Andre Royo – Hand of God

By: Lisa Steinberg

Q) The series “Hand of God” was so highly anticipated and was greatly embraced. Was that something you expected?

A) It’s a wonderful surprise to me because I feel like when I started acting back in the day the landscape of television has changed so much. Now, it’s almost overwhelming how many shows there are and how many channels and sources of media we can find different programming. I’m also new to this whole streaming thing. I’m the guy who likes to watch an episode per week. My wife and my daughter would sit there and watch four or five episodes at a time. That’s too much for me. I like to watch one episode. I need to think about it and marinate on it. When I come back next week to watch the show, I know that it has got me and I’m hooked. This generation has a different kind of hook. It’s wonderful and it’s also amazing that Netflix, Amazon and other sources realize the audience wants to watch it when they want to watch it, how they want to watch it and you can’t tell them otherwise. When people come up to me and say, “I watched all five seasons of ‘The Wire’ in two days,” I’m like, “Wow! That’s a lot of viewing. You must really have enjoyed it.”The same thing happens with “Hand of God.” People will say, “I saw all the episodes!” I find it crazy. I find it amazing how they can decipher what episode was your favorite when you watch all ten episodes at once. That’s like a ten hour movie! It’s great the audience has that control now. That’s the new landscape of television right now.

Q) What makes “Hand of God” a great fit for Amazon?

A) Well, I think “Hand of God” is a great fit because Amazon reminds me of the old school HBO and Showtime when it was brand new and people were saying it was the new wave of television – cable. Cable was telling different stories and taking more chances. Now, with Amazon, it tells people they have the chance to watch all the episodes of a show that they like on certain topics. “Hand of God” reminds me of an old school psychological thriller. There are dramas, comedy, dramedy, but you don’t see too many thrillers. I think back in the day, there were crazy thrillers like “Body Heat” and “8 Million Ways To Die.” You would see characters dealing with dark, twisted shenanigans, but it looked so sexy at the same time. That’s a lost art form in itself. It’s like going to a party and you come in with albums. If you show up and say, “I’ve got albums. Where is the record player,” people will look at you funny. When we found out we were shooting on 35 it gives a look to the show a slickness and a glow about it that kind of masks all the dark tones we are doing. It all melds together and for me it comes across so wonderful. It kind of hypnotizes you to watch all this darkness.

Q) What made you want to portray Bobo?

A) I must say that the idea that wearing a suit jacket and a tie made my mom happy. There was something about his position of power and his position of loyalty to not only his family, but his city and his friends yet not allowing that loyalty to interfere with that legacy he was striving for. I just felt like there was so many layers there that I wanted to try and capture in my performance that it was challenging. I knew that a lot of people knew me from the total opposite with Bubbles that I just felt I had to try to get a shot. I wanted to at least have them see me in the room. At first, I couldn’t get into the room for the audition because they wouldn’t see me thinking I wouldn’t be strong enough to go toe to toe with Ron Perlman because of presence. My presence was this weak character that they didn’t know if I could stand up prensence wise with Ron Perlman. Once I got into the room, everything about the character, the show and the process of getting the show was a new challenge that I wanted to sink my teeth in. It was one of those moments where I had to get in. It was the same feeling I had when I auditioned for “The Wire.” I didn’t want that audition because I didn’t want to play a junkie. I was doing theater in New York. Then, all of a sudden, my friends and my manager were like, “I don’t even think you could play that role.” So, I was like, “Whoa!” For some reason when I read the “Hand of God” script I felt that challenge. Can you pull this off? For any artist, that’s when you do the research, do the homework and get it done.

Q) Was there anything you added to this role that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) When I first walked in and they asked me about how I felt about the character, I had my own take on him. I think on paper was much more of a straightforward politician type. It was that old school “West Wing” kind of character. I don’t think they knew or saw the complexity, levity, humor, sarcasm and tweaks in between. I told them when I read the script that Mayor Bobo reminded me of Mayor Giuliani mixed with Ralph Lauren. They were like, “Oh shit! What’s his accent?” I told them, “Let me show you what that is.” I was outside in episode one where I am telling the guys about going to my daughter’s wedding and why they are looking elsewhere. I did it with this really fast talking looking really annoyed (but not too annoyed that I curse you out because I need you). It was like I need you, but you’re riding that line. Giuliani was the same way with, “I’m going to take over the city and be a real dick about it, but I’m going to make you feel like it’s for your own good.” I just added a certain levity and sarcasm to Mayor Bobo that they liked the way it came across. In my career, I’ve seen a few people do it. I’m not a big dude. I don’t know Kung Fu. I’m not strapped with a gun. There is nothing really that is intimidating about me unless I get in that zone where I can get really, really mean and hurtful with my tongue. Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Don Cheadle – there are certain guys who are small framed, but you better kill them because they are going to keep coming after you. I needed to make sure that that hint came out where you might be mad, but it is going to take a long time. I’m glad that came across. I hope that came across!

Q) What did you take away from working on this project?

A) When you are standing opposite somebody like Ron Perlman, Dana Delaney and Garrett Dillahunt, to name a few, you look on the other side of the camera and there is Marc Forster who has worked with Brad Pitt, Billy Bob Thornton and all these other great actors. Ben Watkins is a young black man and at his age is a showrunner. He is just around so much confidence and so much experience that you walk away thinking, “I belong. It’s not like I got lucky or someone is doing me a favor by allowing me to play with the big boys. No, I belong here. If you want to go toe to toe, I’ll be the first one to draw the line in the sand. I walk away understanding that I can mix it up with anybody.” After watching all ten episodes of “Hand of God,” I walk away liking my taste level. I like the projects that I fight for. Nine times out of ten I am really proud of the work I do. Yeah, I did some projects just to pay the bills and was like, “I hope nobody sees this.” But I needed to eat. There are some projects where I sat in the trailer thinking, “Oh my God. This is a nightmare.” But that is just the journey. With “Hand of God,” when I left and I sat down for a minute and thought about certain projects I have done in my career this was one where I was like, “You know, I don’t know if everybody sees it how I see it, but you have good taste.” With “The Wire” and what’s happening now with “Hand of God, :I am just hoping that my future projects get bigger and bigger and the bar gets set higher and higher in the stories that I want to play and the stories I want to tell. So, I look forward to that. I think I walked away with a better vision of who I am and what I want to do. I had to pat myself on the back and say, “You’ve been blessed to be in really, really fantastic projects.” I’m happy about that and hope it continues.

Q) We’re getting to see you in “Empire” now. How does that make you feel?

A) You will get to see me as a different character and yet again, in a show that is breaking records. I didn’t know it at first. I had to do some research. It’s a show that did something last year that has never been done before, each episode grew in numbers and never had a drop-off. Apparently, there has never been a show that has done that. It just has gotten bigger and bigger. Usually, a show will lose some viewers because maybe basketball game is on or maybe there is something on the news that makes you change the channel for a second. With “Empire,” it just kept going! When I got a phone call – and when a show like that calls you and says, “We want to offer you a role…” Just that word “offer,” every working actor that I know when they come up beating the pavement and working your work to solidify yourself as a working actor when you hear the word “offer” more people are paying attention and they are trying to tell you, “Listen, you don’t have to audition for this. We know already that you do a good job.” So, when I got that offer and it was for “Empire” I was told I would be doing a couple of episodes and would be standing there with Taraji P. Henson who is a force of nature and a wonderful crafty lady. I knew I had better be ready or else I would be gobbled up. Then, on the other side, I have this light skinned green eyed mother fucker who has an Oscar – Terrance Howard. He is another person who will stare you down and make you shrivel with his presence. “Empire” is on its second season so they knew the energy was not surprising. Now it’s expected that we do good so we better keep our foot on the gas and get bigger. That was floating around and you could feel that they didn’t want to lose anyone. The show has embraced hip-hop as the soundtrack and the understory is the family drama. It is like hip-hop because they have the number one spot like a rapper and they don’t want to lose it. Then, when other shows come they want to battle – not physically, but they don’t want to lose that spot. You can feel that. When I got there, I didn’t want to be the guy that fucked it up. I walked in there and they kind of gave me that respect coming from “The Wire” so I know badasses. I got the Barksdales in my corner and I’ll go against the Lyons any day. It was cool and they embraced me. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been a lot of fun and any actor that I know knows that is what you want. It’s so hard and you are always wondering. It’s a peaks and valleys industry. There are times when you are not working at all and wondering what the next job is going to be. Then, there are times when you are busy and having a blast. You just have to embrace that moment, live in it and enjoy it. You don’t know what the next year is going to be like. I’m hoping all my shows get five or six seasons. I hope I can translates me in a way where I can hit the big screen the way I want to. I’m happy that I get the opportunity to do what I do and do the style of acting that I want to portray and have more viewers to watch me. I’m thirsty. I’m Thirsty in real life. I want it all.

Q) Is there anything about your character you can tease about what is to come?

A) You’ll get to see a character that kind of understands the illusion of inclusion. Thirsty knows there really are no laws, just lawyers. There are ways to get around if you are good enough, you have enough pull or enough money then the laws will bend around you. Thirsty knows that and he is the perfect balance of street knowledge and the justice system. He knows both sides of street justice and American justice. He is going to use that to the best of his client’s advantage. One thing I don’t like is he has a very unique sense of style. We have to work on that. My wife and I were looking at a commercial for “Empire” saying it was a great show, had hip-hop and the fashion is incredible and everyone looks so good and sleek. I was excited because I thought I’d get some really sexy suits and when I got there my suits were not up to par with the rest of the “Empire” cast. They are perfect for Thirsty, but they aren’t up to par for Andre.