Do you come from an artistic family?
My mother was an actress and used to write poetry, and my dad was always in the music business. My mother used to do voices when she read to me, so it was always really natural when I was watching shows or movies or reading, to put on a character myself and that became a very big part of my growing up. My sister and I used to have a huge quantity of teddy bears we’d play with which we’d cast in “movies” – we’d just make up stories and characters and each bear was a recurring character. So there were a lot of theatrish things in my life growing up and it just naturally followed into my adolescence and now my adulthood.

You’re a hiphop artist – how does that relate to Shakespeare? Do you find hiphop informs your practice as a Shakespearian?
Actually, I learn my scripts, especially Shakespeare, according to the beats. I put on a low-fi hiphop playlist and I will say my lines to that. And each beat is different. Sometimes a slow melodic song comes on, sometimes it will be a more upbeat tempo, so saying the same lines to these different songs give them a different vibe. That has helped me realize that everything has rhythm. You know that when we speak, we talk in iambic pentameter but we don’t notice? Everything has its own beat. I’m able to find that and change it. It makes it easier for me to switch up how I say something, because I know there is not one set way. Any song can be sung by any person and sound different. Having developed that awareness as a hiphop artist does help.
Director Peter Giser says he saw you for the first time handing out flyers on the street and was immediately struck by the thought, “If this guy’s not an actor, he should be”. How did you make that impression?
It was my fifth day on my new job as a brand ambassador. We were handing out notebooks to college students – typically everyone thinks this is boring. But I had put my speaker on the side, I was dancing and yelling, “Anyone want a flyer? Write in the notebook, write your notes, we don’t care what you do with the notebook, just take the notebook”. I was dancing to Bruno Mars when some person behind me just tapped me on the shoulder and says, “Are you an actor?” And it was Peter. I said I was, and he said, “I’m doing Hamlet and I would love for you to audition for me.” I was so taken out, I was just dancing on the street. He took down my contact information and he left. Then I said to myself, “I didn’t take down any of his information! What was his name again? What company was he from?” Because I was so busy with my work I had no idea what I just did, so I thought “Well that’s an opportunity lost”. But lo and behold a couple months later he messaged me.
What do you think about playing a character who is typically played by a white actor, does it matter?
The play doesn’t change its meaning because I’m a black man. Whatever race, gender, whatever, Hamlet is still a person, going through the same thing and standing by his convictions. That’s what this play I believe is about. It is about honesty.
What has been your experience as a black actor when there are still relatively few black roles out there?
If I was to say “because this person is white then I can’t play them” then I would not be in many of the plays I have already been in! I’m always very confident that my personality and my work will get me the role. In fact, in 2019, my skin colour helps me more than it doesn’t. Everyone is intent on diversity, and there are people who will change a role because they like my work, and they want more diverse casting. So I’m at a point where it doesn’t affect me negatively anymore, for me it even does wonders.

Any dream roles you’d like to take on?
Othello, of course! And Hamlet was one of them, so I’ve got that out of the way! I’d also like to do Fences (August Wilson), that’s a black play, and Raisin in the Sun. Broadway-wise I would love to be the MC in Cabaret. Moviewise I would like to be a superhero. I always wanted to be Miles Morales, the Black Spiderman, but he’s too young for me to play at this point. But there’s a black superhero named Static Shock, who has never been portrayed in a live action film or series – I would like to have someone make the costume and do a kind of trailer and photo shoot to stir up interest for that!
Do you have any role models or heroes?
My first and foremost role model would be my brother Ian. He has always been a beacon of light. He used to not be able to gain weight and now he’s a bodybuilder and owns his own gym! Ian is the epitome of if you want it, you can do it. My twin sister keeps me level. She’s the one who knows when I’m overdoing it and she’s the only one who can tell me. Finally, my best friend Gabriel Infante, he’s someone who keeps me grounded. We push each other – if my show was bad, he’s not gonna come up to me and shower me with false praise. Because we’re not gonna improve if we lie to each other.