The things that go on behind the scenes in the industry make for interesting stories, and Damson Idris shares a tale about John Singleton. The praised filmmaker passed away in 2019, and his creative efforts continue to be imprinted in the minds of millions of fans. He gave us movies like Baby Boy, Boyz n The Hood, Poetic Justice, and more. Singleton was also responsible for giving the world Snowfall, the series that stars Idris. The actor recently visited Drew Barrymore’s talk show and shared the story of Singleton dropping him off in South Central, Los Angeles, to work on his accent.
“By audition No. 8, Singleton took me to South Central, opened the car door, and said, ‘If you survive, you’ve got the role,” the British actor said with a laugh. “And it really was an experience. I was walking around South Central, I had to stay in character. So, I wasn’t allowed to be British. And I said to his mother, ‘Oh, how lovely your hair looks today. I’m just gonna go, and you know, put this in a bin.’ And she goes, ‘John! He ain’t from here, huh?!”
Damson Idris Jokes About Friendship With Beyoncé & Jay-Z
Idris joked that he “nearly lost the part.” The actor added, “Hey, six seasons later. Here we are.” Barrymore enjoyed the story, but she quickly moved on to rumors that Damson is friends with Jay-Z and Beyoncé. “I’ve been around them many times,” he answered. Drew called Hov almost “paternal” in how he deals with people. Idris responded, “Yeah, I’ll be in Miami,m it’s late. I’ll call them up, and I’ll be like, ‘Hey, I can’t get reservations at Carbone.’” He couldn’t help but laugh before giving his best Jay-Z impression.
Idris claims the Roc Nation mogul told him to win a few more Emmys before having that clout. It was all in good fun, and the actor called Bey and Jay “the sweetest.” He said, “We connected in many ways, but the Super Bowl was really great because it was kind of the first time I really connected with B. I had just walked for Prada… Such a huge moment for me.”
More Laughs During The Interview
Snowfall is coming to an end with its final season, and Damson Idris’s fans await more from the actor. Off-screen, his relationship with Lori Harvey is heating up. Check out Damson Idris on The Drew Barrymore Show above.