In this FRONTPAGE interview, Damson Idris proves himself to be - the - actor on everyone's mind these days. The ‘Snowfall’ and ‘Swarm’ star opens up on his wild year.
Damson Idris is everywhere. He’s thirsted over on social feeds, splashed across tabloids, and striding on billboards like the one I saw the other night, month three of Los Angeles rain obscuring everything but the neon glow of a Snowfall billboard.
He is also at Trader Joe’s, it seems. The night before our interview, I was checking out at one when the couple in front of me enthusiastically replied to the cashier that they were, “Watching Snowfall!” Idris laughs when I relate this: “I’ll do you one better. The day before you were at Trader Joe’s, I was at Trader Joe’s buying salmon.”
As Franklin Saint, the patriarch and dramatic center of director John Singleton’s series tracing the origins of the crack-cocaine epidemic, Idris is rightfully making some major waves in the industry as an acting talent to watch. It’s the kind of role any young actor would dream of sinking their teeth into, but the intensity and skill (for one, mastering an American accent as a native Brit) of his performance turns Snowfall into appointment television. But the sudden attention has not come naturally to Idris:
“I'm used to being a guy who's still climbing. I believe I still am. And when people talk about what I’ve accomplished, I blush. I get really shy. That's something I see in Franklin too – he's a confident guy, but he's a timid guy. He's a guy that's behind the scenes. And as he's coming into his own, he's embracing this empire that he's created. I'm starting to do that too.”
We caught up with Idris to discuss embracing his empire and how his collaborations in the fashion world have led him to emulate Naomi Campbell:
What's it like reflecting back on all these years of Snowfall? What has playing Franklin Saint taught you?
The biggest thing I've learned from playing Franklin is the process of creating and living with characters. I've seen success playing him and I believe that's due to the work I put into it. Going forward, I know I have to approach every character with the same intensity.
It's obviously bittersweet because the character is ending, but this is a show that's going to live on forever. I don't think I'm ever really going to escape Franklin Saint. There's people who still call me Franklin on the street, and who will probably call me Franklin for the rest of my career. That's just the world we live in today.
We've heard about your training with an accent coach, but I'm sure it runs so much deeper than that. What other references did you consult as you lived Franklin’s life?
The big one was actually John Singleton. He'd always say, “Huh?” So I was like, I'm going to steal that. If you notice, Franklin does it for reassurance like, “Do you understand me, huh?” Or he does it to put an emphasis on something, like, “Yo, we're going to go over there and we're going to make this money. Huh?” That's how John spoke.
I was also greatly influenced by Andy Serkis and how he played Caesar in the Planet of the Apes movies, just the gravitas of that character and how he walked into a room and was respected. And Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad, his arc of going from a timid, scared teacher to a ruthless drug lord. And then, of course, Denzel Washington's Frank Lucas [from American Gangster], that old soul. I knew I was, yes, playing a young character, but I knew for the people who watch it today, [the show is] both nostalgic and entertaining.
I wanted people of that time to see their brother in Franklin, to see their best friend, to be like, “Wow, maybe this is how my dad was when he was in his 20s?” It was a lot deeper than just playing a young kid.
What parts of you did you imbue the character with? Are there parts of Damson that you can recognize in Franklin?
There is a blush that I'm recently discovering in myself. [laughs] I did The Today Show the other day and they were giving me all these compliments. And I'm used to being a guy who's still climbing. I believe I still am. And when people talk about what I’ve accomplished, I blush. I get really shy. And that's something I see in Franklin too. He's a confident guy, but he's a timid guy. He's a guy that's behind the scenes. And as he's coming into his own, he's embracing this empire that he's created. And I'm starting to do that too.
Something I'm embracing these days is being a leader. And Franklin is that - he's the ultimate leader. People look to him for advice, people look to him for guidance. And that's happening in my life. I went to the Swarm premiere and all these actors ran up to me, thanking me for inspiring them. There's so many full circle moments in my life and correlations between myself and Franklin lately. Minus the drug selling. [laughs]
Being one of six children, do you think that growing up in that environment replicates acting a bit and falling into roles?
100%. Franklin's an only child, but the way he sees Jerome and Aunt Louie is how I see my big brothers and sisters. And you do tend to fall into a role. I mean, being the youngest of six is such an interesting thing. Lately, a lot of people have been saying to me, “Man, I could tell you're the youngest. You're just a spoiled little brat, but in a good way.” And a lot of older actors say that to me, and older musicians, they're like, “Man, Damson's our little brother.” And I'm like, “Hey, I'm 31 years old.” But there is definitely a correlation there.
What do you think really resonates with audiences about an anti-hero like Franklin?
The anti-hero is flawed. A lot of the time he's the underdog. He's the person who's overcoming adversity. But the biggest aspect is that he's not perfect. Franklin, he does horrible things, not because he wants to but because he has to. That’s an anti-hero. And the greatest aspect of anti-heroes is that you root for them. If you're not rooting for them, it's never going to work. Audiences won’t care about the character or the stakes.
The anti-hero is the one you don't expect to always win. They’re going to take a lot of losses. And those are the characters I'm drawn to. I don't want to win all the time. For lack of a better analogy, Bond always wins. I don't think Franklin always wins. And that makes much more interesting viewing. No one is perfect. And I think people see that in the anti-hero.
There's another layer that you have to add on top for creating that character. He's not just this perfect guy. He's a guy who maybe drinks too much or has a temper, but he's also a sweetheart. Yeah, he's decimating a community, but he hands out chickens on Christmas. Life has ups and downs.
The role you play in Swarm forces you to think about the connection between audiences and fandom. How has your perspective changed in light of that?
You never know how important you are to certain people. A guy sent me a message saying, “Hey, my father's just passed and I want to thank you for giving us 60 hours worth of wonderful memories together.” Because they sat and watched Snowfall and laughed and cried and screamed at the TV. His memories for that person automatically link to me. So that person's going to walk through life and look to me and romanticize the possibilities of being my friend and knowing me.
And then there are the people who believe we're married, who genuinely say, “Hey babe, how come you didn't finish the fish I made for you last night?” Or, “Hey, you didn't eat breakfast today, baby. It's getting cold.” Or, “The kids miss you,” stuff like that. It's funny, but hey, it's sometimes a little bit scary.
That's what comes with this. And understanding that you can't say certain things anymore, and you have to protect yourself and the people around you a bit more. You can't comment on everything. We see a lot of stars today who do get burned, trying so hard to reiterate, “I'm a normal person. I'm a normal person.” The stakes are a lot higher and your life is under a magnifying glass. I'm still learning. And sometimes you get burnt, but you live and you learn.
What in your life acts as a counterweight to the billboards? What do you do when you want to recede?
I call my mother. We talk for hours and she just makes me laugh. First of all, my mum's the funniest person in the world. I definitely got my sense of humor from her. If I'm having problems, she'll answer the phone as if she read my mind.
She talks about the importance of family a lot to me. And not just blood, but friends too. I'll call her and I'll rant like, “Oh mum, they're saying something about me online and they're cussing me out online again. I didn't even do anything. I just woke up.” And she's like, “Hey, don't focus on the people that hate you. Don't give them energy. Silence is the best response to a fool. Take your energy and give it to the people that show you love.” That's my mum.
What is your everyday relationship with fashion and style?
I have phases where I just want to feel like Steve Jobs and wear some blue jeans and a black T-shirt, and no jewelry with some normal trainers. And then there's days when I want to put on that tuxedo and feel my best. I truly believe how you dress impacts how your day goes, how you feel about yourself. So that's really my style, dabbling between the guy that's hanging outside a coffee shop to the guy that's walking on a runway. Those are my extremes. I was born in London, of Nigerian heritage, live in America, and travel the world. I'm constantly changing, constantly being influenced, constantly being inspired.
You've walked the runway at Prada and you've modeled for Calvin Klein. What are you thinking about in those moments? Is that another character you play?
First of all, I'm not breathing. I'm so nervous. By the end of it, I'm hyperventilating. But in my head, I'm constantly screaming, “You are not Damson! You are Naomi Campbell!”
