LOS ANGELES 鈥� All things considered, Brian Tyree Henry should be wiped out.
The breakout star of FX鈥檚 Atlanta flew in from New York just a few hours earlier to attend the premi猫re of the second season of the offbeat comedy, which returned Thursday. He was to catch the red-eye back right after the event so he can resume rehearsing for the upcoming Broadway production Lob-by Hero, by acclaimed writer Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea).
But battling jet lag and a lack of sleep hasn鈥檛 dampened Henry鈥檚 mood on this frosty February afternoon as he settles into a booth at a West Hollywood lounge. Joking and animated, he describes in rapid-fire words what it鈥檚 like to be caught in a whirlwind.
鈥淚鈥檓 exhausted beyond belief,鈥� he says, his hands gesturing in front of his Janet Jackson T-shirt. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like I鈥檓 one of the Looney Tunes characters who has been shot out of a catapult. But it鈥檚 all good, and it鈥檚 all worth it.鈥�
Being exhausted and excited makes sense given that Henry experienced a year in which he was featured in one of TV鈥檚 hottest comedies, earned an Emmy nomination for his work on one of TV鈥檚 hottest dramas (This Is Us), worked on several films with top names including Oscar winners Viola Davis, Jodie Foster and director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), and is again Broadway-bound.
鈥淚鈥檝e been doing this for 11 years, and to have this kind of breakout moment is fantastic,鈥� says Henry, who first made a splash originating the role of 鈥淭he General鈥� in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 even want to call it a moment, because I want it to last.鈥�
He is particularly pumped about Atlanta, the series created and produced by Donald Glover about two cousins manoeuvring awkwardly through the city鈥檚 hip-hop music scene. Henry earned raves as rough-edged rapper Alfred 鈥淧aper Boi鈥� Miles who is armed with both a withering glare and a pistol.
The first season drew widespread acclaim and scored two major Emmy wins 鈥� lead actor and director for a comedy for Glover 鈥� as well as a nomination for comedy.
A key story line in the first season revolved around Paper Boi鈥檚 grassroots success. His celebrity factor was bolstered by street cred due to his involvement in a shooting. Seeing an opportunity to make money, Alfred鈥檚 hapless cousin Earn (Glover), a Princeton dropout bordering on homelessness, becomes his manager.
In person, Henry is considerably more approachable and good-humoured than his often ill-tempered, weed-smoking alter ego.
鈥淲hen I first read the script and saw who Albert was, I fell in love with him,鈥� says Henry, who graduated from Morehouse College and received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama. 鈥淚 immediately knew who this guy is. He鈥檚 like every cousin I have, like every best friend I still have.鈥�
鈥淚 also want to make sure I do him justice,鈥� he adds. 鈥淗e has a protection about him, which is why he has a distance. He was born and raised in Atlanta, and he saw everyone he knows leave, and he鈥檚 had to figure out a way to survive there. But he鈥檚 one of the most loving people I鈥檝e ever seen. He will do anything for the people he cares about.鈥�
In a nod to the increase in robberies around the Christmas holidays when people are purchasing gifts, Season 2 has been dubbed 鈥淎tlanta: Robbin鈥� Season,鈥� which exposes Paper Boi to the double-edged blade of celebrity.
鈥淣ow Alfred has to navigate this city in a totally different way,鈥� says Henry. 鈥淭hat is terrifying to him, and it makes him vulnerable. He鈥檚 uncomfortable 鈥� he鈥檚 not a rapper, he was just trying to make some money real quick. Now all of a sudden his success has run away from him.鈥�
鈥淲e wanted to explore the idea of what fame really means,鈥� says Glover in a phone interview. 鈥淧opularity has value, and Alfred is an actual person who all of a sudden has this coming to him. There鈥檚 this crazy thing about rapping. It starts out as something very personal, but then it goes out in the world and people start to judge it and they have no idea what you鈥檝e been through.鈥�
Glover offers high praise for his costar鈥檚 performance. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of anyone who could have done as good a job as Brian has,鈥� the creator-writer-actor says. 鈥淗e really brings a lot of humanity to this character. He can balance being intimidating and also being sweet and precious. ... He鈥檚 so different from Paper Boi and Alfred, you forget this is coming from an actor. This show would not be as successful without him.鈥�
Though Henry is ecstatic about Atlanta, he鈥檚 equally jazzed about his stint onstage in Lobby Hero, which also stars Michael Cera (Juno) and Chris Evans (Captain America).
鈥淚鈥檓 so happy to be home; the theatre is where I started,鈥� says Henry, who, in addition to Book of Mormon, appeared in several productions at the Public Theatre. He plays William, the head of security in the drama, set in the lobby of a Manhattan high-rise apartment building.
He鈥檚 set to appear in the upcoming film Hotel Artemis, which also stars Foster. Other work in the pipeline for the North Carolina native includes Widows, directed by McQueen and starring Davis.
鈥淚鈥檓 working with all these artists I鈥檝e admired,鈥� says Henry. 鈥淚鈥檝e always said, 鈥楶lease just let me in the ring.鈥� I wouldn鈥檛 trade what鈥檚 happening now for the world,鈥� says Henry.
But hopefully, he can get a little sleep.
