- And he was like, "Hey, what's up nephew?
I'm watching your show, man. I love that show."
And I got his number, we're still friends.
That was a horrible Snoop Dogg impersonation.
(upbeat music)
Hi, my name is Damson Idris,
and today I'm going to be reminiscing
about all of my firsts with Elle.
First time in America, I was auditioning for "Snowfall".
I stayed on Stanley Avenue in Melrose,
and I ate Johnny Rockets every single day.
I got the same thing every day, I got the hotdog,
the hotdog with the onions on it, the fries,
and then the large Coke.
Sometimes I'd dabble in the burger too.
It's a good burger.
The thing that shocked me the most about America
was the portion sizes of the food.
Everything was huge.
I really got my money's worth
because I didn't have any money.
The first time working with Rihanna.
Wow, I'm gonna tell you the first time I met Rihanna,
which is more awkward.
It was at a party that I'm probably
never gonna be invited to after I tell this story.
She was at the bar and I was like, this is my moment.
And I walked up the bar, my best James Bond impersonation.
"Hi, I'm Damson. Damson Idris.
Lovely to meet you. You look fantastic today."
And then she was kind of giving me one worded answers,
like, "Get out of here, you freak."
And then I said, "How come, as I'm speaking to you
it's like you think I'm up to something?"
And she was like, "Because you are."
Yeah. Fast forward. Savage Fenty. Love you Rihanna.
Full circle moment.
My first big splurge was actually a sweet one.
It was this Christmas, and I spent too much money
on bringing my 25 Nigerian family members
from London to celebrate Christmas with me in LA.
And on the last day, I couldn't wait for them to leave,
because I had no money left.
They loved America.
They thought Johnny Rockets was great.
The first time I met a royal.
Okay, I've met two royals.
I met the late Queen Elizabeth,
who was the sweetest woman,
I met her when I was 11 years old.
I was playing rugby. It was her jubilee.
And she shook my little hand, and that was amazing.
I was like, "Hey, you are on our money!"
And then the second royal I met was the then Prince Charles,
now King Charles, at GQ Men of the Year.
I was like, "Yo, what up Charles?"
And then I was escorted out the building.
I'm joking, that didn't happen.
People in America think everyone in London
lives next to Buckingham Palace.
But no, I'm from the hood.
So I didn't really know how to interact with a royal.
I just know they're on money,
and they have like a lot of guards.
So I was just like...
I think all of them are wrong.
My first big role, I'm gonna say was my first role.
Because you know, in acting you're rejected so many times.
And that first role is always the biggest.
Because you know that casting director, that director,
that writer is saying,
"Welcome to this industry, show me what you've got."
And it was actually a TV show in London
called "Miranda Hart." (laughs)
I'm on a train and she's getting ready to leave town.
And there's this beautiful soothing music.
And then I come in with like my headphones
and like I'm listening to really heavy music.
And then she cuts my headphones.
And then she goes, "Oh, I'm so sorry.
It was soothing music."
And then I go, "Tyrone, look what this woman done!"
I did it great.
She was like, "You're such a good actor."
I was like, "Thank you."
Tyrone, look what this woman done. Yeah.
I say many more lines now.
The first time I was recognized in public,
it was at a party.
It was Floyd Mayweather's party.
And I was recognized by Snoop Dogg.
And he was like, "Hey, what's up nephew?
I'm watching this show, man, I love that show.
Man, you should come hang out with me sometime."
And I got his number, we're still friends.
That was a horrible Snoop Dogg impersonation.
But I grew up listening to Snoop Dogg's music.
I used Snoop Dogg's music just to get into character.
I'd listen to "Gin and Juice" and "What's My Name"
every single day.
So to get recognition from him was truly special
and definitely memorable.
Right before COVID, Snoop Dogg was the last guest
that I was able to bring onto set.
Now we're not allowed to bring guests on set
because of COVID of course.
But Snoop Dogg came on set of "Snowfall"
and we had lunch and he watched me work.
He's always been a supporter of mine
and I can't wait to work with him one day.
My first celebrity encounter,
where we actually spoke to each other
and I wasn't just like looking from afar,
drooling on the floor.
It was Mary J. Blige.
I went to see a screening of "The Shape of Water",
and I had been speaking with my director
and then I just heard someone scream, "Oh my God, Franklin?"
And I spin around, I'm like, "Oh, who is this?"
What ex has followed me from London?
And I spin around.
And it's Mary J. Blige.
And we're still friends today.
Love you Mary. (bell dinging)
My first "Snowfall" scene that left me speechless
was actually my first day on set.
We were working with drones.
I'd never worked with drones before.
I just remember,
I always thought Hollywood was Brad Pitt and green screen.
But being in South Central LA
and being amongst the people and all the background artists
and just how much work that goes into set decoration,
I really lost myself in it and truly forgot where I was.
And it was just a breathtaking moment.
It was that beautiful opening shot
of the palm trees of South Central LA.
And I was like,
"Wow, we're really about to make something special."
The first time I visited South Central,
I was still auditioning for the part.
I went to see John Singleton at his office.
And instead of reading,
like you're supposed to do in an audition,
he just decided to walk around South Central
and tell me to stay in character and speak with the locals.
You know, everyone was walking up to me and I was like,
"Hey, what's up man, where you from?"
I was like, "Yeah, I'm from over there."
Right over there.
"Really? Oh yeah, but where you staying at? What's up?"
"I stay over there. Right over there."
John loved it.
He was laughing and by the end of the day
he bought me some Jamaican food and called me up and said,
"Hey, you got your part, let's do this."
First "Snowfall" scene we ever shot was the opening scene
when the ice cream truck, the kids were trying to rob
the ice cream truck, and I stopped the little kids.
It was such a beautiful day. It was boiling.
I was like adjusting.
I was trying to focus on the accent
and trying to be a leader and not look nervous,
and I was failing at everything.
But yeah, it worked out.
My first heartbreak when I was...
Why do I remember this? I'm such a freak.
When I was in year four,
I don't know what you guys call that in America, year four,
you're around six years old.
This is hilarious. Her name was Rihanna. That is so funny.
And they used to separate year four to year six.
And then anything underneath that,
they'd have their own playground.
And I was like,
"I'm gonna go over there and I'm gonna kiss her."
And I went over there, and we had been friends,
and I finally was like, my first kiss and I was like...
And she mushed my face to the side.
That was my first heartbreak.
The first movie that inspired me to act was Sidney Poitier,
"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"
I thought it was one of the most marvelous performances
I've ever seen in my life.
And yeah, ever since then,
I've always wanted to walk in his footsteps.
And today I'm standing on his shoulders.
The first celebrity to follow me on social media.
I've gotta remember this, because you know what,
I'm gonna say John Singleton.
I mean, greater than a celebrity icon.
I remember bragging to my whole family.
And they were like, "Don't you see him every day?
Aren't you working with him?"
And I was like, "That's not the point!
Social media's important. Social media matters."
My first role model, last role model, forever role model,
is my mother.
She raised six kids all by herself.
She continues to be my biggest fan. I'm her biggest fan.
She will always be my role model.
Thank you so much for hanging out with me and Elle,
and make sure that you check out "Snowfall" on FX.