class and 0:07:13.720 --> 0:07:15.720 it was like at nine am. And I was like, 0:07:16.640 --> 0:07:19.320 I don't do mornings, just like I just like I 0:07:19.360 --> 0:07:21.440 don't do more, but this class I could get up for. Man, 0:07:21.600 --> 0:07:23.679 like every day. I was like, yeah, this is great, 0:07:23.720 --> 0:07:26.360 Like you know, you're learning about playwright and learn about directing, 0:07:26.400 --> 0:07:28.400 and learning about all these plays that I didn't even 0:07:28.400 --> 0:07:31.240 know about, all these black playwrights, all these Latino playwrights, 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:34.840 all these playwrights of color period. And it was really dope, 0:07:34.960 --> 0:07:37.080 Like it was really dope, and so I just stuck 0:07:37.120 --> 0:07:39.800 with it. And but I tell himself me to graduate. 0:07:40.040 --> 0:07:43.760 My mentor of mind suggested that I auditioned for Yale 0:07:44.600 --> 0:07:48.480 UM and I laughed, like I was like, I was like, 0:07:48.520 --> 0:07:50.120 I don't think you see my g P A bro, 0:07:50.400 --> 0:07:53.080 because like if you did, I would not you would 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:57.240 not suggest Yale. But you know, I did it, and 0:07:57.240 --> 0:07:59.960 and I still can't believe I got in because I 0:08:00.400 --> 0:08:02.080 at that point it was like twenty two and just 0:08:02.120 --> 0:08:05.840 a knucklehead and not really knowing what I wanted to pursue. Like, 0:08:05.920 --> 0:08:08.800 you know, I was all good going back home finding 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:11.520 out something to do there and being okay with that, 0:08:11.560 --> 0:08:14.120 you know, but I didn't. I never had the aspiration 0:08:14.160 --> 0:08:17.120 of becoming an actor until all these people around me 0:08:17.160 --> 0:08:18.800 were like, this is what you should do. What was 0:08:18.880 --> 0:08:20.760 like the learning curve like that? Did you take to 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:24.040 it immediately? What did it feel natural? Was it weird 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:25.880 for you? It was, you know. First of all, that 0:08:26.160 --> 0:08:28.680 was I did not know where you was. I didn't 0:08:28.720 --> 0:08:31.040 know it was that far north. I was like, oh, Connecticut, 0:08:31.040 --> 0:08:34.720 Oh bad, that's cool, like um, and I remember they 0:08:34.800 --> 0:08:38.160 invited me, you know, our acting chair Run Van lou He, 0:08:38.160 --> 0:08:39.880 he invited me to come to the school and like 0:08:39.960 --> 0:08:42.720 do a tour, you know. But the tour lasted for 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:46.160 like four days and um, which meant I got to 0:08:46.200 --> 0:08:47.960 see like plays that were at the Yale Rep because 0:08:47.960 --> 0:08:50.640 we have a repertory theater there and I got to 0:08:50.679 --> 0:08:52.600 see plays at Yale Rep. But I was just such 0:08:52.640 --> 0:08:54.800 a It was such a knucklehead, like I didn't know 0:08:54.960 --> 0:08:57.319 any of that meant. So, like I remember there was 0:08:57.400 --> 0:08:59.720 one play. I was starving and I went to like 0:08:59.760 --> 0:09:02.440 this take out across the street and I got fried 0:09:02.520 --> 0:09:04.560 chicken wings and like French fries, and I took it 0:09:04.600 --> 0:09:07.120 into the theater and this is where they're doing like 0:09:07.160 --> 0:09:09.959 a classical, like I think, I don't even remember. It 0:09:10.320 --> 0:09:12.600 was like oh my god, and I sat in the 0:09:12.600 --> 0:09:15.640 back row and I was just eating in the theater 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:17.800 like I didn't know any etiquette. I didn't know anything. 0:09:17.840 --> 0:09:19.800 I stunk up the whole theater with this one oh 0:09:19.840 --> 0:09:23.800 my god, it was so stupid. Yeah, I was like, 0:09:24.200 --> 0:09:26.480 this is what it is, and that that was the 0:09:26.480 --> 0:09:28.720 thing that I loved about Yelle is that it allowed 0:09:28.760 --> 0:09:32.560 me to really be me, you know, like I I 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:35.160 was able to keep a sense of self when I 0:09:35.200 --> 0:09:36.400 got there, and that was like one of the one 0:09:36.440 --> 0:09:38.280 things I told myself. I was like, Okay, you're at 0:09:38.280 --> 0:09:41.800 this IVY League, You're at this prestigious school, which you know, 0:09:41.840 --> 0:09:45.079 I'm very naive, Like I like my naive take kind 0:09:45.080 --> 0:09:47.880 of saved my life sometimes. So like I didn't research, 0:09:48.040 --> 0:09:51.720 you know, fellow alumni. I didn't research anything before I 0:09:51.760 --> 0:09:52.960 went there. I was just like, let me just go 0:09:53.040 --> 0:09:55.480 check this out. If they really think I belong here, 0:09:55.520 --> 0:09:58.680 then let me see. Uh. So when I was going there, 0:09:58.720 --> 0:10:01.040 for the first few months, I didn't know anything about 0:10:01.720 --> 0:10:03.920 their alum Like, you know, I didn't know that Courtney b. 0:10:04.040 --> 0:10:06.520 Vans and Angel Bassett went there. You know, I didn't 0:10:06.520 --> 0:10:09.000 know that Paul Giamati and Meryl Streep party like just 0:10:09.160 --> 0:10:12.200 the legacy of great actors had come out of that school. 0:10:12.559 --> 0:10:14.440 So then I kind of like got really nervous. I 0:10:14.480 --> 0:10:17.320 was like I was really an impostor syndrome mode, Like 0:10:17.360 --> 0:10:20.080 are y'all sure that you want me here, like, because 0:10:20.520 --> 0:10:24.880 I don't really see a person like me here, Like 0:10:25.320 --> 0:10:26.800 you know, I was like still walking around with the 0:10:26.800 --> 0:10:29.120 wallet chain, you know what I mean, like run over 0:10:29.240 --> 0:10:31.400 Chucks and you know, just being like just this guy. 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:35.400 And and you know, manche was very very adamant that 0:10:35.440 --> 0:10:38.120 this is where I belonged, and uh, it was one 0:10:38.120 --> 0:10:39.880 of the best times. It was the hardest thing I've 0:10:39.880 --> 0:10:42.160 ever done. It was like, it definitely was the hardest 0:10:42.160 --> 0:10:44.200 program I've never been a part of. But it was 0:10:44.240 --> 0:10:47.240 worth every minute of it because I'm still in contact 0:10:47.280 --> 0:10:50.000 with that community, like I was always in the theater 0:10:50.080 --> 0:10:53.599 management office or like stealing snacks from like the designers 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:55.680 in their office, and and like, you know, it was 0:10:55.720 --> 0:10:58.960 just it just it cultivated the community that I'm so 0:10:59.040 --> 0:11:01.080 grateful and part of because I wouldn't be sitting here 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:03.360 without it. Like, honestly, when did you get the confidence? 0:11:03.400 --> 0:11:08.680 When did it? Finally? I don't know. There's there's something 0:11:08.720 --> 0:11:11.160 about man I can't explain it. Like when I do 0:11:11.200 --> 0:11:14.680 a play or when I'm doing theater, my favorite part 0:11:14.760 --> 0:11:16.760 is the rehearsal, you know, like so you get like 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:19.880 a few weeks it's such a short amount of time, 0:11:20.200 --> 0:11:22.960 and you're going in this room that has tape on 0:11:23.000 --> 0:11:25.400 the floor, so that tape is supposed to be stairs, 0:11:25.400 --> 0:11:27.280 and that tape that tape over here is supposed to 0:11:27.360 --> 0:11:29.520 be you know, a door, and that's you know what. 0:11:29.640 --> 0:11:32.720 You know, You're working with like raggedy tables that have 0:11:32.840 --> 0:11:35.559 been in props for like years, and you're just discovering 0:11:35.600 --> 0:11:38.280 stuff and you're just playing like you're literally playing. I 0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:41.160 was like, oh, that's why they're called plays, okay, And uh, 0:11:42.080 --> 0:11:44.960 I don't know, man, It's like there's a fearlessness that 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:46.920 comes out of it because you're up there together, you 0:11:46.960 --> 0:11:49.040 know what I mean. You're sharing this space with somebody 0:11:49.040 --> 0:11:51.840 else and telling the stories of somebody else, and you 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:57.000 get to be somebody else with somebody else at the 0:11:57.040 --> 0:12:00.200 same time, and it's it's like it's like the one 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:02.120 when those lights come up. It's unlike anything in the 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:05.520 world because it's like I've never had stage right, like 0:12:05.760 --> 0:12:08.520 because like when I'm playing somebody else, it's not me. 0:12:08.960 --> 0:12:11.040 So therefore it's like, well, what do I have to 0:12:11.080 --> 0:12:13.360 be nervous about because this is not me. I'm playing 0:12:13.400 --> 0:12:15.760 somebody else. But it just I don't know it's just 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:18.640 fun and it literally it's something that I find to 0:12:18.720 --> 0:12:22.000 be incredibly fascinating and fun. And even if you're doing 0:12:22.040 --> 0:12:24.680 a drama, it's still fun to me because it's like, wow, 0:12:25.080 --> 0:12:28.400 these words have to be said, like this character exists 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:31.040 at a point in time and you have to tell 0:12:31.080 --> 0:12:33.960 their story like you it's so urgent. Like that's the 0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:36.320 thing for me with acting, there's an urgency like you 0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:39.360 have to tell this story immediately or else the lives 0:12:39.400 --> 0:12:41.959 of someone in this story will be affected if you don't. 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:44.240 And it's just I don't know. I just never really 0:12:44.280 --> 0:12:46.320 had nerves about it. It just seemed like something fun, 0:12:46.559 --> 0:12:49.880 especially when you didn't think you would become anything, you know, 0:12:50.040 --> 0:12:52.480 like if I got into acting to get my name 0:12:52.480 --> 0:12:55.800 in lights, I was that's the dumbest thing ever. Like 0:12:56.200 --> 0:12:58.080 there was a passion for it. And I know that 0:12:58.120 --> 0:13:00.960 sounds kind of corny, but it really was. Like it 0:13:01.040 --> 0:13:03.000 takes me at least a month and I have to 0:13:03.000 --> 0:13:05.440 read a novel if not longer, but like if you 0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:06.960 put a player script in front of me and I 0:13:07.000 --> 0:13:09.600 see the dialogue and everything, it's my favorite thing. Man. 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:11.080 I could read it over and over and over and 0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:14.360 over and over. Again. So yeah, I don't know, I 0:13:14.400 --> 0:13:16.319 guess it. I guess it just came from a place 0:13:16.360 --> 0:13:22.480 of the need to tell the story. Were speaking of Yale, 0:13:22.800 --> 0:13:24.880 you know, Weston Duke and Lupete and Yana were you 0:13:24.880 --> 0:13:26.839 were you guys there at the same time. They were 0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:30.760 after me, after Yether, after me. Good good buddies of mine. 0:13:30.440 --> 0:13:33.720 They're they're so great. There's a there's a whole gamut 0:13:33.720 --> 0:13:36.480 of great actors coming out of Yale. Um. You know, 0:13:36.559 --> 0:13:38.640 it's so weird because I look at them as my peers. 0:13:38.679 --> 0:13:41.200 But I was like, damn, I feel old, like, you know, 0:13:41.240 --> 0:13:43.320 because like we were under the same chair round Van 0:13:43.400 --> 0:13:45.960 lou and I was his first class. I was in 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:48.719 the first class, so they were in the classes underneath me, 0:13:48.760 --> 0:13:52.440 and I kind of feel like the old stage even 0:13:52.480 --> 0:13:56.120 though these are my peers. But yeah, Yelle, it's got 0:13:56.160 --> 0:14:00.160 some really really really great um and prolific people, you know, 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:03.560 to Releving McCraney was there for playwriting, and uh, you know, 0:14:03.600 --> 0:14:05.719 there's some great directors come. I mean, it's it's it's 0:14:05.760 --> 0:14:07.839 that place is dope. It's a dope place to go. 0:14:07.960 --> 0:14:10.360 And also it's the best place to study because you're 0:14:10.360 --> 0:14:13.320 in New Haven, Connecticut. There's nothing to do. They're like, 0:14:13.320 --> 0:14:15.480 you know, like there's nowhere to go. So it's like 0:14:15.559 --> 0:14:18.320 you're in New Haven and you better master your craft 0:14:18.320 --> 0:14:21.800 because like you're up here in the snow and like 0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:25.440 it's like but it's it's a great place. And it's 0:14:25.480 --> 0:14:28.280 so nice to see us all emerging that way and 0:14:28.320 --> 0:14:30.520 doing so well. Like it's really it's really good. I 0:14:30.520 --> 0:14:33.280 think it's a testament to the institution, honestly, and I'm 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:35.080 just so glad to be great to be a part 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:36.280 of the number. So glad to be a part of 0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:39.040 the Number. Man. Very cool. Well let's talk about let's 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:41.600 start with Spider Man. This one's out in theaters now 0:14:41.640 --> 0:14:44.120 as well. It's just really took off at the end 0:14:44.120 --> 0:14:48.120 of the year. I saw it, you know, December or something, 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:49.760 and you know, I was looking forward to it, but 0:14:49.760 --> 0:14:51.040 I had no idea I was gonna love it as 0:14:51.080 --> 0:14:53.600 much as Yeah. I mean, this this movie is awesome 0:14:53.600 --> 0:14:55.880 and it's doing really well. It's winning all these critics awards, 0:14:55.960 --> 0:14:57.960 just won the Golden Globe last Yeah, I did, man, 0:14:58.480 --> 0:15:00.640 So I mean, being a part of this movie, I 0:15:00.680 --> 0:15:03.040 don't think you've done have you done voice acting before? 0:15:03.080 --> 0:15:06.720 Am I. Yeah, like I did, uh a brief episode 0:15:06.720 --> 0:15:12.080 of BoJack horse Man. Yeah, and I think I've done, 0:15:12.600 --> 0:15:15.360 have I done? But this was like the first emotion picture. 0:15:15.760 --> 0:15:17.760 This is interesting too because you're playing like it's not 0:15:17.840 --> 0:15:19.720 like you're playing like a kid, you know, like you're 0:15:19.760 --> 0:15:23.120 playing like a real guy. It's like a very emotional part. Anyways, 0:15:23.520 --> 0:15:25.520 So just tell me about being a part of this project. 0:15:25.560 --> 0:15:28.600 I mean, man, I think it's it's the dream come true. 0:15:28.600 --> 0:15:30.280 I've always wanted to be a part of the Marvel 0:15:30.440 --> 0:15:33.920 universe in any way whatsoever, because you know, like the 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:36.040 Marvel Universe kind of saved my life, you know, as 0:15:36.080 --> 0:15:39.160 a kid, and it said this day, and you know, 0:15:39.320 --> 0:15:41.520 especially the story of Spider Man, it was like it's 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:44.240 really cool, like how you have this kid who's like, 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:47.880 you know, just ordinary kid. It's been by in Spider 0:15:47.880 --> 0:15:49.560 and all of a sudden could do everything spiders do, 0:15:50.080 --> 0:15:51.920 and you know, he gets a really cool outfit and 0:15:51.920 --> 0:15:54.360 he saves the day. And what I like about this 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:57.120 story is that the whole theme is that anybody can 0:15:57.160 --> 0:16:00.640 wear the mask, and that includes who look like me, 0:16:00.880 --> 0:16:04.320 you know what I'm saying. So, um, Miles Morales, first 0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:07.600 of all, being you know, a biracial child from Brooklyn. 0:16:07.720 --> 0:16:10.960 You know, I'm his father, and then uh Luna Vale's 0:16:10.960 --> 0:16:15.800 plays his mom, who is Latina, And it's really cool, 0:16:16.080 --> 0:16:19.200 Like I mean, it's it's something that I it's so 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:21.720 weird how you look at something like that. Like in 0:16:21.800 --> 0:16:25.240 my lifetime, I always just envisioned Spider Man being a 0:16:25.240 --> 0:16:28.080 white guy. It's Peter Parker, you know, from Queen's Like 0:16:28.120 --> 0:16:32.040 that's how it's always been. But to know that Stanley 0:16:32.080 --> 0:16:35.400 has created this universe where anyone you can look and 0:16:35.480 --> 0:16:39.000 be anything and be you be from anywhere and still 0:16:39.000 --> 0:16:42.320 be a superhero is the most amazing thing in the world. 0:16:42.360 --> 0:16:45.440 So to get the opportunity to play his father, you know, 0:16:45.520 --> 0:16:47.680 because you also have this kid who's both of his 0:16:47.760 --> 0:16:50.080 parents are in his life. You know, both of his 0:16:50.160 --> 0:16:53.080 parents are like service people. You know. His mom's a doctor. 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:54.640 I'm a cop, you know what I mean. And it's 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:58.200 like it's a whole different thing. He's he's bilingual, you 0:16:58.200 --> 0:16:59.840 know what I mean. He goes to a great school 0:16:59.880 --> 0:17:02.600 and he's he's a great kid. He's a great kid, 0:17:03.240 --> 0:17:06.800 and all of a sudden, it's responsibility comes, you know 0:17:06.840 --> 0:17:08.399 what I mean, all of a sudden he becomes the 0:17:08.440 --> 0:17:12.480 superhero and it's just I don't know, man, And they 0:17:12.560 --> 0:17:15.919 did something very special, uh with this project, and I'm 0:17:15.960 --> 0:17:19.680 really incredibly, incredibly grateful to be a part of it. 0:17:19.840 --> 0:17:23.399 I didn't realize like how because I'm a huge animated dude. Okay, 0:17:23.440 --> 0:17:25.640 Like I love I love animation, Like I will watch 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:28.200 it all the time, like I still watch The Simpsons 0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:29.919 to this day, Like I mean, I would never stop 0:17:29.920 --> 0:17:33.560 watching the Simpsons. You know, South Park, Pops Burgers, all 0:17:33.600 --> 0:17:38.360 that stuff has been my life's blood. Like I love 0:17:38.359 --> 0:17:40.680 it because like you don't see the person who's doing 0:17:40.720 --> 0:17:43.640 the voice, but you gotta really make people believe that 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:46.720 these characters are going through it to go through. And um, 0:17:46.760 --> 0:17:49.639 I will say that this movie is doing something I 0:17:49.680 --> 0:17:52.359 think kind of revolutionary because it's the first animated Marvel 0:17:52.400 --> 0:17:55.560 movie and like everyone is doing like everyone's acting the 0:17:55.640 --> 0:17:57.800 faces off in this movie. Like it's really and it's 0:17:57.880 --> 0:18:00.919 like a drama and a comedy an action movie at 0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:03.639 the same time. And it's and you know, it sprints 0:18:03.680 --> 0:18:05.840 far and wide, like you can be three years old, 0:18:05.960 --> 0:18:08.440 you can be like thirty five or fifty six years 0:18:08.440 --> 0:18:10.640 old and still enjoy this movie and I like what 0:18:10.680 --> 0:18:13.600 it's doing about bringing people together and just like really 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:15.800 driving home the fact that anyone can wear the mask, 0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:18.879 like even you like the fact that I'm excited for 0:18:18.920 --> 0:18:22.000 Halloween because I can't wait to see how many little kids, 0:18:22.000 --> 0:18:23.840 how many little black and brown kids are gonna run 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:27.560 around being Miles Miless. You know, there's Halloween and it's 0:18:27.600 --> 0:18:29.840 really really dope. And it was really important for me 0:18:29.880 --> 0:18:33.560 to play his father um in a way that you 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:36.280 understood that this kid has loved you know what I mean. 0:18:36.320 --> 0:18:38.400 Like there's a scene in the movie. I'm not gonna 0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:40.080 give it away, but you know, he goes through something 0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:43.840 really kind of like shocking, and the first person he 0:18:43.880 --> 0:18:46.879 calls his dad, and I was like, wow, Like, not 0:18:47.040 --> 0:18:49.720 his friends, not somebody you know, not somebody else. You 0:18:49.720 --> 0:18:52.359 know that from the block. You know, he's calling his dad, 0:18:52.600 --> 0:18:54.600 And I just really wanted to drive home the fact 0:18:54.600 --> 0:18:56.919 that that that they love each other, Like that's the 0:18:56.920 --> 0:18:58.960 big thing that I that I really really love about 0:18:59.000 --> 0:19:01.920 this movie is that this family loves each other and 0:19:01.960 --> 0:19:04.720 they will do anything to take care of each other. 0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:07.320 And and it's just great, man. I mean, like everyone 0:19:07.359 --> 0:19:09.920 in the movie is fantastic. Shamik is great, Jake is great, 0:19:09.960 --> 0:19:12.760 like every I mean, like Reherschela is my brother, you know, 0:19:13.200 --> 0:19:15.119 And it's just so great because you're not in the 0:19:15.119 --> 0:19:18.159