John Singleton took “method acting” to a new level when he had Damson Idris audition for the role of Franklin Saint in his FX hit series “Snowfall.” On Monday (March 13), the British actor stopped by “The Drew Barrymore Show” and reminisced about working with the late director.
“By audition number eight, Singleton took me to South Central, opened the car door, and said, ‘If you survive, you’ve got the role.’ 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,” the 31-year-old fondly remembered. “And, I said to his mother, ‘Oh, how lovely your hair looks today. I’m just going to go and put this in a bin,’ and she goes, ‘John, he ain’t from here, huh?’ Nearly lost the part. But hey, six seasons later, here we are,” Idris continued.
Singleton’s mother was right. Born in Peckham, London, Idris reportedly came to America for the first time in 2015 specifically to land the part. “I couldn’t imagine telling this story anywhere but at FX,” he added while appearing on the daytime television show. “I’m incredibly proud of the history we have all made. Especially the impact ‘Snowfall’ has had on the culture. Very rarely does a TV show get to the sixth season mark, and saying goodbye to Franklin Saint will be heartbreaking, but the family and relationships I’ve made on this journey will last a lifetime. I know John Singleton is looking down, smiling proud,” he shared.
Now that “Snowfall” is coming to a close, Idris’ next leading role will be in the Donald Glover-created series “Swarm.” The show sees the young actor alongside songstress Chlöe Bailey and follows an “obsessed, Houston-based fan [who] goes to increasingly violent lengths for her favorite R&B singer,” according to a synopsis. During a recent interview, Bailey admitted she was originally nervous about filming a sex scene with her co-star: “Damson made it really comfortable, you know? There were limited people on set. It was a closed set.” The 2023 thriller drops on Amazon Prime this Friday (March 17).