Actor Aaron Jennings plays Anthony Holmes, a carefree accountant living in Los Angeles on NBC’s hit comedy “Grand Crew.” The show is based on Jennings’ character and his co-stars, Echo Kellum, Nicole Byer, Justin Cunningham, Carl Tart, and Grasie Mercedes meeting up at their favorite neighborhood wine bar to update each other on their latest life adventures.
In both seasons of the television series, the comedy has captivated fans with its quirky yet relatable punchlines. Jennings opened up about his relationship with fellow cast members and how the show compares to popular Black ’90s sitcoms.
What was it like landing an acting gig like this and how has it changed your life?
I feel proud to be a part of an all-Black sitcom. You know you don’t generally get to see a lot of that on network television so for us to sort of continue that tradition much like “In Living Single,” “Martin,” “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “The Wayans Bros.” and on and on. It’s an honor to be a part of that. We get to carry on that torch so to speak. Mostly at this stage of my life, it has expanded my palate and I know a lot more about wine now. The show is centered around friends that meet at a wine bar and unwind. Since I landed the show, I’ve started drinking a lot more wine.
In this comedy, is the character you play completely different from your personality?
I wouldn’t say completely different but there are things that I have taken from playing Anthony. I’m like, “ahh, I can see a little bit of myself in him.” I don’t subscribe to all of how Anthony gets down, I suppose.
How does Anthony get down, and how do you bring a little bit of yourself to the role?
I think Anthony is focused on his work. I think that’s his first love and I like to always say that I have more of a work-life balance. Also, Anthony is much more neurotic than I am. It has been fun to kind of play into that a little bit because you don’t want to be too neurotic in your personal life. When you get permission on the screen to do that, it’s a lot of fun. It makes for some good comedy.
