Andre Royo spent an hour with ro to discuss his latest projects and roles he’s attracted to.
Tell me about your latest project?
Right now I’m in Chicago having a wonderful time working on Fox’s hit show “Empire.” It’s been a terrific experience and reminds me of the Bronx. Hip-hop’s family drama and everybody acting the fool — only the Lyon Family is a whole lot more talented and better dressed! The cast and crew have been great and I’m blessed to be working on an exciting and ground breaking show. My character’s name is Thurston “Thirsty” Rawlings, attorney at law. Thirsty’s both street-wise and educated. He doesn’t fall for the illusion of inclusion in society! He believes there are no laws, just lawyers. And, if you’re his client, you just got the coolest get out of jail card you’ll ever need. His client right now is Lucious Lyon. Do I need to say anything more?
I also just finished working on season one of Amazon Prime’s original series “Hand of God” where I play Mayor Robert “Bobo” Boston. “Hand of God” reminds me of the great 80’s crime dramas and thrillers like Body Heat or Against All Odds where, just because you’re dealing with dark and twisted shenanigans, it still looks slick and sexy. Also, I’m working on an independent film called Hunter Gatherer directed by Josh Locy. This film is a haunting depiction of wants versus needs in human emotion.
While depicting the character “Bubbles”, what was working on “The Wire” like?
Like the first time I made love or at least had sex. Not sure what I was truly doing, but hoping — no praying! — I was getting it right! It was like doing a master class in acting on the biggest baddest stage ever built: Baltimore. I prepared and researched my butt off to find the character and then had to release all my fears and trust my instincts that I was ready and belonged here and now. Early on, the cast realized the story was most important, so we held each other accountable. We checked all egos at the door and became a family. It is an experience I will cherish forever.
At the time, did you have any idea that it would have such a groundbreaking affect?
No, not at all. In fact, we thought “Hey, this is kinda slow, isn’t it?” What are we doing and who’s watching? Remember, when we originally aired back in 2000-2005, the numbers were low and there were no nominations for anything. We just got love from the streets. Then, HBO Go, On Demand, DVD’s, TiVo ushered in binge TV watching. That became the landscape of television and the social media conversations spread the word about “The Wire.” True fans told the world that “The Wire” had had long shown people what they didn’t know or tried to ignore. I am very grateful for that.
Have you noticed any larger opportunities for African American actors in Hollywood?
I noticed that there are so many more people of color on television now because there are so many more channels and mediums for original programming. Also, society now thirsts for better content which reflects the look of our world now. But, on the flip side we still need more than just ‘the Show,’ we need more diversity in ‘the Business’ part of the game!
What are some changes the industry needs to make?
Diversity, diversity, diversity. More than in front of the camera, but behind it as well. As a father of a teen-age daughter who questions the depiction of women in the entertainment business, I’ve had eye-opening moments and would love to see opportunity and equality both economically and in representation on screen, including the boardroom for women.
What types of roles are you drawn to?
Honestly, I want to be able to bring a lot to the table, so give me a chance in the room and let me help bring a character to life. I don’t believe I’m allowed as an artist to judge a character, but I should find the layers and the who, what, why and how of the characters’ make up. So I’m drawn to a role that will allow me to have that opportunity. So I guess on the page it has to feel like there is a character I can build on and not a one dimensional stick figure.
