Michael Ealy Talks TURNING DOWN 2 Fast 2 Furious + Young Fame and More EP 69 | The Crew Has It

at least traffic because you like you go to start out we can start out we want to go into this but i'm just like you're not helping the cause i'm trying to get him out of here you're not going to get out of here the last ones of the airport by breakfast by beckford day one day one good to see y'all motherfucking dude in spence i just saw Brendan in New York oh oh did you we got a shoe we got a shoe sorry sorry sorry no no we got a shoe every time we're just fucking around he's like we got a shoot we got a shoot we got a shoot we literally just the end me the other day random he was like yo Mike we got a shoot as we think how do you wait wait where'd you see him i was um i did this mlk event in yu and i had spoken to him like a couple days before and he's like yo hit me up when you get here i was like all right cool so after the inner yu event we linked up at like my hotel and just had dinner and talk shit all night and i was like yo man just seeing your fucking face makes me want to work with you yeah miss that motherfucker yeah so Brendan Walsh i don't want to think we ever had him on the podcast but he was um first season uh first ad second season he directed one episode and then uh third and fourth he was producing director so for people that don't know of ghost but yeah Brendan's the goat man i love him i miss him that's my guy man he's from he's from he's from the DMV uh yeah like we grew up at like you know in in in in the same same area and stuff and he's uh so yeah he was just so much fun to work with everybody was so much work with him that's he's just a sweet guy like i i think i had Easter with his family one year like because i wasn't going anywhere like he's just a really sweet guy yeah like this this some special people that you meet along the way and have you have you actually had a lot of that of people that you've stayed in contact with like crew members and stuff like that or so i'm at that point in my career now man where uh god it's so crazy everything you go on somebody worked with you yeah like everywhere you go this last one i just did sound guys were with me before the uh uh uh somebody else on the crew they all were like i've worked with oh the the second ad had worked with me before on a tv show like everywhere i go now you know i run into people that i that i've worked with before and it's you know it's it's kind of indicative of your reputation right you know what i mean because if they didn't like you on something they might not say anything to you about working together working with you right right so with with me i've been really lucky and uh everybody's like hey man we did so and so and i'm like oh you know what i mean and and it's like yo it was great working with you man upto everybody on the crew you great to work with and it's like yeah that's that's the way i want to try so two things you could take from what michael lily just said a you got a fuck ton of credits and b he is the best to work with which obviously we'll get into but dude like when i saw that you were cast and i know michael thinks the same because we have this conversation we were just so fucking excited man you're like a legend i was like oh so excited you're a legend eerie yeah i was like yeah it's lit we both love your work and you've been in some crazy shit and like that's why we want to have you on we just want to talk about like where it all started where it came like oh man all that oh that's amazing man and you know for what it's worth it was absolutely amazing working on that show man i'm so sad that we didn't get a chance to run it back right but man i had so much fun with you guys and people ask me like is it is it fun to work on that show yeah it's like it's the most fun yeah it's perhaps like it's it's beyond fun yeah and it's like you're great to shoot in new york and everybody in that crew was just the best that crew is incredible everybody was so kind everybody I don't know i mean you guys had you guys had a longer run with him so you know i'm like right now literally well i had well some of them would some of them i had four or five years with because some of them were new some of them didn't come from power but a lot of them were familiar but man bro that's literally their fans they watch you grow up maybe they do watch me grow up since i was 12 bro like 26 bro i think about that all the time like bro happy we really told me half of my life bro yeah literally half of my life would do yeah it's crazy do you have a favorite project do you have like a number like a a number one in their favorite project because you've been in some crazy shit Michael uh i got i got so i got favorite projects for certain reasons for sure like you know to me like when i did miracle at st anna which is one that you know was huge for me it was it was amazing because i got to work with spiky who's my idol growing up and then two that was the first time i worked overseas and would you shoot that yeah we shot that in italy nice nice that was my first part my first time shooting overseas was in italy two italy two were part room okay we shot we shot in uh in room and we shot in luca which is in tuscany and uh and it was it was incredible you know we went and um i remember being in room the first day and we shot at chinachita studios and that's where like felini did all of his stuff and it's just like it was nuts man because you know there they still you don't go shopping for your clothes they make your clothes so like all of our uniforms were like handmade by these little Italian women and stuff that's cool and he was just like oh this is this is nuts man this is like real filmmaking it's like real filmmaking and we shot you know we shot on film and it was maddie lee batik is the dp so it was like incredibly well shot um and then working with you know working with spiky who is the reason i got into this you know what i mean like his early movies his movies just his early movies man yeah when i saw um you guys probably were born but it was uh mobeta blues um was like the movie that made me think okay i think maybe i could pull this off and how how old are you at that point 14 you're 14 and did anyone tell you anything about tv film like you should be an actor you're you're a good look like was there any of that or you just saw that movie and that was the first no when i was when i was 14 i had discovered architecture uh-huh and that was my that was my thing like that's all i wanted to do that's awesome i didn't want to act at 14 but but but mobeta blues made me think oh this good this good work yeah you know what i mean like this could be an interesting career if you could do it right i mean but nobody my family you know i didn't have like any romance yeah no one wants to tell you yeah be an actor nobody this will work out nobody thought that time it's like so far fancy even with that yeah yeah yeah yeah it was just like a fan meeting or yeah yeah it wasn't a lot of examples when i was coming up right people who could make movies um and so you know spik and john singleton they were all coming into their own at that time and that created a real movement i think with there weren't a lot of um you know black movies and like directors and actors at that time that spik was kind of the first like what and then was there an actor that you kind of looked up to being in those films i mean because at that time there really wasn't much on tensel and wesley were were kind of like and Lawrence Fishburn yeah he's just like i mean every time i see him it's just like my gosh my man like he really he's i mean he's a child actor yeah so like you know he started with with uh with Coppola you know what i mean it's like that's you know the hustle that he did to get into that movie was crazy in terms of you know faking his age and stuff like that but he's uh he's a he's a legend and those guys were like those guys were just kind of discovering their own careers at that time and the business was kind of in a lot of ways integrating around that time and so that was that was kind of dope that was kind of dope yeah they they were the guys i looked up to for sure that's fire and what was the first thing that you did you you see mobeta blues do you get into an acting class or do you like what do you so what what's like the first thing michael elie does acting wise mobeta blues was the first movie that kind of showed me that it could be you could it could be cool right to be an actor like the way that denzel played me bleak and the way that wesley played uh what was his character's name i want to call him ghost but it wasn't there um wesley wesley was like his rival rival guy and stuff and you know just shadow thank you close close i don't like so we got the three mites in here what i know right watching them kind of like you know kind of go at each other and that wasn't their first movie you know those weren't their first films they had done other stuff um but it was like wow this was like a black director a black tp and earnest dickerson and then um you know just black actors on state on on screen she beautifully lit beautifully shot right and that was the first time i remember thinking oh this could be a real career and they were they were all like emerged in the jazz scene in new york at the time and spikes dad was a jazz musician so you know the soundtrack is still etched in my head you know the mean and uh yeah that was that was uh that was uh that was a classic for me sure so then did you start audition you find an agent or where does that mean no at that point i was still like in high school and i had no interest in becoming an actor i just You know I do like maybe some plays at church or something like that like that But like I was I was gun hole architecture. Right. How long was an architecture? How long down the line did the like the Desperque come like after after like high school? How long did it take for that? I had a good question. Ninety Three summer summer of ninety Three I think yeah, I shot a movie with some friends of mine Who you know we're inspired by spike as well, so they were They were looking to go to film school after we graduated from high school They were looking to go to film school, but everybody was at different schools. One was at more house The other one was at UNC Chapel Hill and they were they did a movie right after we graduated But I had moved away. I moved to North Carolina at that time and so I didn't know they did it and when I came back to school and like My freshman year I saw that they had made a movie and I was like let me be in your next one And they were like, yeah, you got audition and I was like again, it's who? Right, I was like who do y'all know? Possibly Who's and they made me audition and I audition and I got the part and in summer of 93 we spent you know that whole summer kind of shooting that movie And we never finished it, which is interesting. You never finished it Yeah, we never finished that movie, but we spent the summer working on that thing Then we all had to go back to school and that was it Wasn't really how they didn't finish it was just because I had to go back to school. Yeah, we had a time when yeah in experience Yeah, you know what I mean like we were shooting that the funny is it wasn't like we were shooting on film dog We were shooting on like eight millimeter video So it was like yeah, that was that's that's ancient and it was like, you know You know, we were just we just didn't have the experience You're just trying to kind of we were just trying it out really and they had finished their one before but for some reason We didn't finish that we ran out of time, you know, but I was like this is dope. Yeah, but you know, you fell in love with it with I said that feeling is like no different. It doesn't go away I agree I agree Like I see what you step on a new set. It always feels like that first time Yeah, you know it's for some reason. There's nothing like it. There's nothing like when people talk about you know Like do you ever get tired ever you ever think about pivoting and doing something else? I'm like hmm I don't know if it could feed me in that way. You know what I mean? Like there's something about Coming out of your trailer someone's those coming out of their trailer. You're going to this set. You're about to shoot It's just gonna be it's just a dope I read the lines together then y'all really make you say something like make it sound bad You know what I mean? You make it something better You shoot it and then you you know if you know if you're if you're lucky You get to you get to see it succeed right? You know what I mean if you're lucky you get to see it succeed So that's always fucking fun. Yeah All right guys, we're gonna take a quick break We got to put you on as something that we've been obsessed with lately Price picks if you love sports and you love making money This is the place to do it football basketball and hockey season on full effect right now And there's no better time to jump in look the app is so simple to all you do is pick more or less on a few play stats And that's just it no full rosters no salary caps no headache just you versus the numbers and the best part Price picks is live in 40 states, including California, Texas, Georgia So the chances are you can play right now Just use the promo code crew when you download the app again promo code crew C-R-E-W or hit our link in the description whatever you want to do if you lazy just hit the link Well, look we'll even build a lineup with you guys You can follow our public profiles right on the app Gianni Vpeolo Michael Rainey, Jr And you can tell our picks in real time the boys got an insane new offer for our listeners If you play $5 for your first lineup price picks is going to give you $50 and free lineups winner loose So just use our promo code crew when you download the app again promo code crew or hit our link in the description I mean come on like it get that money price please baby. Come on while you're not do that. It's free Although I haven't watched I don't I don't watch anything anymore like I haven't seen a show I haven't seen it nothing I'm watching I'm thinking the same way I'm six years. I haven't watched anything. I haven't watched something. No, no, I'm lying. I watched What is the last thing I watched? It was called the watcher actually, okay. Oh, it's HBO HBO. Yeah, that's the last thing I watched. I was actually fire Yeah, it's fine. I was a ton of time. I'm like I like I like a lot of horror like weird stuff Yeah, I was yeah, but that's probably like the like the last thing I watched like really like binge Yeah, really yeah, are you on TikTok? Are you ripping through like TikTok and social media stuff or no? No, IG Reels nothing I don't really it doesn't really feed me in that way But I feel like you know, I get it all you know, I get it all I get the value of it everything I just I'd like to use it to market things. Yeah, of course. Yeah, you know, it's the best way to use it You know what I mean like me. I'm like me. I'm like we should take a podcast break I gotta rip through some TikTok You guys you guys you guys I remember working with you guys and you guys would be like you know showing each other TikTok time and shit You guys be like this and stuff and it'd be like all right. We got a shoot and you know You guys were just fucking lock in and go get it and you know, I think it was easier for you guys because you had played these characters for Ten years, I think in five years for you So I was like always like trying to be prepared and you know all this other stuff because I didn't have all that luxury But y'all not gonna lie though. Like he he like he brought a different type of like You know preparation to set though because I will see him like prepare and I'm like them. I got a lot again And then like when we have seen together, we would be like rehearsing together. It would just be like Like yeah, this I like I like working with you Yeah, but like for some reason what you is is always makes me like I'm always on my a game work with you Especially with you. I'm like yeah, I got it. It's like sparring with you I appreciate and and that's a good way to look at it right like you feel like you got a really kind like your competitive guy Right, you know what I mean? And I think there's a lot of us in this business that are pretty competitive and when you get into a scene Depending on where you are, you know, like the the nature of the scene like all of our scenes were contentious Yeah, especially for our characters like we were always we were always like So it was like it was like it was like I'm gonna. I'm gonna bring it you bring it and let's make it the best possible For me working with you why I loved it so much is because you're everything I love in an actor where it's like he comes to set He's laughing. He's having fun. He's the crew loves him He's not taking anything too seriously and then he's like ten seconds before you say action Let me get let me get my ten seconds to get in there and then it's it and then you say cut and then we're back to that Like you're the epitome of an of an actor that I love to work with I and that may be other people's processes I just don't like working with people who are like not today, and they like at the sound like brother You're not fucking doing heart surgery Just do the character, you know what I mean like but that's some people's processes I just don't like working with people like that you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah that that's you know they're their times when you know you play certain characters where you are Locton and it never becomes not today. I think for me. I've done things where people have looked at me and saw that I wasn't there Right, you know what I mean? I'm not there. I'm in character. It's just not the time. That's right a stupid question, right So you don't even it goes without even being said like you don't got to be like not Exactly and you don't have to send out a message, because they know you person. Yeah, a hundred percent They know everything is like I bet Yeah, and when that happens to you you do have to dial in I get that you know, but like I like you I as soon as it's over I'm like you got it. Yeah, that's decompressed Let's shut that off, because otherwise you're taking stuff home with you that you don't want to do especially power acting It's very there's high stakes and everything had because we're 11 seasons in now So it's like you can't you can't be 11 seasons in and then it's just less state like the stakes are just higher every season So that's kind of how it is and you guys were dealing with like Like quietly like it was like you know, somebody's getting killed Somebody's gonna get shot in the episode right somebody you guys were shooting people as teenagers like that's not something You know something you kind of wrap your head around lightly and it's like no, I'm just gonna pop up It ain't a fucking video game when people dying off shows, man, so you know, you you have to definitely You know find your space and and go get it, so right so so you do that initial movie doesn't get it doesn't get finished When does Michael Ely pop like when do you start seeing some traction in the career people start knowing who you are a movie start You know getting offers in because Michael is off for only I'll tell you that right now. Well, I'll tell you that for free That was I mean, so that was summer of 93 I Got barbershop in 2001 So less than 10 years later, it's a good amount of time to have to grind and respect it and then pop, you know Yeah, when I got to New York, I had an acting coach who told me you know, he's like give yourself seven years Seven years before you see progress, right? You know, it doesn't mean you're gonna make it seven years But you said seven years if you don't see progress then maybe think of something else to do But he also said if you really want to do this and you want to do something else Go do that something else because this is gonna take everything you have I love that and that really kind of put things in perspective for me. I was able to see results within three years that made me say, "I was doing a lot of theater in New York at the time, and that just made me want to keep going." Right. Like I could do stage work. I don't know if you guys have done it yet, but it is so intimidating to me. It's incredible. It's so intimidating. It's nothing that's, I mean, it's, it's our medium, right? Because there's no cuts, nothing. You have complete control of the audience from start to finish, and you know, you're, really, you know, if you play sports, you know, you really are like a team out there. Right. Just performing. I'm so. I'm so. You got to be so president. You do. You do. You do. You do. You got to purge everything. There's so much going on. How do you done Broadway? That's it. Oh, off. Not not Broadway. Would you? Off Broadway. Yeah. 100%. That'd be cool. I'd love to. Yeah. It would be. It would be fun. It would be very challenging now because it's been years since I've done it. But, but I'm down for it. And like I said, those seven years were great. I did five years in New York and then I moved to LA and within, um, you know, within a couple of months, I got barbershop. Just off in audition, like from an agent or did you meet some on earth? So the weird thing was I was out in LA. I was in here. I was out here just seeing what the lay of the land was like for like three weeks. And my man, Russell, you know, Russell. He's my guy right there. Yeah. He's the reason I don't want to make it. Don't meet. Don't meet. Got you hooked up with that way. Yeah. So Russell, Russell was like, yo, you got your people turn you on to barbershop. I was like, no, I don't know anything about it. He was like, go. This is the name of the casting director, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah. Get your people on it. So I called and they got me like a pre read with the director and the casting director. Yeah. And pre read is like before the audition. Yeah, it's like, it's like, can this guy even speak believe you want you to audition, like, yeah, yeah. And, and so you get the pre read and, and then the casting director at the time, she was the casting director's assistant, which was Felisa Fasano. And Felisa, Felisa was like, yeah, come back tomorrow and I'll introduce you to the director. And I was like, cool. And then I came back the next day and I met Tim's story, the director and, and read three different characters. And all he said to me was nice choices. I left that audition, got in my rental car and decided I was going to move to LA in that moment. Unbelievable. And someone's just telling you like, this is it. I was like, no, no, what it was was what I learned. And this is something you guys again before your time. Back then, if you were in New York and you wanted to get on a show or a movie or something, you had to get, you put on, you went on tape. And then if the casting director showed it to the casting director in LA, maybe you got a call back. But you had to go in. There was no home tapes. Yeah, there's no home tapes. You couldn't put it up yourself. So you, you had to like, really kind of pop in order to get recognition. And what I realized was directors weren't coming to different parts of the country at that time. Right. To see talent. It was like, they were waiting for tapes to fly in from everywhere else. And even back then tapes weren't really coming in from London and stuff like that. So it was like, all right. I was like, all right. So what I realized was out here was like, I was like, I've been out here two weeks and I've already gotten in the room with the director. And like I said, I come from the theater. So I was like, I can make a better impression on directors by being in LA and being in the room. I'm like, trying to get a new stamp being in the room. I listen to him. This is a legendary actor, Michael. You got to listen to him. You got to be in LA for that. That's why you got to make that work. But it does. It gives you the opportunity to make a first hand impression on the director rather than having him just see you through this frame and stuff, you know, the blurry tape and stuff. So it was cool. And I'm glad I did it. And it paid off. It paid off. So so barbershop happens. Do you feel fame starts happening a little bit after that? Yes. What was that right before it before it because something else came up before it. Do you know those popups that are in movie theaters? No. You know how like they'll like, it's like a movie poster, but they'll do like the popups that are like, they're like three-dimensional. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. All the movie theaters, right? I was in that for barbershop. Wow. Fine. And I was getting stories about, I think it was like three different cities. I was, it was reported to me that my head was stolen. Wow. That's how you know you're fucking good looking. I was like, he's just, he's like, yo, they cut off the head and they took it. A lot of shorties and movie theaters just like, yeah, we taking this mind you. We just mind you. Mind you. Nobody knew who I was. Yeah. That's so nobody knew who I was. I was just in a pop up in a movie theater. And so I was hearing about this. And I was like, what? And like then the studio started hearing about it. And then I started getting more press requests and all this other stuff. And then, you know, that was like the first time I really popped. And then going back to what we were talking about earlier about Too Fast, Too Furious. The movie comes out like right before the movie comes out. You guys didn't miss anything. Also, we were talking off camera about. Oh yeah. I don't want the people to be like, wait, wait, what happened there? I'm sorry. Go on. Right before the movie comes out, I get a call to come in and read for Too Fast, Too Furious. And I said, no. Why? I said, oh my god. That's crazy. And the first one was a fun. Like, what was it? Was it huge? The first one was massive was pretty big. Yeah. It was big. But this one was, there was something about the, I can't remember what it was. This one was just John Singleton. And I was just like, no, I don't think so. Like I think I just, it didn't feel like the role was big enough at the time. Right. And then I'll never forget this. I'll never forget this. Then I found out ludicrous got the role that I was up for. Uh-huh. And I was offended. I was offended. Wait, why? I don't know. Just, it didn't matter. I mean, if I like I, I think it was because in my opinion, I had just labeled him as a rapper. And I was like, there's no way he can do what I can do. Got it out of that. And Chris and I talk about this all the time. But like, and so then Neil Moritz calls me into his office. And that's when my team was like, you got to go to this. You got to go to this meeting. So I go and I sit down with Neil. He shows me the car. He shows me the world. I'm looking at all this stuff. I'm like, you know what I mean? He's like, yo, he's like, yo, man, you sure you don't want to do this? I'm like, all right. As I, you got me. You sold me on it. And then I sit down with John. He tells me what he wants to do. I'm like, cool. And then I get there and I'm shooting in Miami. And the movie had just come out maybe like a week and a half before. Mm-hmm. So, so barbershop. You been to Miami. The boys have been in Miami. I just can't. I go to Miami. And my whole life has already changed, right? Because the movie has come out. The movie's still in theaters. Yeah. And I'm in Miami. And like you said, overnight, my whole life had changed. Wow. And so I was in Miami just trying to be like, and I was like, really? Interesting. I was shy. And so I was like, I don't want to go outside. Yeah. I don't want to go outside right now. It's just, you know, and that was before, like, camera phones. Yeah. So like, I remember like, it was just wild. It was crazy because they were shooting bad boys too at the time. And I met Gabb while I was down there shooting that movie. And I met Martin Lawrence, who was from my hometown. And, you know, Martin and I was like, you know, we were just chopping it up. And it was great to meet him because he had come before me and stuff like that through spike and everything. And it was great, man. It was great. And then, you know, hung out with them one night at bed. And that was Anthony Anderson and Michael Bay and all that shit. And it was just like, wow, life was different. And back then, everybody wanted to take your picture, but they had those disposable cameras. You got to wind it up. I was just expecting him. So bad. I was like, wait, they had the light bulb on. I was like, wait, what just, I was like, oh, the disposable. The disposable joint. Yeah, they had the disposable joint. And so we, we, we were doing those pictures in the club all night and stuff. So, so you would go out. Would you go out clubbing? And you at that time, over you too, like, you were too shy to even go out? Or you kind of was, I went out that night because you don't, look, there's times when somebody says, y'all, you want to hang out? And you're like, yes. Yeah. Yeah. Because it's Martin Lawrence. Right. Or it's ice cube. Like, it's like, I remember cube coming them up to me on, on barbershop one and being like, yo, you want to come to the Bulls game with me? I was like this. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I was like this. I was like this. Yeah. Yeah. 100%. I'll figure out the lines tomorrow. Don't worry about it. Yeah. Let's do it. And, and, you know, so, so yeah, that was it. And then the same thing on, on TooFast. So I get to TooFast. I get down to Miami. I can't believe how much things have changed. It's crazy. And, you know, back then they spent so much money that, you know, I was sitting around a lot. before we actually shot and then they send you to drive in school and shit and you learn how to do that. I was just 180 zero to that like what was what was learning how to drive like how was I was I was I was 27 or 28 years old and so they send you down to Miami and they're like oh drive his cars fast as you possibly can. Oh my god, it is. It is. Do you like do that? That is a dream role for me and Michael. That's literally a dream role. Like Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson. Oh my god. You want the car moving me and Michael. Please. Yeah, and that's the thing like they teach you exactly how to pull that emergency break up and do a 180 into camera and stuff. I never even had to do that in the movie, but it was like you know how to do it though. You're kidding me. You're paying me to come into Miami early and then I get to sit around all day. I would pay to do this. Just learn how to drive fast and and make it real and and the reality is they don't let you drive. They make you learn and they still need to let you they make you learn so you look real. So you look like you're really driving at high speeds. But it's like yeah, we were out this old abandoned like airport down there and it was like. Man, it was just nuts. It was nuts and then you know Paul rest in peace. One of the nicest guys I've ever met my entire life. We did two projects together could not have been like a better dude to kind of welcome you to the franchise. Yeah. Just salt to the earth. Good guy man. Really, really, really good guy. Yeah. What was he like on set? Was he like was he a little serious? He was a fun guy on set. Paul was just like all Paul cared about was surfing. You know, building stuff like he's kind of like a like a like a lowkey like a little carpenter. And like you know his daughter. You know, that's all he cared about man he didn't he was not affected by you know the glitz in the glamour of Hollywood. He was very, very down the earth cat man. Just there to do his job. Yeah. And he, you know, he didn't know it was going to blow up the way it did. He was just. He was like, oh it was good. Yeah, cool. You know what I'm saying? It was like cool. That's the coolest part too. You just when you part of something and you just like you just vibrate and you don't even realize what it's going to be. Three years after it's like boom. Yeah. Biggest freaking franchising. Yeah. I mean, I'm sure when you got power you were just jumping on to a television show. I was 12 years old. The only thing I really remember like even like motivating me to even want to be part of it was it's only 57 was exactly producing. I was like what? So I'm gonna be able to be 50. Yeah. I said let's do it. And then mind you, I'm like 12 years old just high and violent on the screen for like what three seasons and after that is just like pops. I'm like, damn this is what I'm a part of. Like what the hell? Right then it blew. Did you have to audition? Yeah, I auditioned. Okay. I don't remember once or twice. I don't remember. I think it might have been. I think I did one audition and then like a callback. Okay. I don't remember vividly. I'm not even going to lie. I don't remember. But I think it was one audition and then the callback. And then the rest was just history. I just went to the table eating. I love it when that happens. Quick fast, right? Yeah. And when you two met, you two met on ghosts, right? No, we met on power last season. You met on power. What was the season five? I was, I was, I booked it as a co star. A one scene in season five. And that was it. I improv the ton. Yeah, he improv the shit out of the scene. Like insane. I'm like, yo, because my character was originally like my brother. Okay. He improv the ton and then they re-wrote Braden because it was just, I was supposed to be his roommate that he was selling drugs to. That was the initial. Yeah. I was like a drug addict roommate. Okay. They switched it all and then changed it to we're selling drugs together season six of power. And then that's when they're like, oh, you two are the new guys for the spin-off. Yeah. Especially what happened. Okay. But we didn't, we didn't talk at all season five. Yeah. Like we were just like. The only, I said, what's up? I said, what's up to him? And then like the rest of the words we said to each other was just on the, on the, in the scene. Oh, really? Yeah. I swear to God. And then fast forward a year, season six, he, they brought him back and then we just became like halitite. That was it. We became halitite. We were outside that night. Our first, my first day back. He said, he was talking about a girl. He was talking about a car. Yeah. I'm like, wait. I'm like, you're not an actor. I'm like, he might know a little bit of bull. I might be able to, I might be able to kick him a little bit like because usually I meet people of my age on set a lot of times like, I'm like, I feel like I'm the complete opposite of like mostly mostly what kids my age. Well, not kids, but at the time my age, they always want to talk about acting. They always want to talk about what you do before this, where you come from. Like me, I'm like, bro, we're already on set. Like we're already working, bro. I don't want to talk about nothing else, but like if we're, if we're going to work, we've talked about work. If not, let's talk about life. What you be doing? Like what do you do? All offset, bro? How are you? Like what type of person are you offset? Yeah. And that's like, that's literally how we start to top it it up. And then we just click. Most of the time, I'm always with my actor with actors. I'm like, bro, let's talk about something else, bro. Like, we know what we're here for. So yeah, we just started chopping it up. And he was just pissed. That's incredible, man. You want to know what's so funny is that to go off a two fast two-fears thing and the power thing. So Shane, I think Shane might have said it on this podcast, but maybe not Shane Johnson who played Cooper Sachs. Yeah. He said, it's like season four or five of power. Like the height of like everything. He's out with Omari. He's out with Layla. They're all like out to eat in in New York somewhere. And Song had just come on to power. He played John Mock also was on in in Tokyo drift, which is my favorite. That's like my favorite one. And he said that everyone like Omari everyone was walking around like over the power guy's not the second song walked in the restaurant. Oh, yeah. Different type of aura. Like that's how internet and like how big to like the fast and fierce franchise is like song walked in the restaurant. People like didn't even look at them anymore. Well, like, oh my god. It's no more power at that point. Yeah. Yeah. Like, come on, bro. Yeah. Yeah. Sun King as well. He's from Tokyo. Literally. Yeah. Yeah. The Tokyo Tokyo drift is like probably like top 20 movie of me. The funny thing about two fasts and I got to bring this back so there's no static because people run with what I said earlier. But like so we get to set ludicrous comes on set. He's in the role that I wanted as tags, right? Yeah. You know, and then people are like, you know, but why are we I mean, I wanted that role. Right. That's the role I wanted. And so, you know, he comes on as as tags and everything. And he's like, yo, I'm a big fan. I just saw you in barbershop dot it out of that. And man, we just started talking. And then once we started talking, it was like. Huh? You just mad chill. Like I was like, oh man. And next thing I know, I remember I needed to do I was weird. I was at a hotel and I needed and I needed to do laundry. And Chris was like, yo, come through the house. I was like, what? He was like, yo, come through the house. Do you want to get to house? I was like, that's fire. For real? He's like, yeah. He's like, just come through. So I came through his house. I was hanging out with him and his crew and just doing my laundry. And I was like, you were hating. You were hating for no reason. You were hating for no reason whatsoever, man. So we're rightfully so like dude, you're coming from doing like stage work and you're like, I'm an actor. And then I mean, at the time, who really is doing music and acting at the time? DMX maybe a couple others. And you're kind of like, we're like, I feel that way sometimes of like maybe now it's the modern day influencer or YouTuber in a movie where I'm like. But sometimes they show up and they do the work. And you like shit. This is why they got it. So I agree with that. Yeah, Chris had an acting coach. He was taking it seriously. He wasn't showing up late. He was on time every time. I love that. So all the stereotypes about rappers being in the business. All of that didn't apply to him. And again, he was just the coolest dude. And you know him now, like he's just one of the best dudes out there, man. And you know, I now I'm still salty. I didn't get that role. And that work has been in fast five, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. That role has kept going. It's about 100 mil there. I lost a lot on that one. So, but, but, but I'm, you know, what's his is his and what's mine? Yeah. And there's no salt there. Chris has been nothing. But I love that brother to death, man. But I actually think your career probably would have been a lot different. And I don't know positive or negative. Maybe like you like you molded yourself into a true like actors actor. And someone who like can be a hard drive. Can be this. So, you went that way, who's to say you probably would have been like an action guy or like. And would that have maybe fulfilled you as much as what you do now? You do a lot of amazing projects that like actors would kill for, you know? Yeah. So, the good thing about that time is that in that lesson in terms of working with him on that one, was that it opened my eyes to the business side of it. I understand why they put him in that role. The song that he brought to the to the to the movie and everything else. All of that makes sense. And you're like, I get it now, you know, because I'm producing now. So, I see the value of certain things and I get it. And I don't, I don't, I no longer really, you know, hold that kind of high and mighty outlook anymore. And I look at it like, you do what you got to do to make your movie a success. Right. Whatever you got to do to make your movie and your project a success, you do that. Right. And you know, like, it doesn't mean that the project will necessarily lose integrity. It just means that, you know, you got to understand that there's, there's a business side. Right. 100%. You got and you got to make it work in that way and if you if you have your own money Then you can do it without any interference whatsoever do it that way. Yeah, put your own money up and do it that Right, you know what I mean, but but I get it I get it and I'm happy for him and you know everybody else in the franchise and yes You're right no matter where you go in the world somebody knows you from that movie no matter where you go in the world It's crazy. It's nuts. That is That is a one hell of a franchise. Yeah, so that comes out It's lights out. You're in the zeitgeist now. You're in the most popular franchise in the world You move to L.A. Are you in the mix at all? Are you going out? Are you going to some L.A. part? Is you like living it up like like the boys? We were with Chris Brown last night part and all good, but No, but like are you going out? Are you in the mix or like I kind of want to know what the heyday was before Say if I'm if I'm like we I'm just I just filmed in Miami. Yeah, I'm probably not not living past 30 I'm outside like if I had that at age it's it for me brother I've always been extremely private. I was very private in Miami I had my fun in Miami. Yeah, yeah, I wasn't going to Miami and I have fun Of course, of course, I have my fun in Miami, but I did it very very discreetly as you should I messed up because we like now There's the age of like we're in the age of social media log everybody's like recording something like you're somewhere There's like a lot we had a hosting in Miami, okay, and and I don't know who posted a video Whatever it's just a video of me with a bunch of ones smack in a stripper's bottom. I'm Michael told me to do it I didn't do it myself I didn't want to do this. So okay, I was like no, I'm an actor. Okay, right? I get back to work on Monday It is plastered all over it here in my trailer here and make it everything It's just me and then the ones everyone just an ass Jigman. I'm just like just photos all over the place and I'm like Who did that? I think it was um I think it was Cassandra. I think it was either Cassandra like Daniel Yeah, so we couldn't be discreet Miami. No, yeah, but you guys you guys came up in a different time and like I said back You could you could do things and everything was not recorded right and that was the benefit of that So I don't envy where you guys are, you know to me in a lot of ways social media helps you and your career But at the same time it takes a little it does take away a lot from your life for sure, right and how you want to live and I'm not just talking about the things that You know make you happy Whatever you want to do right you know if you're going through stuff, you know like that's gonna get broadcasted as well So it's it's a little bit. It's kind of a catch 22 you can win you can lose Yeah, you know, I don't I don't regret coming up before that stuff. Yeah, cuz that was a different time Where fun was like actual fun you know I'm saying like you got worried about a camera in your face 24/7 being in a club I mean even last night like there's like Tyga and Chris Brown and like YG there and the whole party's Recording and read everybody's doing it. It's like you can't even like do anything I don't even know how you guys do the clubbing thing anymore, and I say that because I've You know seen and heard what happens in the club by because people post What's happening in the club right? And I'm thinking to myself when I used to go to clubs like The last thing I was thinking about was some myself home. Yeah, right like it wasn't what I was thinking about like you would talk to girls And you would dance you would straight up dance I don't know if people dancing now if you don't you're getting clowned You're getting you're getting post sort of instantly look at this dude dancing in a party. Yeah, what's the point in the party? It's all about looking cool with glasses on just and having like like 10 bottles in your hand like this Yeah, it's crazy if you're not doing this then you're not having fun apparently we was dancing last night. Yeah, I was 10 I was voguing. Yeah guys. I got the next project. Please next project is you guys go back in time That's two-in-club in was real Oh my god. You producing you say you're producing. I'll do it. I'll do it. You guys you guys actually a genius idea You two go back in time and you guys see kind of like back to the future, right? Like you go back and you see exactly What it was like before social media. Oh, yeah, you know, I mean you look at this is the end we play ourselves And this is the perfect this is our perfect opportunity to live back in in that time. Yeah, we live it You'd be you'd be you'd be you'd be you'd be It would be so interesting. It'd be almost like some sort of like, you know It'd be like a like a what's the word I'm looking for Maybe like a study right to see like you guys Like yeah, maybe like an experiment to see you guys go back and be like, wait a minute I know picture the scene where you're like you're like walking in the club. You're like oh Why is everybody dancing? Yeah, everybody's a good time. Yeah, and you hear it actually enjoying the song The thing is you'll hear the music that you know you from the 90s and stuff that was like you know popular and stuff You hear that music like oh, I get it now. Yeah, this all tracks. Yeah, you know what I mean when you hear OPP And I'm I'm aging myself tremendously right now, but you hear those songs and you'll be like No, I get it now because everybody went nuts when this song came out You know what I mean like you could hear juicy now, and it's still But y'all have no idea what it like what it really did like what it was really did Like I see all these party scenes like do like you know like a period pieces and stuff like that And I'm like yo bro like back in the day like the parties like even like I was just watching pay the food That's what I'm gonna go. Oh, it's like he's in them and they're in the club and they just going crazy and everybody's just looking at them Like they like the greatest more than the plan. It's like damn like, but see that's the thing like you had to have some game back Because a girl couldn't look at you know who you were or look at you look you up Mm-hmm. Yeah, she can't look you up. She can't see how many followers. You guys you can't see what you've done Nothing like that with the high test. It was just like it was all about chemistry and it was like you meet somebody you start talking to them And that might not be the only one that night like it was just like it was just It was just a different different energy a different vibe. She sees Michael She's like I want to cut your head off and take it with you. I don't know what is I just want to cut that off and take it with me But what you had to worry about like all you had to worry about was paparazzi coming in out like is that kind of it? I mean, I'm talking pre pre-acting I'm talking pre-acting like paparazzi a little bit like they follow you. Yeah, there was you know There was there was there was a little bit of of paparazzi concerns and stuff, but I I you know I Figured out early on that if you don't have Anything scandalous More likely than they're not gonna be interested in following you know what I mean like if you you know You get a DUI or something now they're gonna follow you around because you know You said something stupid to the police officer as you record it, right? So you know all of that all of that kind of you know I kind of avoided a lot of that for as long as I could and and what's it was fun. Yeah, but pre-acting That's what I'm talking about those club days Like I mean don't get me wrong. It was a lot harder to get in Like you know New York, right? Like you used to use to see the line for dudes Not girls girls was already in girls just walked straight in it is dude the line for dudes would be down the Down just down the block and you'd be half you have to wait You just waited until you got in yeah, and then once you got in it was it was it was popping but it was like You know what I mean? And then like after barbershop I never waited again I was so poor before power that I I Never gone to a club and then I've only ever been in a club famous, which is weird. Okay, so yeah, you need to pay it I didn't know what it was like to have to do it. You know it's so funny This is such a funny thing like I think your Michael's manager took us out one night One of the premieres or something happened and I'm with one of my homies from high school because he lived in New York I was like just come out with us like pull up we go to the club I spark up in the club in the club in the club and my homie's like Little sister my homie's like My homie's like no, no, no, no, and I was like what he's like you can't smoke in the club I it was like out of a movie the the security guard like big big big dude like sees me he goes He sees me smokey goes. Oh braiding like what up and he like that's me up and he like walked away and my homie was just like I didn't know he was talking. I was like I didn't even know you couldn't smoke I was like, I didn't do it in all the snoop videos. I was like I Didn't know that was real But I wish I did pay my dues because I was like I don't know what that's what you guys you guys you guys hit early Yeah, you know what I mean like my like I said barbershop I was twenty seven. Yeah, so I had plenty of time from the time I was fifteen till like twenty seven right where my black ass got in that line And waited and waited and waited because at the end of the day it was worth it But I feel like it's a beauty to that though like going from like Having to wait and then obviously not having to wait at all And then like it's just like you just get the experience of both like you get you get to experience both for those worlds Yeah, I mean there's something to be said You've been famous most of your life at this point, right? So like you can't even remember what it's like You will never know it's like to be an adult and kind of be normal Right I hate to say it that way, but it's like weird like yeah, but there's no need to hate it It's your reality You know what I mean, and and that's what happens when you grow up in the business is your reality You don't know what it's like to be an adult and really kind of Move in the world without attention. Right. Right. Um, and the question is again In that moment, do you think you need it? As far like in the moment of what like Like where I'm like I'm going into a spider like old like if you were to go to a country and nobody knew who you were right Do you start to feel funny? Because you're so used to you're so accustomed to somebody coming up to you asking you something that you Do you know how to even behave how to act in a place where nobody knows who you are? Because you didn't get that that's true. I felt that I felt that when I went to um I went to Amsterdam like two years ago. Maybe it might have been three years ago. No, it's two years ago once I entered him two years ago and um Before I went to Amsterdam. I was in London and went from London to Paris and I'm from Paris to Amsterdam So like London and Paris like oh, yes, like like was just talking about like they they didn't know everything You know saying like I couldn't walk And then when we get to Amsterdam, it was a complete opposite and I was just like, yo This is actually like beautiful like you know, I'm saying like I could literally walk around I was walking around Amsterdam with a joint like just chilling like not having a worry about shit. The balance is the balance And nobody was filming me like you know, and nobody was just doing stuff because they knew I was like, you know I'm saying like if someone was doing something very nice for me is just because they were just doing it out the kind of sort of I'm saying so that that also was like a great feeling. I know like people actually still do do more of that kind of travel Is what I would encourage you to do because it definitely it opens your your mind to like you know One what what normal people kind of go through and two it just it's very humbling and it's nice and it's refreshing to kind of just breathe a little bit Yeah, you know what I mean? And you can go places and not feel like you're You know in a zoo right. Yeah, it's so refreshing It really is because there's certain cities where you go to and it's like, you know, you that has feel like a wax figure is something like it feels Yeah, there's no Paris is not you go everywhere. It's like just everywhere you go. You feel kind of like a zoo But Paris is Paris is dope in that way. I like the balance I like going like we just were in London with 50 and then we went to Paris Fashion Week and I was so overwhelmed and then I went to Abuse I went to Spain, but like was like out in a house Yeah, and then I went to Ireland and like I got recognized a lot in Ireland in the airport Weirdly because a lot of them watch power. Okay, but I went into like a small fishing town called Dingle We're like people literally don't even have phones. They like glue. It's my favorite place on earth. It's my favorite place on earth Yeah, I love it. It's like all the way down the bottom of the coast They're like people are only like sheep farm or or fisherman. Yeah, I walked into this fish and chip spot and I was like They had like 15 different fish and chips and I was like can I get the monk fish? I think it was and They're like yeah, we don't have it yet and I was like what do you mean by that anybody? Kill be back in about 20 minutes with it He was getting it from the water 100% and brought in and I was like oh wait. I'll wait. I I rent a car. I drive in. I mean friend like bring a model with me. I'm not crazy, right? But like I'll go in. I'm not alone. Yeah, I'm not out of my mind, right? But I like doing like I like figuring out like okay, I got a rent a car and I got to do this like something about that excites me I always do it when I rap filming a season. Yeah, he loves doing that because they'll I mean we talked about this Yeah, they kiss you know you get your ass kiss and and and no way of this conversation before was us being like oh Famous so hard. There are a lot of amazing perks that you get from from that and I will never Right, I will never knock that it is pretty great like the woman or great the the perks are great But there's something amazing about going to a different country where no one knows knows who you are And you just got to figure shit out like it excites me. It gets like me Nervous a little, but it's like this it's this good nervousness that I like if was you have to figure it out, right? I would encourage you to to continue to do that and don't take the model Now you're talking crazy You guys see what you got without you guys see what you got you know what I mean like you got to be able to pull up on this Man now we're visiting dingle and she's a dingle Nate, you know, she's a native of dingle and you got to be able to You got to get you that we actually have no game. We're like see when you're with me She knows nothing about you That is true that is that is that is that is when you step into another realm Go to dingo no model. That's so far dingo no model I back a little bit back because this is something that I did want to ask you on the acting side Have you auditioned since too fast if you're is yeah, you yeah, do you still audition a little bit now for something you really want yeah Wow, do you like it or do you hate it or what's your fucking hated? Yeah But I also kind of love it. Yeah, here's my thing. It's like a mixed bag for me. What I love about self taping is you get a chance to just Do you right? You just get a chance to kind of you get a chance to kind of act and just be like Use all of your instincts and make it work And then you run it by like people that you know and trust and they give you some notes and like cool And so it's kind of like a rehearsal right in that way and that's and that's cool It takes a little bit of the sting of walking into the room and hoping they You know are receiving you know what I mean, but But for me it is kind of annoying When you have to audition knowing you have 20 plus years of material that's literally what I was just about and they know Where you're bringing to the table they know that's a little it's a little bit like frustrating Because you're like I mean if you do your homework, you'll understand I could I could literally you know what I mean I could do this in my sleep or I've done it before like you asked me to play like a cop or FBI agent a CIA And I'm like I've done it four or five times What what else do you need it actually audition for that that's just this right? You know what I mean, but how was this straight-off for you obviously yeah, yeah straight-offer, but it was like you know Yeah, and so it can be frustrating in that way, but I don't know like There's a part of me that's like well, it just depends on I guess who's doing it right sometimes um, you know this casting director might not be somebody who has all of your work, you know what I mean because they they're young And they just you know, they're just kind of zeroed in and they want to do their job and make sure that this director sees everybody the way they want to see him what concerns me is directors casting directors and producers who now want everybody to self-tape so that they don't have to open up a room That's my issue post-code. I agree You know what I like going in the room going in the room is great, you know what I mean like going in the room is great And that was the way it was for so long and now it's like everybody wants you to be put on tape And that's fine, you know what I mean? You can still get a good show like stranger things if you just do a self-tape right wonderful Um, but there's no there's no way to know that chemistry is gonna work You know what I mean when you do it when you get in that room, you feel that vibe over it like you feel it It's gonna hit or not You know what I'm saying? Yeah, like you do chemistry reads with people sometimes and they want you to do it Be a zoom and I'm like how to policy Oh because so-and-so is in London and you're in New York and that so you end up doing a chemistry read and it's like I don't know how you don't really feel chemistry through zoom. Yeah, it's insane to me I don't know how to do it Yeah, but you know and but you know look at a certain point you go Well, this is the business we're in right now and we got to adjust and if you don't want to do it this way Then produce your own stuff right financial own stuff make it happen your way right and that's where that's where I'm at now I was put how is production for you like being a producer about how is that I love it. I love it. I didn't think I ever would Um, I love it. I love being behind the scenes. I love kind of pulling things together Connecting them dots. Yeah, connecting them dots man and and and finding um You know, it's it's kind of magical to kind of compile You know all of these different components whether it's department heads and and and cast and all of that stuff It's I get the I get the rush of it now. Yeah, you know what I mean? And and if you can do it and acting it great If you can do it and just be kind of a producer in the background that's great too, you know, I don't have to be in everything Yeah, that's what kind of we're in the middle of doing too. We're like really we don't got to be in yeah It's nice to have a show that's and you can go film something else or do it like right all on the slate, but um Yeah, I kind of like literally what fit he was like when he when he was uh We was playing cane and he was like, yeah, I gotta kill me. I got other shit to do He was like, yo, I gotta go like yeah, I got a couple scenes. I can't be in the scene. Yeah, that's literally what he's like I gotta do other shit. I gotta give you. Yeah, do you want to direct it all or now? Is that interest you? A little bit, you know, there's a time I wanted to direct early on in my career. I remember I wanted to direct And I shadowed the director on barbershop too. Mm-hmm. And in that moment I I learned that directors have so much more to do than what we thought. It's so much work. It's not just working with your actors, making sure that they get the scene right. You know, it's talking to the department head about the colors in the room and all these things and what lenses we're going to deal with today, and what the wardrobe in this scene is going to be. So much, it's so much and I think I want to do it one day, I'm going to do it just because I have to at this point. I don't know if I'd make a living out of it, you know what I mean? I prefer to produce, I prefer to produce for sure. Is there something acting wise that you want, like a project you want to do or like a role that I know I hate when people ask me like, what's the next role you want to do? I'm like, anything that's like, I like fun shit. I like having fun. That's the reason why I'm an actor. I love having fun. Is there anything like a dream thing that you have or you kind of feel like you've done later? Yeah, so over the summer, the last summer I was in Toronto, and I got a chance to play Malcolm X, and that was exactly something I've been wanting to do for like 15 years. Unbelievable. Who directed it? It was a limited series for Amazon called The Greatest, about Muhammad Ali. And I got to, you know, I had been doing one of Malcolm's speeches in like a stage reading setting for like 15 years in various parts of the country. And so to be able to kind of bring, to actually breathe life into the character and play him was, you know, in this, in the way in which he, I'm not doing, we're not remaking Malcolm X, okay? What Spike and Denzel did was, was money, it's perfect. I don't think it needs to be replaced. But it was nice to play the version of Malcolm X that brought Muhammad Ali into the nation of Islam. Yeah. Reluctantly. So that was, that was kind of, you know, when you talk about dream roles, that was it, you know, and that was like, you know, yeah, I was humbling, it's like, it was humbling. And you talked about like, when we were talking about earlier about, you know, just staying dialed in and stuff like that, like sometimes the role requires it. That one we still had fun on it, but, you know, there was a day in which I had to give a full-on speech, and, you know, that means, it goes without me saying no talk to me today. Everybody kind of understood. When embodying someone else, did you, did you do a lot of research about him and try and not mock, but like almost imitate what he did or did you kind of just like, I'm gonna do my own thing because sometimes that you could get in your own head with that stuff. To your point, I call Russell, he's Mike. That's insane. Also, side note. Shout out Russell Horns. He's got a lot of people on him. He's crazy. He's in a lot of ways in North Star. Yeah. So I'm like, I'm on the ground. I'm like, we gotta get you on. Okay. Cool. Yeah. Yeah. Bring him on, man. He was like, yo, just, he gave me some really great advice. I don't want to repeat it because, you know, it's personal, but he gave me some really great advice, and I hope I did him proud by doing what I needed to do. Unbelievable. But, yeah, like, and the research was, was nuts. I mean, it was just nonstop for months, and, but the best, the best part of it was being able to talk to his daughter and Ambassador Shabbaz, salute, and she gave me like, all this input as to the man he was, you know, what kind of father he was, what kind of husband he was, because I think a lot of people just, when they think of Malcolm X, they just think of the fiery, you know, sermons, and the interviews, and stuff like that, and, you know, when I first got the role, there was no speech, but because the showrunner had seen me do the stage reading of the, of the speech, he was like, oh, we put this in. See? And so, uh, yeah, shout out the back of the showrunner, he nailed it. And so we got, and I, I did that speech over and over. You know, I did that speech, it's ingrained in your mind. 100%. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it kind of already was, right, which made it easier to learn for 15 years, I've been reading it for 15 years, so learning it was, was easier than normal. But at the same time, it is a mouthful, and to, to do it, and let Malcolm come out is, is, it was special. Yeah. It was really, really special. Yeah, you know, you, you work with dialect coach, shout out to Jerome, work with a dialect coach on it, and, you know, just try to bring your best to it, but I gotta tell you, man, you, uh, you gotta watch out. Umari was in there. Really? Yeah. Umari was in it. I got it. Umari played a caches senior. Hmm. And he killed it. Oh, he killed it. Yeah, he killed it, everybody in it, everybody in it killed it, um, really, and, and, uh, yeah, the guy playing, the actor playing, uh, young caches clay, his phenomenal. He's phenomenal. I gotta see that. Yeah. Sometimes it's the best part about being an actor is like, not even like, the models in the club. It's, it's the, um, it's the, that was a joke. It's the, uh, it's the preparation and like you getting to drift a car, like not even having to do the acting, like the preparation, you getting to talk to Malcolm X's daughter about the man that he was like, there's probably like a handful of people on planet earth that probably get that, got that privilege. So that's some of the coolest stuff up to me about being an actor is like stuff like that where I think you're spot on with that. People, people underestimate the, the, the process. Yeah. I do sadly enough to see them see what the final product is and, you know, like you can look at what so and so did in, in this movie, like, you know, like what Michael B. Jordan did in centers was, I mean, like the play three characters, I don't know, like, I ain't see that one coming. Yeah. I ain't see that one coming. Just didn't see it coming. And he, whatever preparation he did, I mean, he just, he just nailed it, you know, and that is like, you're right. That is the thing that's exciting about what we do. We don't go to an office every day and we don't shoot, you know, we don't, we go to different locations, we do different things, we play different characters and that, to me, to different people. Exactly. And you gotta, but you gotta, let's say you got to live life in order to portray it. A hundred percent. And you know, I mean, and that's why I say go to Dingo without the model and just live a little bit. Yeah. I mean, somebody who doesn't fuck with models all the time, because I feel like what's happening. Step outside of yourself. Yeah. I turned down most of those roles. I didn't do it. I didn't do it. I didn't do it. I didn't do it. I didn't do it. I can't do it. I can't do it. Surely Malcolm X do a model or two. That's right. Yeah. I'm a studio 54 remake. You're in. Give it to me. I'm there. I'm there. I'll play a young Hugh Heffner. You're a pro. Yeah. Watch about your kids or your family, but how do your kids feel about their dad being an actor or being famous? That's always so interesting to me, because having kids is so out of my brain, but if my dad was an actor and people knew who he was, and they're also younger, what do they feel about that? Are they excited? Do they think it's cool? Do they want to be actors? Right now, my son is very interested in the musical theater, and he's really good. Cool. That's fine. He's a lead role in his sixth grade play. And he's just got the, the goat to look up to. He's like, absolutely blew my mind in his mother's mind, and like, we were all like, oh, wow. Yeah. Wow. He's really good. And, you know, didn't really see it coming because he didn't really start it until like the year before. But he actually loves it and, you know, can sing a little bit and you're like, wow. Okay. Because I remember him singing as a, as a baby, and he was like, no, he didn't have it. Yeah. Do you sing? Not really. I can hold a note, but he's, he's, he's pretty good. And so, like, but I think that, and that year, 12, just my 12, yeah, as my oldest. But my, for them, you know, it's definitely kind of cool. My son benefits from the perks, you know, goes all-star games. You've been, like, from the perks, you know, and I think you guys know this, like, let's be honest. Shout out to TSA, they be looking out for it. Oh, man. Oh, man. Oh, man. Oh, man. Baby looking out for it. Yo, if I'm a little bit late, if I'm a little bit late too. Like, maybe like, maybe like, maybe like, come this way, no, no, no, no, no, no. I go, that's the biggest blessing. Yo, that's the real currency, right? That's the real currency, man. Yo, let me tell you, if I could keep one perk out of all of this stuff, is that I swear? 100%. And it works like at Charles de Gaulle. It works no matter where you are in the world, like, it just, it's very, very good. And that, to me, is like, you know, my kids have benefited from that, you know what I mean? And they've been like, okay, but I got some more of it. Yeah, I don't know what you guys are talking about. I've only flown private really in the last five years. But, yeah, I remember TSA back in the day. When you fly without model. When you don't got the model. which he was a little bit different. - Yeah, he was like a thing, I was like, I think it was speedy. As him was like, what's it like, he's like a passenger plane? - He's like, I'm on a passenger plane. - Oh, no, that's what he likes. - He's doing well, but I get that form of travel too. I get that, but it is, it is like, my kids have definitely, they've seen it all. When they were little and people wanted to take pictures, I would say, I'm with my family and stuff, and over time they got to the point where they were like, "Dad, take the picture." - Did it come to use them at first? - Yeah, they didn't understand it at first, dad. It is funny to watch my son who knew why people were taking pictures. Watch my daughter, his sister, ask that question, "Dad, why do so many people want to take pictures?" with you. And I was like, "Well, you know, that is pretty cool." - I was like, "You got too fast, you're furious." - Have they seen it? - No, they have. I think actually my son saw it too fast, but like, he's just now old enough to see like barbershop and other things, you know? Like for years they hadn't, they weren't able to see anything I did, and then funny, you say that. We were coming, we came back from Europe a couple years ago, and I got, I think it was two years ago, and I got offered this show on Netflix called Is It Cake? - Uh-huh. - Have you heard of this show? - Yep, yep. - My kids love it, they love this show. And I had seen them watch it on like vacation, so I was like, "Oh, yeah, and I got this offer to do "Is It Cake?" So I come, I do Is It Cake, I take my kids. I was the coolest dad of all time. - It's so funny, I hear a lot of actors and like rappers, musicians, all that stuff. And it's, they all, their kids all have weird things that they wind up doing because of their kids, and they're like, "That's the thing that made me cool." That's one of the greatest friends of all time. - Your kids have no idea, you know, your body count, you know, they don't know any of that stuff. They don't know any of that stuff. They just know you is dead, and you know, you're there when they're sick and all these other things. And, you know, and so when they see it, when they see people kind of, I guess, adore you, if you will, or, you know, fan out, you know, they're often like, it's weird to them, it's weird, you know what I mean? It's weird. And then when they realize why it is, they're like, "Oh, but like, Is It Cake?" - Yeah. - Man, after I did that, I went to my kid's school, and all of their friends had seen the episode of Is It Cake that I did, and again, that's when they're like, you know, that's cool. Like, they take pride in what you do, you know what I mean? You can win an award, and your kids would be like, "Yeah." "Can you take me to the park on Saturday to hang out with so-and-so?" And you're like, "Yeah, I got you." You know what I mean? But it's like, they're just very cool with it. And my kids now, or they're both aware now of what I do. And, you know, my daughter's very cute. She has a lot of questions, you know? And she's like, you know, like, how do you kiss other people that aren't mommy? - Yeah. - Yeah, what do you say? - It's acting? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - It's not real, yeah. - Okay, and like, you know, like my latest role, she's like, what are you married to somebody? Do you have a girlfriend in this movie? And I'm like, no, no. Actually, I'm getting divorced in this day. And it's a comedy, and she's like, oh, okay, okay. And so you have another wife, but it's not mommy. - That's so funny. - And I'm just like, I don't have another wife. - Right, right. - It was just for the, yeah. - I just, there's somebody who plays my wife. - Right. - And you know what? Why don't you say hello to her right now? - Right, that's what I mean. - There she is, you know what I mean? And then we'll do it that way. 'Cause she's, she's really, - That's adorable. - Yeah, it is. It is, it's kind of magical, you know? Because that innocence, you don't get that back. - A hundred percent. - I gotta be honest with you guys. You don't get that shit back, man. Like that is something that I just, you know, you wanna hold on to as long as you can, you know what I mean. And when you guys have kids, it'll register. Don't have a girl, 'cause a girl will just change your whole life. - Yeah. - But you're gonna have like a litter of girls. - Yeah, I was gonna say, he's definitely gonna have a-- - He's got a kid, he's got a girl. - I know, I already got one. - I cannot wait, I cannot wait to be like, oh, how you feeling girl, Dad? - It's great. - You're gonna be like this, it sucks. - I don't know, Michael, I'm in Dingo right now. - It's a time, I'm in Dingo, the model. - Yeah, in Dingo right now. - But I think they're doing good. - But that movie right now, you're shooting with, it's been announced, right? - No, it hasn't been announced. - I thought it was, I thought I should offer it. - No, it was not, okay, we won't talk. - It has not been announced yet. - We won't talk about it, but when it comes out, we gotta definitely gotta have you back. We'd love to have you back. - I didn't do it any time, man, y'all little best, man. - I know, yeah. - Real, man, this is like, this is fun, actually, I remember watching your podcast when I was, - So much. - When Lee Lee watched our podcast. - When the offer came in, when the offer came in for power, I remember being like, let me delve into this a little bit. And then you know, just go down the rabbit hole and I came up on this podcast and I was like, all these dudes are having so much fun. - Oh, yeah. - I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. - What were you remember when episode was that you? - Curious. - You had on someone from the crew. It was somebody from the crew. - Oh, yeah. - We had the crew episode with. - Who came from the crew? - Oh, God. - Was it Sean? - Yeah, it was Cory. - It was, yeah, Paul Focus. - Oh, my God, that episode was insane. - Yeah, that was a fun episode. - That episode was insane, yeah. It was that guy, I was like, oh my God, that's dope. That they bring on me. - Oh, GF was, yeah. - Yeah, that was it, but that was like the Paul Focus, yeah. - Yeah, bringing in crew members and you know, they got to kind of get on there and, yeah, it was dope. I was like, this is a, yeah, I did not know exactly what the power universe was like once you, once you're in it. - Some people don't get it. - Till they're in it. - They're like, yeah. - So you say, nowadays, TSA is like, too fast, you're furious or power, one or the other. And it's just like, wow, yeah, it changed my life. - It's a great universe, it'd be a part of it. - It is a great universe, it is a great universe. - Yeah, it is a great universe. - It is a great universe. - Thank you, thank you so much for coming on. Like seriously, you're like, looking up to you and your work, like, I have fucking nothing but respect to you. You're like, one of the biggest goats and we just, we're humble to have you shout. - Oh no, we got icons on this one, you know what I'm saying? - Yeah, let's say, maybe come on, like, this is what we do. - This is what we do, man. - Is there anything you want to promote? You got coming out? I know you have that movie. We'll have you back on when that comes out, but. - Yeah, yeah, the greatest, I already talked about that. The greatest should be on Amazon this year. - Go watch that. - Oh, it's coming out this year. - Yeah, 26, I'm not sure when, but we got 26. - We'll do some posts on the crew as it when it comes out. - Okay, cool, cool, cool, cool. No, I appreciate you, man. This has been fun. I knew it would be the time you'd text me. I was like, yeah. (laughing) - And then you just see if we can make a schedule where, bruh. - Thank you for making that happen. - Come out, man, and, you know, yeah, yeah, it's gonna be good. - He took his NBA All-Star Sunday to pull up on the boys. - Yeah, he could have been watching the game. - Yeah. - He pulled up on the boys. - He could have been watching the game. - That's a lot. - Your Instagram app, Michael Ealy? - The Michael Ealy. - @theMichaelEaly, follow him on Instagram. - Michael Rainey Jr., follow me on Instagram. - Gianni V. Payolo, Instagram TikTok, all that. Subscribe to the crew, has it. - Dingo.com. - Dingo.com. - No model. - No model. (laughing) - That's just to test yourself, you know what I'm saying? - You got to do a no model, but you've been doing the last five years. - All right, I'll do it. - I'll do it. - Yeah, and that's a documentary. - Look at it like this. Look at it like this, like, like, Dingo with the models, like, it's like off-roading, you know what I'm saying? - Right, right. - Dingo no model is like, then you got to go audition. You got to go in the room, you got to figure it out. You've got to prove yourself, you got to prove yourself. - Well, you got to prove yourself. - You got to prove yourself. - Last ones of the Airborne by Breakfast. - By Breakfast. (upbeat music) Day one, day one. (upbeat music)