Alphonse. How are you doing?
Well, Scott, good to see you again, my friend.
Yeah, good to see you as well.
Well, we were in the midst of it last time I spoke to you.
Now, a lot's happened since.
Yeah,
congratulations on the show again.
Thank you.
Now, you have a bit of, you know, a time to look back and reflect.
Have you guys started to pinch yourself or have you pinch yourself yet?
The fact the show's kind of taken off in a in an amazing way so far.
It's still very surreal, Scott.
You know, thanks again for sitting down with me and talking to me.
It's surreal, man is one of those things where throughout the pandemic,
we weren't able to really get out and touch the people as much as we would.
Well, you know, after season one.
And so now the things are opening back up.
Getting to walk around a little bit.
People recognizing you every step of the way.
You know, even with your mask and hat on, sometimes people kind of like, oh,
I know who that person is.
And so to go from being, you know, one of those familiar but unfamiliar
faces, as I like to say, saw an assassin to people knowing exactly who you are.
It's been a great feeling. It's exhilarating.
And at the same time, I'm just grateful that people who accept the work and love
the work and that people
who have fallen in love with this world that Katori Hall has created.
Yeah, well, what I've been saying to you, because the show, you know,
it's comedy, it's drama, but it also does
such a great job for representation for a lot of different groups and people.
And what have people been kind of give?
What's the feedback from people that you've been getting?
You know, from people saying it's the best show
they ever seen, people saying that how much it changes their life.
You know, to
people saying that, you know, they wish the Pynx was a real place.
Like all these different things, you get a plethora of different
opinions and expressions from people,
which is great
because you have all these different characters for people to relate to.
You know, it's not one single, a character that someone could say is like, oh,
you know, this show is about this person, or I love the fact
it's about so many different people.
And so the fact that I am able to represent a specific group of people
and I like to call Lil Murda to the everyman because I feel like
he represents a lot of different people within who he is.
You know, it's been amazing.
It's been an amazing journey.
And I'm so glad that Katori has created this world.
Each of us are able to stand out and shine in our own light.
Yeah.
And now you've got season two, which brings different pressures,
preferable pressures, I imagine, given that you have a fan base
and everything else, but still a strange pressure.
Did you guys feel that
in season two that that was a bit more pressure, given
that there is now a fan base and people are excited to see where it goes next?
You know, I think we did feel that pressure
you know, not only because of COVID and what that was doing to us
and making it a lot harder to kind of get the show done,
but I knew, yeah, we had to we want to go above
and beyond the expectation of what we created already for season one.
And and I know without a doubt that we did that.
You know, it almost feels like when an NBA championship
and then people saying like, oh, they go go back to bag.
Let's let's see what they go do, you know?
And so now it's kind of like we're going through that playoff run and jump third.
The final start, and that's when we'll see, you know,
how people receive us and how people continue to root for us.
But, you know, we have so much love surrounding the show.
That it also makes
you feel very relaxed and comfortable in the work that you're doing.
You say, you know what, they're ready for this.
They're they are prepared to see the world that continue
to see the world that we've created.
And no matter how complex or difficult those stories are to tell,
you know, I think we
we definitely went a few steps beyond season one, that's for sure.
Yeah.
And obviously, you know, in season two, there's an evolution of the characters.
You get to find out things that maybe you didn't know
How surprised were you when you got scripts for season two?
That Lil Murda goes through evolution
and there's things that people might not be expecting of them.
Yeah, I was blown away, man.
You know, I really was.
I would call Katori sometimes crying, or I would call her so excited.
I'm like, Tori, like, Jesus Christ, this is amazing.
How did you come up with this?
Your mom, where, you know, she's
just a genius writer, so you get inspired just by reading the script.
And then when it comes time to do the work on the day
I was just so locked in and grateful for the opportunity.
You know, I feel like season one, I was the sixth man.
You know, I'm coming off the bench, I'm getting my points,
but now I feel like I'm part of the starting lineup.
And, you know, Katori, she does the ball to me
a lot, and I'm hoping that I scored and got some buckets for.
So she's she's been in contact about this cause process.
And, you know, as they're editing everything and she lets me
know that she's very grateful for the performance.
So I'm just grateful to have the opportunity to be in all ten episodes
to have such an incredible arc to be connected to multiple characters.
At this point,
the ensemble that you guys have, I mean, you're like a, like a family
in some respects, and obviously you now have kind of a shorthand
given that you've, you've made a series together before
and now you're going back into into season.
Did you feel much more comfortable with the people, given that the ice
has been broken and that you guys are kind of all in it together now?
Yeah, you know, I did.
And although we all have our own individual lives
and we don't see each other as much as we would like to
and don't spend as much time together as we like,
everyone came and kind of build right back into that family, that family as we call
and looking out for each other.
And then everyone's just very professional and business minded
and so kind of bringing your own entity to the larger entity and make sure
that you're doing your job and able to be a part of that in a useful way.
Everyone's really good at that.
Over people, especially with some of our new cast members,
you know, being coming from Snow Fall.
She was already very well versed in what it's like to shoot a series,
you know, just door who plays big teeth.
And so Jon, me having to work with a new cast members
were able to make that adjustment, but also feeling comfortable
with the world that we created and knowing that,
you know,
everything that comes into that world was kind of just going to fall into place.
It's not much adjusting that people had to do coming back
other than the pandemic, right. Which is huge.
You know, you can't just hug each other and after each other out.
When you see each other, you have to keep your distance and stay in your trailer.
Probably longer than you might want to.
But there's some adjustments.
But at the same time, a lot of familiar moments and us
just kind of holding each other's hands
do it a little differently than season one.
Yeah.
What's your what's your favorite thing about playing Lil Murda
Because like you said that at the beginning,
I think people maybe have a kind of preconceptions,
preconceived notion of who he is and what he's about.
And over the series, he's become something that people said before, not unexpected.
So what's your favorite thing about playing him?
I would say the fact that I'm able to
to express
so many different layers as an artist, you know, as an actor, I'm
able to show my range in a very unique way that Katori has given me.
And the music is just
the most fun I've ever had working on a series,
you know, and just being able
to kind of sit into this music and create this character, this fictional,
but also so real people feel like, you know, when they see me this
like honest Lil Murda's
Rap, you know, is one of those things where I just fell in love
with that component of it.
And then coming from the stage,
being an actor who's been in a lot of dramas
that is what I would like to say, my wheelhouse and being able
to, you know, obviously I can I feel like I have the right to do anything
but it being able to tell these hard, dark
stories man, you know, I enjoy that.
I enjoy pulling the layers back of this complex character and even testing my own
emotional range and my own vulnerability and where I can go as a performer.
That has to be one of my favorite parts as well.
Yeah, I mean, the show is a testament to Katori.
I remember speaking to her last year, year before last, and she was like such a
such an amazing kind of ball of energy, and she's got such a unique, unique voice.
It must be great for you as actors to I said before,
get those scripts
because you know, with her writing and the way how invested she is
in this world that you're going to be in for for a few traits.
Yeah, for sure.
And she's ensemble.
She's put together a beautiful room as well.
Writers room and these writers all fall follow her lead
and so you can set some parts you can feel when it's like
oh someone else wrote that book tour.
His hand is all over it, you know.
And so she's she's just a genius man.
You know, I'm blessed to have an amazing showrunner
amazing writer for this show because I know everybody doesn't get that.
And I'm, I get kind of upset sometimes
because I know every project isn't going to be like that, you know?
So I wish I could take Katori
along with me everywhere, but she she's just a genius, man.
I know.
That's
that's really the only word I have for her,
but she's great and putting these stories together to where it feels real,
but at the same time, it has this elevated,
heightened experience to it where you feel like
you're almost watching a play, you're almost stage
and things happen in front of you, just like, oh, is that really happening?
Or is this real life right now? But it is.
And it grounds you in a way that some writers aren't able to do.
And she also flips the script and changes.
Whereas I know this is not about just a little club in Mississippi.
This is something much deeper.
And the layers that come with that, yeah, is great.
Oh, so now I guess we've we have a season two.
You guys joined the club of of, you know, not having any spoilers.
You now have a fan base who want to know everything and go on
social media, but you don't want to tell them,
have you guys kind of got comfortable with that knowing that, you know, fans are
anticipating the show but also that everything is kind of like a spoiler now
given that,
you know,
they've kind of settled into the first season
and now there's going to be a second season.
Yeah. Yeah. You know, it's
you get you can go down a rabbit hole
if you put people hashtag in on Twitter, Instagram to see all the different
comments and pictures and, you know, people trying to
you know, find whatever little bits of information that they can.
And for me, it's kind of fun
having all the secrets, you know, knowing that we have all this stuff in a bag and,
you know, when we release all this confetti, people
are just going to go crazy and trying to catch, you know, this is amazing.
And I can't wait for you all to experience everything that we've experienced
over the past ten months. And that is very new for us, too.
You know, we don't get a chance
to sit in the editing room and see it all come together.
So when we receive those episodes, just like, you know,
you all it's our first time seeing and and we're kind of going through that rush.
And even when you watch it
the day on the day when it comes out, it's a rush because then, you know,
millions of people are watching it as well.
So it's been nice to build this incredible fan base.
And it's also nice to have a whole host of secrets from
you are no matter how hard they scratch and clogging up Valley fans,
they they they they have a love hate relationship
with Pete that took so long to come back with their eager man.
They're loving it.
And you know, we kind of gained new fans every day, it seems like.
So it's nice.
Yeah.
And for you as a performer, obviously way you know, where you started to to now,
have you have you felt like you've
now become comfortable in kind of your own skin in a sense?
And now you're a performer who's had a bit of work and you've been consistent.
You've been able to play different characters.
You now kind of hit the ground running. That's right.
For sure.
I definitely feel
very well prepared for anything that comes my way and probably has
probably given me the most, I would say,
resources and tools as an actor.
And then I also had an incredible journey,
you know, prior to that with theater and all the tools I grab from that.
So, you know, although I'm still young, I'll be 32 this year.
I'm still very much at the beginning, I feel like, at my career.
But I also feel like a vet to a certain extent and what it is
that I'm able to bring to the table and bring to any other room.
And so probably,
yeah, Lil Murdais one of those characters where he gives you so many tools.
Now it's about time you get to the next gig.
There's really nothing you haven't seen or
haven't been able to do, you know, at that point.
Yeah, I was reading in your, your upcoming films
that you've been working with Jamie Foxx and John Boyega on, on a film
I think is coming out maybe later this year.
What was what was that experience
like doing something different and working with two actors who, you know,
John is one of Britain's top exports at the minute, and Jamie is Jamie Foxx.
You know, it's said to be a legend and and film.
But yeah, man.
So, you know, Jamie Foxx and I met when I did Just Mercy
a couple of years ago, and that was just an amazing experience.
And being there to kind of see him
delve into the work
and then sort of come back two years later and do they control which we actually
we shot throughout the pandemic
where we were all in a bubble it was a tough shoot, but we got it done.
And then meeting John Boyega, who's my peer, you know, we're the same age.
He's in the UK killing.
He love Lil Murda obviously
I love his work. He's saving my stuff.
And so for us to be able to kind of go head to head and they call Tyrone,
it was really nice, man. A great experience.
And I think you all are going to love this film
that Netflix is putting out is very different from P-Valley, that's for sure.
And you see me in a different light as well.
The character is very different, so I can't wait for you.
Obviously.
Fantastic.
As a final thing then, for fans are eagerly awaiting.
I've been waiting a little bit longer given, you know,
the couple of years and the pandemic and everything and everything,
but you've managed to to pull it off now what what would you say to them
that they can expect from season two, given how season one ended?
Well, first of all, it's worth the wait yeah.
It's been wear.
It's going to be worth the wait.
And I think everything that you want
to see
happen, you'll see it and more you know, you you see,
I think everybody is going to be satisfied with what probably does season two.
It won't leave anyone unsatisfied.
And so I
I feel like, you know, you just have to be prepared
because it is going to be a different ride.
It is going to be feels slightly different this season.
Want to go deeper?
Is level two of this season.
I think as far as a little murder is concerned,
you just have to keep your heart and your ears and your eyes
open to see what this young man goes through and understand.
And his journey.
And no matter how complex it may get, you know, so a lot to expect.
And then music wise,
just be prepared to music all summer.
All fall we took it to a whole nother level.
So I think people are going to be very excited about that as well.
Nice.
Are they giving you any indication that you might get a chance to go back again?
For this season for you?
Is it is it too early to tell just yet?
I think, you know, business wise, it's too early to tell, but
no fan wise and storytelling wise and how this season ends.
I feel very confident about a season three.
And I was mentioning earlier that, you know, Starz is very supportive
of telling these stories great about black women and women of color and just,
you know, that just black stories, you know,
and so I see Pee Valley having a long journey over it.
Starz, hopefully six seasons, you know, five, six seasons.
And Katori,
she always tells us, you know, she she has that in her as well to push out.
And she has the stories there.
So yeah, I feel confident about it.
I think you will.
This is great. I really admire the show.
J Alphonse thank you so much for your time.
Again, absolute pleasure and so happy to see you again.
Yeah. Good luck with everything.
Oprah, guys. Walker Likewise. Scott. Thank you, my friend.
Thanks, man.