- 2 days ago
Jay Ellis sat down with The Hollywood Reporter for "Scene Stealers" to break down moments from his popular films and tv shows like 'Insecure,' 'Top Gun: Maverick' and more. He talks about his favorite episode from 'Insecure' – which he reveals he still hasn't watched – where Issa and Lawrence reunite and get real about their breakup. Plus, he breaks down all the technicalities that went behind flying in 'Top Gun: Maverick,' what it was like joining BET's 'The Game,' and seeking more challenges with his new Broadway show 'Duke & Roya.'
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I was terrified of this role.
00:02Lawrence is such a dude who lives inside his head,
00:04and I'm such the opposite of that.
00:06I felt my work as an actor is to build this character,
00:10and I think through that, I learned a lot about myself.
00:13I took a lot from a role like this.
00:16Hey, what up? It's Jay Ellis,
00:17and I'm hanging out with The Hollywood Reporter,
00:19checking out some scenes from my past work.
00:30Let's do this.
00:32First scene is from Insecure.
00:35I guess I've just been thinking about us.
00:41Us?
00:43Sometimes I wonder, like,
00:46do I give up too easily on things?
00:51I remember we shot this scene downtown.
00:55I remember it being really, really cold outside.
00:58This is such a crazy moment.
01:00I have not watched this scene
01:03because I have not watched this episode,
01:06and it is my favorite episode of this show at the same time.
01:09It's written by Natasha Rothwell.
01:11Our DP, Ava Borkoski, directed this episode,
01:16first episode they directed,
01:17and it's a big one.
01:20I mean, this is like, you know,
01:21the thing that you have waited for from Lawrence and Issa
01:25for four years at this point, right,
01:28in their relationship.
01:30all the things that they never really said to each other.
01:34I don't know.
01:35I mean, it might be obvious,
01:37but I did wish you hadn't given up on us.
01:42Alrighty, we have our review of Ski Meat
01:44and our Prosecco with Vodka.
01:47Prosecco is Issa's favorite drink in life.
01:49I just want everybody to know that,
01:51so that's why she had a Prosecco.
01:52The character always had a Prosecco.
01:54Why Daniel?
01:56Or could it have been anyone?
01:59No, not anyone.
02:01And I don't know if that's better,
02:04but it wasn't like that.
02:06Then why him?
02:10He just popped up
02:12and gave me attention during a time when you weren't.
02:17And it's not an excuse, but...
02:19That had to hurt.
02:19It just felt good to feel wanted,
02:23I guess.
02:24I remember feeling gutted by that.
02:28I mean, he's at his most vulnerable ever,
02:31and he's asking a question,
02:35why this guy?
02:37Why did you cheat on me?
02:38Period.
02:38But why did you cheat on me with this guy?
02:40And the answer,
02:42in a lot of ways,
02:42is so simple.
02:43Like, it's just such a...
02:45Things that I've had between us?
02:49Yeah.
02:52Ava's framing is crazy.
02:55Drive around after work
02:57just to avoid coming home.
03:08I'm sorry.
03:09Is this too much?
03:10They don't know what to say.
03:13They're both like,
03:14uh...
03:16But I still wanted to be with you.
03:18Not him.
03:19I just had a moment of weakness.
03:22But we were trying.
03:24We had recommitted to each other,
03:26so, like,
03:27some part of you
03:28had to want to blow that up.
03:30No.
03:32No, I was devastated.
03:35I wonder how many times
03:37two people
03:39in a television show
03:41have ever sat down
03:43and been completely honest
03:46about
03:47why
03:48their relationship
03:49didn't work.
03:50Or, like,
03:50why
03:51one of them
03:52may have cheated
03:53on the other.
03:55I think that was one of the things
03:56that I love so much
03:57about this episode
03:58is where it starts
04:00and the fun
04:01that these two have.
04:03But it allows them
04:04to, like,
04:04go on this journey.
04:06They kind of get to
04:06peel off the mask
04:07and just be with each other
04:09and be real with each other.
04:11I think over time
04:12I did become
04:13more and more
04:14protective
04:14of Lawrence
04:17because I think
04:18what I was experiencing
04:19in playing Lawrence
04:21was,
04:22oh,
04:22all the things
04:23that, like,
04:23guys just don't say.
04:24Right?
04:25Like,
04:26you find it a little bit
04:27later in life,
04:28maybe if you take the time
04:29to explore
04:29and do the work
04:31for yourself.
04:32but, like,
04:32at this age
04:33most guys
04:34are not having
04:35these conversations
04:36but these are
04:37their feelings.
04:38And so I think
04:38I started to get
04:40very protective
04:40about that
04:41because I understood
04:42what that journey
04:43was like.
04:44We had a huge
04:46male audience
04:47for this show
04:47and I think people
04:48don't realize that.
04:49Like,
04:49how big,
04:52how many
04:52guys would show up
04:53to watch this show
04:54because they saw
04:55themselves
04:57through Lawrence.
04:59And I think
04:59that made me
05:00even double down
05:00more and get
05:01more protective
05:02because I was like,
05:02yeah,
05:02I'm out here
05:03repping for you.
05:04Like,
05:04I get it
05:05and I've been
05:05through that
05:06with you
05:06and Lawrence
05:07is obviously
05:07going through that
05:08so,
05:09you know,
05:09I understand it.
05:10I was scared
05:11we'd fall back
05:12into old patterns.
05:12That slow pushing.
05:14For an entire year,
05:16nothing I did
05:17could snap you out
05:18of what you were
05:18going through.
05:19You didn't want
05:19to talk.
05:20Just couldn't.
05:22And then when
05:23everything went down
05:23with us,
05:24it was just easier
05:25to blame you.
05:26It felt like
05:26it was the first time
05:27where I had heard
05:28a guy talk
05:29about his depression
05:30and be able
05:32to, like,
05:33look back
05:34and articulate
05:35what he was actually
05:36feeling and going
05:38through and realize
05:39how what he was
05:40doing was affecting
05:42her.
05:43Like,
05:43he's hearing
05:44for the first time
05:45how it was affecting
05:46her.
05:47But, like,
05:48I don't know.
05:48There's something
05:49beautiful in the fact
05:49that he's also saying
05:50it was not about you.
05:52It was me
05:52and I was in my own way
05:54and I'm sorry
05:54that I got us
05:56to where we ended up.
05:58It's like a five-minute
06:00scene.
06:01I mean,
06:02we probably shot this
06:03for an entire night.
06:04Man,
06:05you know what else
06:05is crazy about this episode?
06:06My daughter was probably
06:07like three days old
06:08when I shot this.
06:09Yeah,
06:09this is no sleep.
06:10Team no sleep.
06:12Yeah,
06:12we really weren't
06:13talking then,
06:13huh?
06:15I also love this.
06:17We had this insecure angle.
06:19We kind of coined it
06:20the insecure shot
06:21and it was always
06:22a shot,
06:24mostly a shot
06:25where you were like
06:26in a lower third
06:27of frame
06:28and the camera
06:29was above you
06:30looking down
06:31so you always felt
06:33small
06:34or unsure
06:35or insecure.
06:37This shot evokes
06:38so much emotion
06:39that I think
06:39the viewer doesn't
06:40even realize
06:41but you feel
06:41for the character
06:42in that moment
06:43because of the way
06:45it's framed.
06:45we got to
06:47in this moment
06:47experience
06:48two people
06:49coming together
06:50who hadn't
06:51been together
06:52because we
06:53as actors
06:54had not been
06:55on set together
06:55in a while.
06:56Lawrence had his own
06:57storyline in the show
06:59so I didn't see
07:00Issa Rae
07:01as much
07:02so that was also
07:04a really interesting
07:05thing that like
07:06life was imitating
07:08art and art
07:08was imitating life
07:09in a way
07:10where we got to
07:11play on some of that.
07:12I think it's the best
07:13episode of the show.
07:14I was terrified
07:15of this role
07:16but I did not know
07:19I was
07:19not that I didn't
07:20want to do it
07:21I was afraid
07:21of the vulnerability
07:23of this role
07:24I think
07:24and Lawrence
07:25is such a dude
07:26who lives
07:26inside his head
07:27and I'm such
07:28the opposite of that.
07:29I felt my work
07:30as a performer
07:31my work as an actor
07:32is to build
07:34this character
07:34and I think
07:35through that
07:36I learned a lot
07:37about myself
07:38so yeah
07:39I think you take
07:40a lot
07:40for me
07:41I took a lot
07:41from a role
07:42like this.
07:43Alright next up
07:44Top Gun Maverick
07:45200 push ups
07:53That's a lot
07:54of push ups
07:54Well they don't call
07:55an exercise
07:56for nothing
07:57sir
07:57Crazy
08:02Crazy
08:04Alright so let me
08:07back up
08:07this is absolutely
08:08insane
08:08so first of all
08:09you know
08:10we are
08:11I think for this
08:13we actually
08:13flew formation
08:15with Miles
08:16a couple times
08:17so you know
08:17in flying formation
08:18that's two planes
08:19actually flying
08:20with each other
08:21at the same time
08:22we shot this piece
08:23together
08:24when Tom shoots
08:24through us
08:25we shot that piece
08:26together
08:26that scene is crazy
08:28I haven't seen that
08:29in a couple years
08:30and that's absolutely
08:31insane
08:31that that jet
08:31just shoots
08:32through there
08:32through there like that
08:34but you know
08:34when you're in these jets
08:35you're like
08:36we're probably going
08:37four or five hundred
08:39miles an hour
08:40five to six hundred
08:41miles an hour
08:41probably
08:42we would sit in
08:43these briefing meetings
08:44before we flew
08:45for like an hour
08:46and you would go
08:47through your whole
08:47flight plan
08:48you would go
08:49through your scene
08:49you would go
08:50through the moves
08:52for the plane
08:52and what the plane
08:53was going to do
08:54and what you needed
08:55the jet to do
08:55in order for you
08:56to execute
08:56what was being
08:57asked of you
08:58then we also
08:59had to go
08:59through all
08:59these safety
09:00protocols
09:00we had to know
09:01the weather
09:01so there was like
09:02so much technical
09:03that had to go
09:04into this
09:04while also still
09:06performing
09:06it was wildly
09:07different than
09:07anything I'd ever
09:08done before
09:09I mean
09:09first of all
09:10you're working
09:11with Tom Cruise
09:11you're learning
09:12how to fly a jet
09:13you know
09:14you're with this
09:15ensemble of
09:16insanely talented
09:17people who
09:17you're all going
09:19through this
09:19experience together
09:20which I think
09:21bonded us
09:21in a really unique
09:23way that you
09:23don't often get
09:24in projects
09:25but this was crazy
09:26you know
09:27and I think about
09:27payback
09:28and my whole thing
09:29was like
09:29I always wanted
09:30payback
09:31to be a guy
09:31who like
09:32felt cool
09:33felt smooth
09:33and he's like
09:34always the guy
09:35who like
09:36will ask you
09:37for five dollars
09:38and never pay
09:38you back
09:39like that was
09:40like he's just
09:41like but I also
09:42like this idea
09:43that like he's
09:43a sharpshooter
09:44like he's really
09:44good he's a
09:45he's a cowboy
09:46right
09:47he's a gunslinger
09:48and like he's
09:49really good
09:49at what he does
09:50and so there
09:50is an ego
09:51and there's
09:51a cockiness
09:52to that
09:52that's kind
09:53of how I
09:53constantly
09:54thought about him
09:55Tally
09:56Tally
09:56Tally
09:56Marek's
09:57coming in
09:57Tally
09:58Tally
09:58Tally
09:58Tally
09:59more Danny
10:00Danny's back
10:01there like
10:02like the whole
10:04time
10:05and I'm not
10:05going to tell
10:05you how many
10:06times Danny
10:06Ramirez threw
10:07up
10:08he'd be mad
10:09it was a lot
10:10where's your
10:11wingman
10:11I got you
10:13I'm coming
10:14crazy
10:16this is insane
10:21I still can't
10:22believe we did
10:22this
10:22that's the joy
10:24of it
10:24like that's the
10:25I don't even
10:26know how to
10:26explain it
10:27like that's
10:27why I do
10:28it
10:28like that's
10:29why I love
10:29this so much
10:30that's why it
10:31reads on camera
10:32and why Tom
10:33refused to do
10:34this on a
10:35stage
10:35like he was
10:37you know his
10:38whole thing was
10:38like if I'm
10:39gonna make this
10:39movie it has
10:40to be real
10:41it has to be
10:41in the Jets
10:41because the
10:42reality of it
10:43is like we
10:43would never
10:44be able to
10:45act what
10:47that feels
10:47like
10:48you just
10:49can't
10:49and also
10:50your face
10:50from the G's
10:52fully drags
10:53down like you
10:53can't you can't
10:54make that up
10:55you can't
10:56simulate that
10:56and so I
10:57think you
10:58know it is
10:59obviously your
11:00adrenaline is
11:00pumping
11:02and you're
11:02tired by the
11:03end of it
11:03you know what I
11:04mean and
11:04obviously there's
11:04so many things
11:05to worry about
11:06but I don't
11:08know that's
11:09the beauty
11:09of the job
11:10like that is
11:11what I was
11:11born to do
11:12so I don't
11:12know any
11:13other way
11:13to think
11:13about it
11:14but to
11:14love it
11:15I do
11:18appreciate that
11:19Rooster did
11:20all 200
11:21push-ups
11:21and I didn't
11:22have to
11:22shout out
11:24to Miles
11:24oh that's
11:33fun
11:33I haven't
11:33watched that
11:34in a while
11:34that's a lot
11:34of fun
11:35so now
11:35we're gonna
11:36watch the
11:36very first
11:37show that
11:37I ever
11:37did
11:38the game
11:39playing
11:39blue
11:39so this
11:41is
11:42this was
11:42my very
11:43first episode
11:44of this
11:44show
11:44this was
11:45episode
11:45100
11:46of this
11:48show
11:48and I
11:49Lauren
11:49London
11:49and I
11:50joined
11:50in episode
11:51100
11:51can I
11:52tell you
11:53the amount
11:53of pressure
11:54it is
11:54to join
11:55a show
11:55that has
11:56been going
11:56for a
11:57hundred
11:57also a
11:58show
11:58that did
11:59three seasons
12:00on the
12:01CW
12:01got cancelled
12:02and was such
12:03a cultural
12:04phenomena
12:05that basically
12:06pushed BET
12:08to bring the
12:09show back
12:10and this show
12:11is really
12:11interesting
12:12because it
12:12had three
12:12very different
12:13lives
12:13and you know
12:14I changed
12:14the show
12:15for the better
12:15you know
12:15what I'm
12:15saying
12:16I didn't
12:16steal
12:16anything
12:17from you
12:17alright
12:18and if
12:20there's
12:20anyone
12:20to blame
12:21here
12:21look at
12:21yourself
12:21because
12:22obviously
12:22you
12:22couldn't
12:23hold
12:23on to
12:23your
12:23position
12:24I
12:24watched
12:25this
12:25show
12:25for
12:27four or
12:27five
12:27years
12:28before
12:28like I
12:28watched
12:29this
12:29show
12:29I remember
12:30getting
12:30the audition
12:31for this
12:31show
12:31and I
12:32was
12:32like
12:32well
12:33they're
12:33never
12:33gonna
12:33hire
12:33me
12:33for
12:34this
12:34eight
12:34auditions
12:35later
12:35which
12:35is
12:35crazy
12:36eight
12:36auditions
12:37later
12:37they
12:38called
12:39me
12:39to test
12:39for
12:39I go
12:40in
12:40thinking
12:41if
12:41they
12:41don't
12:42give
12:42me
12:42this
12:42job
12:43I
12:43will
12:43find
12:44out
12:44where
12:44every
12:45single
12:45one
12:45of
12:45these
12:45people
12:46I
12:46will
12:46throw
12:46eggs
12:47I
12:48will
12:48toilet
12:48paper
12:48them
12:49I
12:50will
12:50I
12:50will
12:50send
12:51them
12:51emails
12:51non-stop
12:52for
12:53not
12:53hiring
12:53me
12:54shout
12:54out
12:54to
12:54Mara
12:54Brock
12:55Akil
12:55because
12:56she
12:56did
12:56hire
12:56me
12:56changed
12:57my
12:57life
12:57my
12:58first
13:01fight
13:01scene
13:01I
13:02didn't
13:02even
13:03realize
13:03that
13:03this
13:04was
13:04crazy
13:04I
13:05I'm
13:09forever
13:10grateful
13:10to that
13:11cast
13:12because
13:13it made
13:14me realize
13:15who I
13:15wanted to
13:15be
13:15every day
13:16when I
13:16went to
13:16work
13:17like
13:17they
13:17knew
13:17these
13:17characters
13:18in
13:19and
13:19out
13:20so
13:20well
13:21like
13:21Wendy
13:22you
13:22didn't
13:22even
13:22have
13:22to
13:22put
13:23a
13:23mark
13:23down
13:23she
13:23knew
13:24where
13:24her
13:24light
13:24was
13:24while
13:25there
13:25was
13:25a
13:25lot
13:25of
13:26pressure
13:26because
13:26I
13:26joined
13:27in
13:27the
13:27100th
13:27episode
13:28and
13:29replaced
13:29a
13:30character
13:30that
13:30was
13:30very
13:31loved
13:31there
13:33wasn't
13:33pressure
13:34because
13:34I
13:34also
13:35this
13:36was
13:36their
13:37house
13:37they
13:37built
13:38this
13:38and
13:39I
13:39just
13:39get
13:39to
13:39come
13:39and
13:40play
13:40and
13:41have
13:41fun
13:41inside
13:42of
13:42it
13:42and
13:42I
13:42think
13:43that
13:43really
13:43erased
13:44any
13:45fears
13:46or
13:46any
13:46doubts
13:47and
13:48let
13:48this
13:48show
13:49you know
13:49this show
13:49was supposed
13:49to end
13:50after this
13:50season
13:50this was
13:51supposed
13:51to be
13:51the last
13:52season
13:52of the
13:52show
13:52and
13:52the
13:53ratings
13:53ended up
13:53being
13:54so
13:54big
13:54so
13:55they
13:55ended
13:56up
13:56renewing
13:56us
13:56for
13:57another
13:57three
13:57seasons
13:58after
13:58this
13:58which
13:58was
13:58crazy
13:59this
13:59was
13:59a
13:59tense
14:00episode
14:00but
14:01they
14:01were
14:01also
14:01saying
14:02goodbye
14:02to
14:02Pooch
14:02they
14:03were
14:03saying
14:03goodbye
14:03to
14:04Derwin
14:04right
14:05that
14:05was
14:06you know
14:06again
14:06something
14:06that's
14:07like
14:07bouncing
14:07off
14:07the
14:08walls
14:08inside
14:08that
14:08tiny
14:09little
14:09kitchen
14:09where
14:10we
14:10have
14:10to
14:10have
14:11this
14:11fight
14:11where
14:12he
14:12head
14:12butts
14:13me
14:13and
14:13I
14:13swing
14:14at
14:14him
14:14you know
14:15and
14:16we
14:16had
14:16an
14:16amazing
14:16stunt
14:17team
14:17that
14:17stepped
14:18in
14:18and I
14:18was
14:18like
14:18hey
14:18man
14:19I've
14:19never
14:19I've
14:20never
14:20thrown
14:20a
14:20punch
14:20before
14:21a
14:21camera
14:21so
14:21I
14:22just
14:22gotta
14:22look
14:22good
14:23this
14:23is
14:23a
14:23guy
14:23who
14:24like
14:24is
14:24not
14:24only
14:25a
14:25phenomenal
14:25football
14:25player
14:26but
14:26he's
14:26also
14:26smart
14:28he
14:28also
14:28graduated
14:29with
14:29a
14:294.0
14:30and he
14:30actually
14:31went to
14:31class
14:31and took
14:31hard
14:32classes
14:32and so
14:33there
14:33was
14:33also
14:33this
14:34thing
14:34of
14:34like
14:34he
14:34has
14:35a
14:35bit
14:35of
14:36an
14:36arrogance
14:36to
14:36him
14:37because
14:37not
14:37only
14:37does
14:38he
14:38think
14:38he's
14:38a
14:38better
14:49you're
14:50a
14:50tough
14:51guy
14:51to
14:51get
14:51a
14:51hold
14:51of
14:51yeah
14:53it's
14:53been
14:53crazy
14:53good
14:54news
14:54is
14:55I
14:55spoke
14:55with
14:55the
14:55commissioner
14:56got it
14:56down
14:56to
14:56a
14:57fine
14:57not a
14:57suspension
14:58all you
14:58have to
14:58do
14:58is
14:59read
14:59this
14:59apology
14:59and we're
15:00good to
15:00go
15:00I'm not
15:03apologizing
15:03so for
15:04eight episodes
15:05we've watched
15:06coach J
15:07and Isla
15:08form this
15:10friendship
15:10right
15:11obviously he
15:12works for
15:12her
15:12but like
15:13it's been
15:13cool to
15:14watch them
15:14kind of
15:15form this
15:15thing
15:16where like
15:16they're
15:16bouncing
15:17ideas off
15:18of each
15:19there's this
15:19thing
15:20between
15:20them
15:20that I
15:21think
15:21they
15:22somewhere
15:23inside
15:24they feel
15:26whether they've
15:27obviously
15:27expressed it
15:28or not
15:28but this is
15:29interesting
15:29because this
15:30is the first
15:30time where
15:30we actually
15:31see them
15:31butt heads
15:32like we
15:32see them
15:33in a
15:33completely
15:33different
15:34way
15:34and challenge
15:35each other
15:35but we're
15:36now getting
15:36to see
15:37this like
15:37different
15:38side
15:38of him
15:38which I
15:39think
15:40even
15:40Isla
15:40is very
15:41surprised
15:41by this
15:42okay
15:43look
15:43I know
15:44divorce
15:45is
15:45painful
15:46I've
15:47been through
15:47it myself
15:48yo
15:48yo
15:48stop
15:49okay
15:49your 10-minute
15:50marriage to
15:51Mr. 90210
15:52is not the
15:53same thing
15:54as my life
15:54with my
15:55children
15:55and Olivia
15:56and if
15:56you got a
15:57problem
15:57with that
15:57then you
15:58can get
15:58a new
15:58goddamn
15:59head coach
16:00practice
16:03practice
16:03stopped
16:03keep it up
16:07her physical
16:11comedy is
16:12so fucking
16:13good
16:13her physical
16:14comedy is
16:14so good
16:15she runs
16:15into that
16:16door like
16:16five times
16:17throughout that
16:17show
16:17and every
16:18single time
16:19it's like
16:19the first
16:19time
16:20so good
16:21so so good
16:22just
16:24too clean
16:25smudge
16:26them up
16:26or something
16:26they are
16:27actually
16:27playing
16:27basketball
16:28in front
16:28of us
16:29and what
16:29they're
16:29they're
16:30using
16:30a foam
16:31ball
16:31that looks
16:32just like
16:33a basketball
16:33and it
16:33actually
16:34bounces
16:34you have
16:34to push
16:35it really
16:35hard
16:35but it
16:35actually
16:36bounces
16:36they are
16:37still
16:37playing
16:37with that
16:38ball
16:38they're
16:38still
16:38bouncing
16:38it
16:39they're
16:39still
16:39throwing
16:39it
16:39to
16:39each
16:40other
16:40they're
16:40still
16:40shooting
16:40it
16:41last
16:41one
16:41is
16:41Freaky
16:41Tales
16:42Sleepy
16:43Floyd
16:43how crazy
17:02is it
17:02to just
17:02see somebody
17:03walk out
17:03in a black
17:04leather jacket
17:04with a knife
17:05with a sword
17:06in their hand
17:06and just
17:07nod at you
17:07I'd be like
17:08bro I gotta
17:09go
17:09Freaky Tales
17:10is a fun
17:10one
17:11you know
17:11I had never
17:11done martial
17:12arts before
17:13I think
17:13I had
17:13like a
17:14white belt
17:14when I was
17:15probably
17:15like in
17:16fifth grade
17:17and I'm
17:18pretty sure
17:18I did not
17:18get a yellow
17:19belt
17:19after sticking
17:20with it
17:21for a little
17:21while
17:21I had
17:22about
17:22four and a
17:23half
17:23five weeks
17:23to basically
17:25learn like
17:25five or six
17:26different styles
17:26of martial
17:27arts
17:27five or six
17:28different weapons
17:29and then also
17:30learn the
17:31choreography
17:31I usually
17:32always create
17:33a playlist
17:33for a character
17:34that I
17:35play
17:36for Lawrence
17:36I had this
17:37very east
17:37coast
17:38like early
17:392000s
17:40mid 2000s
17:41like hip hop
17:42like and also
17:43like super
17:44like heady guys
17:45like a Talib
17:46Kweli
17:46or like a
17:47most deaf
17:47or you know
17:48some early
17:49Jay-Z
17:49for the game
17:50I had like
17:51a whole nother
17:52like version
17:53of like
17:53he was from
17:54Stanford
17:55he had graduated
17:55from Stanford
17:56and so I had
17:56like a whole
17:57like California
17:58playlist
17:59hip hop playlist
17:59that was for him
18:00but then also
18:01had like
18:01jazz
18:02some classical
18:04every now and
18:04again
18:05for this
18:06I was constantly
18:06listening to this
18:07playlist
18:08so I know
18:08every single
18:10song
18:11like beat
18:12for beat
18:13and word
18:13for word
18:14pretty much
18:15through all
18:16of Sleepy's
18:16sequence
18:17Yarbrough and Peoples
18:18is probably my
18:19favorite
18:19because it's like
18:20right when like
18:21Sleepy rips off
18:22his jacket
18:22and he's got
18:23that yellow vest
18:24with all the knives
18:24and he kind of
18:25like squares up
18:26and he's about
18:26to like fight
18:27these 25
18:2830 guys
18:29that like rush him
18:30and it's
18:31don't you
18:32stop it
18:33while he's like
18:34you know
18:35slicing people
18:36and parrying
18:37and fighting
18:37and kicking
18:38and so that
18:39was like
18:39the use of it
18:40was like
18:40was amazing
18:41I love
18:43storytelling
18:44I love performing
18:46I love acting
18:47and I think
18:48as cheesy
18:49as that probably
18:50sounds
18:50but I
18:51I think
18:52going from
18:53film and television
18:55where I've been
18:56very fortunate
18:57and have gotten
18:58to do a lot
18:58of really cool things
18:59and work with a lot
18:59of really great people
19:00I find myself
19:02constantly seeking
19:03more challenges
19:04and other challenges
19:05and pushing myself
19:06and to me
19:08like the next
19:08you know
19:09evolution of that
19:10was getting on stage
19:11Duke and Roya
19:12is the story
19:13of two people
19:14from two completely
19:15different parts
19:16of the world
19:17one is a rapper
19:18on a USO tour
19:19the other
19:21is an Afghani
19:23translator
19:23on this military base
19:25who ultimately
19:27kind of
19:28get thrown together
19:29and through
19:31conversation
19:33and exploration
19:35and curiosity
19:36not only
19:37do they see
19:38each other
19:38but they start
19:40to see themselves
19:40and explore
19:41who they really are
19:42while also
19:43kind of falling
19:44for each other
19:44I met
19:45Warren Adams
19:46who's our
19:47director
19:48of this
19:49play
19:51we randomly
19:52had a coffee
19:53and an agent
19:54introduced us
19:55and he was like
19:55would you ever
19:56do a play
19:56and I was like
19:57yeah actually
19:57I want to do a play
19:58I actually been
19:58wanting to like
19:59get on stage
20:00and like be terrified
20:01a little bit
20:02I fell in love
20:03with this play
20:03I fell in love
20:04with like the journey
20:05that this character
20:06goes on
20:06because it felt
20:07like such an artist
20:08journey
20:09I think in life
20:10we've all spent
20:11time with people
20:12who've made us
20:13just think in a
20:14different way
20:14for whether that's
20:16a short amount
20:16of time
20:16or a long amount
20:17of time
20:17and I think
20:18that's a very
20:18relatable thing
20:19and then
20:19very specifically
20:20for this character
20:21I think that
20:21you know
20:22he
20:22he needed
20:24to be pushed
20:25by someone
20:25who respected him
20:27for what he did
20:28but also saw him
20:30for who he is
20:31yo
20:37thank you
20:38for hanging out
20:39with me
20:39and scrolling
20:40through some
20:41of my old school
20:42favorite scenes
20:44of mine
20:44this has been
20:45crazy
20:45it's wild
20:46to see
20:47all of
20:48this
20:49this work
20:50that I've been
20:51able to do
20:51I've been fortunate
20:52to do
20:52appreciate y'all
20:53thanks Hollywood
20:54Report
20:54to do
20:56this work
21:00I've been
21:14doing
21:14to do
21:15this work
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