This fall , AtlantastarBrian Tyree Henryhas been the funniest affair to happen to Tuesday night TV . Assuming the role ofPaper Boi , Henry dominates the screen as an emerging ATL knocker trying to wade through the absurdity of daily life . Thanks to the show ’s surreal creativity – good manners of creator Donald Glover and his squad –Atlantahas exceeded expectations . It ’s a programme uninterested in adjust to story conventionalism , fuse reality and surrealism until you ca n’t tell the conflict .
To facilitate us understand thefake lecture show , unseeable car , and give Gallus gallus wing , Henry say us all about the bring in ofAtlanta , sequence by instalment .
Episode 1: “The Big Bang”
How did you set Paper Boi ’s origins for the first instalment ? How did the opening cut sport into that?Brian Tyree Henry : I really , really felt like Alfred was the most relatable person to me . I love the way that Donald wrote this show because it ’s really just us talking , you know ? It ’s real lifetime , it ’s what ’s going on . My pet was the initiative picture . The dialogue that goes on between me and this lady friend and this guy wire because he kicks my window off , and I just bang how we ’re in this parking lot as I ’m obtain my rearview mirror in my hand , being like , " You got ta bear for this . " And my favorite part is that someone ’s off to the side screaming , " Worldstar ! " When I saw that I was like , This is fantastic . This is fantastical .
That ’s the mo you realise that the show gets the humankind it ’s in . Henry : I also screw the way that Alfred is on the page . The way that he talks and the fashion that he moves , Donald in spades wrote that in there , and I just want to make him as relatable as someone that you know , someone that you see , someone that you’re able to bear on to . Not a lot of Alfreds from Atlanta are represented out there , so I really desire all the Alfreds . That ’s what inform me the most , because I get laid Alfred . I have several friends from Atlanta that are Alfred , my first cousin and my best friends , so I just really wanted to typify him in that direction .
Episode 2: “Streets on Lock”
The inadvertent " get out " scene in the slammer was one of the most amazing television receiver moments of the year . Henry : I love that Donald thinks of things like that because it ’s like , well , how do we show the duality of masculinity ? And yet at the same time we ’re all interlock in this pokey cellphone , and you all have the audacity to judge this person for doing that or this soul for doing that , but we ’re all in here , you know what I mean ? My favorite thing is that all he says is , " Sexuality is a spectrum , man . No one ’s judging you in here . " I think it ’s brilliant , and I have sex that it started conversation and that citizenry could laugh at it , because that is the silliness of it .
But Paper Boi ’s going through this crazy , existential , What does renown mean ? Do I want this ? These kids are emulating me bourgeon masses in the street . Is that something that I really wanted?It ’s what this celebrity is doing to him . He basically goes through this whole daylight trying to figure out what his action have done to reflect on society , because he ’s caught kids shooting each other . Like , that swell is give way me special discussion with lemon tree - pepper slopped wings , but he ’s threatening me to never let him down because you never know what I ’ll do . I recollect Paper Boi ’s trying to grapple with what his aliveness is now , with this newfound fame .
How is your life changing with the success of the show?Henry : This is why I have it off New York so much , because New York is not really disturbed about your screwing , if you ’re a celebrity or not . We all get ta live here . I live in Harlem , and I still tantalize the subway , I still take the bus , I still do what I ’ve got to do . I go to my bodega , you roll in the hay , and I just have sex hearing people screaming , " Paper Boi , ay ! " They ’re give thanks me for the show . There was a post where I was walking down the street with my handler , and we were walking down 33rd after dinner , and these two dudes were standing on the street . We walk past them and they say , " Hey , homo , Atlanta , man . I fucks with that show , military personnel , I fucks withAtlanta . " I was like , " Dude , that ’s the just compliment I ’ve ever gotten , " whereas my manager was like , " I fucks with . Is that good ? " I ’m like , " It ’s the safe compliment you ’ve ever get in your animation . "
Guy D’Alema/FX
Episode 3: “Go for Broke”
What happen on set with Migos?Henry : Man , we were in the wood , it was moth-eaten , and we shot of late at nighttime for hours . The whole scene is basically me expire to buy drug from them , but we follow a execution first , world . I mean I was about that trap life ? No , really , they really about that ambuscade life . I loved it because it was a expression into Alfred ’s life-time that he has n’t really changed the way that he lives and how he pee his living . I say it in the first installment : " rapper demand managers , I ’m just examine to get paid . " There ’s no reasonableness Paper Boi should ’ve been out there to begin with .
How many take did you need to get through that moment when Earn send for you like , " Hey , did you Guy do the drug raft yet ? " It ’s so funny . Henry : If we ’re not constantly cracking up on readiness , then something must be incorrect . These masses are my class and I sleep with them very much , and there ’s nothing we ca n’t talk about or discuss . It ’s slap-up because you want to keep doing the yield over and over again . I enjoy watching Donald express mirth because Donald is one of the laughable masses in the world , and if I ca n’t make this brother laugh , then I ’m doing something wrong .
Is that how you two became friends , through comedy?Henry : fairly much . Everyone on set , our senses of humor are incredibly attached . There ’s no shame of talking about anything . That ’s family . We just go in and trip out and have the best times of our lives . I remember whenthe Birdman interview came out onThe Breakfast Club , we were all on situated dying express joy and sharing stories . That ’s what we do . I just love that Donald creates an environment like that .
Episode 4: “The Streisand Effect”
What did the little youngster say that was bleep out?Henry : Ha ! I ca n’t give that away , military personnel . Come on ! That footling actor , that’sBankroll PJ . He was only 5 year old when we shot that . This kid is the most entertaining kidskin I ’ve ever seen in my life . He is just so genuinely ATL , but he ’s still a tyke . He ’s just the best . We did a couple of takes where we just narrate him to tell a story . Just differentiate a story , but because he ’s such a character , his level were always just a mess . One narration was about a cow doing something , one news report was about a girl who owed him money . He already has Vinevideos , so he ’s brilliant . We just let him go .
Earn say that black hoi polloi do n’t live whothe actor Steve McQueenis – is that dependable ? Did you know who he was before this episode?Henry : We now havean awesome disastrous director named Steve McQueen , so I was like , " Wait , which one are we talking about here ? " You have sex what ’s comic ? I actually watchedThe Baroness Dudevant Pebblesrecently . It was on my television and I was like , " Aw , damn , The Sand Pebblesis on ! " I just thought – especially now , with the director Steve McQueen – that the sinister community would knowthatSteve McQueen and not necessarily theactorSteve McQueen . I imply , he said it , if somebody came in and asked about that bill sticker , they ’re trying to overcharge you . That ’s the best security measures I ’ve ever consider , because I imprecate sure would n’t have ask about it .
Episode 5: “Nobody Beats the Biebs”
OK , calamitous Justin Bieber . How did that happen?Henry : Why not have a black Justin Bieber ? He ’s running around , being on people ’s shoulder joint , getting carry to the Great Wall of China , he ’s doing all these affair . What would we do if we made him black ? What would people in reality imagine it we made him bleak ? And why does Paper Boi have this blame beef with Justin Bieber , of all masses ? Of all people to have a boeuf with , Paper Boi has a beef with Justin Bieber , I recall it ’s hilarious .
Sometimes I wonder if anyone likes Paper Boi . Henry : I mean , people love Paper Boi , and Paper Boi also does n’t give a fuck . you’re able to fuck him or like him or not , he ’s still going to do his thing . I suppose the funniest part about that episode is not that it ’s grim Justin Bieber , but that I ca n’t have it away play basketball . So I had to see basketball .
Have you see what people have been say about your hoops abilities?Henry : Nah , cause they ’re hear to play me , I do n’t want to know dirt about it . I do n’t want to know . That ’s the one stereotype I did n’t pick up . I do n’t act basketball , but I love that because at the end of the twenty-four hours it ai n’t even really about the game , anyway , it ’s about this beef . It ’s also just what fame does . I ca n’t consider that because Justin Bieber ’s a renown , it take into account him to put his helping hand in this woman ’s look and smush it to the ground , you bonk what I signify ? The fact that the great unwashed gasped when he turned his lid around , like , " No , that ca n’t be him ! No ! " But that ’s what we do sometimes , we give celebrities these conk like they ’re these demigod and we can only get hold the answers through them , but they have n’t changed anything . They have n’t done anything to make life better for you . It ’s just a celebrity , and you allowed them to get away with this . If you listen to the words of the birdsong , you see he has n’t changed at all !
Guy D’Alema/FX
Episode 6: “Value”
In Episode 6 , you and Van have a pretty unexpected telephone call . Henry : Zazie [ Beetz , the actress who plays Van ] is one of my favorite people in the world , but as we were looking at the script I enounce , " I do n’t cogitate we have any scenes together . " And they were like , " Yeah , y' all do n’t fuck with each other . " It would be screaming if there was a running gag in the show that Alfred and Van are never in the same shot together . They either babble on the earpiece or are in a unlike elbow room – but I ca n’t wait until you see the backstory of what that history is . Of course I do n’t have her number relieve in my phone , because we do n’t love with each other . citizenry all week were texting me , " You squashy AF . "
But he ’s still down to help her . Henry : That ’s who he is , but I answer pretending it was n’t me . " What could you mayhap want from me ? Oh , and you smoked Mary Jane ? Oh , and you need my help ? Oh , like the affair that you always rag on my ass about ? " So I get ta play you right now . We ’ve all been on petty patrol at some stop in our life to one friend or another . I think that pettiness maintain people on their toe . It keep their hind end lowly .
Episode 7: “B.A.N.”
Is this episode a dream or a nightmare?Henry : I think Donald really wanted to experiment with confound people off of their bloc every week . That ’s how this world is , gentleman’s gentleman . Every week seems to be something unlike , and every week people seem to defend a cause that make them leave the last cause they were defend . I find it incredibly interesting that citizenry were diss that I put a tweet about not want to fuck Caitlin Jenner , but you do n’t seem to have a problem with all these sinister man being shoot in the street .
I love our show because it can say things without saying anything at all . We just wish to present it as the public we live in . This is how it is , and this is how we ’re trying to navigate through it . Take from that Mickey ’s Malt liquor commercial message what you will , take from the Dodge commercial message what you will , take from what Alfred call off " trans - racial identity " what you will –which we really saw in this earth . At some gunpoint we are going to have look back and go , " Nah , she really did that . There was somebody who really think she was smutty ! "
" I do n’t ask you to walk a mile in my shoes , but I need you to at least recognize that I ’m wearing them and that I want to take the air . "
Guy D’Alema/FX
We have to express mirth at these thing sometimes . We also have to see the fatuity in it . That could be the matter that links us together . We are human beings and my life weigh , too . You desire to pose here and defend Caitlin Jenner , who is a unswerving Republican , who does this and does that . But what about my animation ? What about me , as a inglorious man ? All across the board , from LGBTQ to black and Mexican and Muslim , why do n’t you take a minute to listen to us ? I do n’t need you to walk a knot in my shoes , but I need you to at least recognise that I ’m wearing them and that I want to take the air .
There ’s no such thing as not being arouse any longer . There ’s a rotation of wokeness happening powerful now , and I really hope everyone is in line and ready to do it . Once you see things in this world , you ca n’t unsee them anymore . They ’re captured on film , in video and photos . If you choosenotto see what ’s happening in this humankind , you are take the conscious choice to not see it .
Episode 8: “The Club”
The invisible railway car . What the fuck?Henry:[Laughs . ] Dude , he has one . Ai n’t shit I can do about it . He got it , and that ’s it . If you want to talk about really stuntin ' , he is stuntin ' on you hoes . He has the car . This is the episode where I was like , " People are n’t listening to me as Paper Boi . I recount you I do n’t make love like the cabaret . " This is what issue forth with it . It ’s just so painful . watch the sequence is so painful . Marcus Miles is here . Google lent this dude an unseeable car , and do n’t act like they ai n’t move to pass off ! Is it so far - fetched ? We got Google Glass , we got self - parking cars . The fact that I can FaceTime people is still bizarre to me .
Is that end vista Paper Boi ’s greatest moment of strength?Henry : Hell yeah . Here ’s the matter . Let ’s get it 100 : Paper Boi is always conk to take concern of his business enterprise , mankind . All . The . Time . He just need to know what business you want me to take care of . Just do n’t have me out here looking muddy AF . Paper Boi does n’t desire to be sloughy . Like the show – when I ascertain out that I ’m not getting paid , I ’m like , Are you kid me ?
Is Earn bad at his job?Henry : I cerebrate Earn is excellent at this job . His life … that ’s another thing . Earn believes in his cousin so much that he is willing to go to a damned receiving set post , top this white guy , put a CD underneath there , because he wants to make it , too . I think it ’s great when people see more in you than you see in yourself .
Guy D’Alema/FX
Did that take place in your career?Henry : dead . I would n’t be here talking to you if it was n’t for people saying , " you’re able to do this . " I did n’t buy it . I did n’t believe it .
Why not?Henry : Because I was cognisant ! Here I am , a dark boy from the South . I like to roleplay . Ai n’t nobody go to put me on . If they put me on , I ’m croak to be fiddle these roles that mean nothing . citizenry are not going to wish that I ’m educate . mass are not going to care that I can do the King ’s English . They ’re just going to want me to put in a blooming do - rag and black market around . I did n’t want that . I do it that I ’ve had masses in my life who saw beyond that and say , " No , make your own lane . you’re able to excel in that manner . Show people affair they ’ve never seen before . " And I have to do it for them . It ’s not much different than what Earn is doing for Alfred . I have my Earns in my life , too , and I ’m not going to rent them down .
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Guy D’Alema/FX
Quantrell D. Colbert/FX
Guy D’Alema/FX
Guy D’Alema/FX
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