Cedric Yarbrough – Speechless

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) There are several recent projects that I have been working on. I was recently on the show “Ballers” and a show called “Son of Zorn.” Then, the most recent of my own that I can talk about is the wonderful show called “Speechless.”

Q) Will you be making any cameos this season on “The Goldbergs?”

A) I have a reoccurring role on “The Goldbergs” on ABC and it would be interesting to have kind of a crossover show with my two shows – “Speechless” and “The Goldbergs.” That hasn’t happened yet. I love working on the show. Jeff Garlin is a fun guy to work with and of course seeing my former “Reno 911” costar Wendi McLendon-Covey do great things on that show is a real treat. I’m so happy for her because she deserves. She is one of the funniest people that I know and I’m glad she gets to spread her wings on the show.

Q) You have great comedic timing. Is that something that has come natural to you or have you had to work at it?

A) I would say both. I come from a pretty funny family. My mother is hysterical. She’s probably one of the funniest people outside of the business that I know. I wen tot school and learned sketch and improv comedy working with people that I admire and see how they do it.

Q) Please tell us the premise for your new series “Speechless” and about your character Kenneth?

A) We meet the DiMeo family who has three kids and the eldest of them has cerebral palsy and he is non-verbal. It means he doesn’t speak and communicates through a board on his wheelchair through a laser in his glasses. In our pilot episode, Minnie Driver (who plays the matriarch of the show) is desperate to find a voice for JJ (Micah Fowler), her eldest. Through some events, we finally find one and that is my character Kenneth who is a groundskeeper at the show. JJ and Kenneth spark a connection. Kenneth finds it challenging, but he really likes the kid and they decide to go on this adventure.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) I usually start with what is already written on the page. If I feel a connection or something I have never done and also well written I’m game. This was something that I had never done before and I just thought it was funny first. It had some serious subject matter, but on the page it was very funny. So, I was all about it when I first read about this show. When I went in and met Scott Silveri who wrote the first pilot and created the show, we kind of hit it off right away. It wasn’t too long before I heard they wanted me to be a part of the show. It was interesting because I was the only person cast on the show for a long time. It was weeks before they found anyone else. So, I was wondering for a while if the show was happening because no one else was cast but me. Then, they found John Ross Bowie, Minnie Driver, Micah Fowler, the amazing Mason Cook and the amazing Kyla Kenedy. It’s a ragtag group of people, but for some reason this works. It’s a very funny show.

Q) What did you find challenging about the role?

A) Yes, it is challenging in that because Micah’s character JJ doesn’t speak I have to speak for him. So, I will read what he is saying on the board but then I have to answer in what I’m saying as well. So, a lot of it is monologue. It is a long, long monologue(s) of dialogue because he is not saying anything. I’m saying it for him and then I’m reacting to it. It’s a very schizophrenic way of working and that part is challenging, but I’m hoping the audience rides along with me how he reacts to what I’m saying and how I’m speaking for him and then how I’m speaking for me. It is a challenging role, but I also find in Kenneth a lot of similarities with me. He is a fun loving human being and he makes mistakes along the way (a lot of mistakes along the way) because he has never been an aide to anyone before. I think his heart is in the right place and it is a fun role to play.

Q) Is there room during filming to improv at all?

A) There is very much so! What I like to do from an actor’s standpoint is get what is written first because the writers are doing such a god job with the show. They really don’t need any improv from me, but I also like to throw my hat into the ring as well. So, the first couple of takes I will get what is written on the page and then I will if I have something. We’ll go around that and that happened in the pilot episode. Some of my improv worked in the pilot episode and hopefully will be working in the run of the show. But I have to tip my hat to the writers who are doing such a good job of finding the voices of all of our characters. That’s really fun because everyone on the show is so specific. Everyone has to coin a phrase “a voice” in the show. So, a lot of times I don’t need to improv because they are doing such a good job.

Q) Is there something you wish you got to work with more or at all that you haven’t had scenes with?

A) It’s funny because we are all kind of together a lot of there isn’t really one actor that I haven’t worked with that I would like to. Now that I am thinking about it, it would be kind of fun to do an adult scene with John Ross Bowie and Minnie Driver. I don’t spend a whole lot of time with them on camera. I spend a lot of time with them off camera, but on camera would be fun to do, too. If the adults went out and did something, that would be kind of a cool thing for them. I’m mostly with Micah and the kids. It’s funny because we are such a tight knit group that we’re always with each other.

Q) What is it like working with Micah?

A) I’ve had a great experience with Micah. Micah is pretty amazing. We work long, long hours. We’re there for a long time, sometimes twelve, thirteen, fourteen or fifteen hours a day. I check in with him and he is ready to go. I’m like, “Hey man! You good?” He’s like, “Yeah! Let’s go! Let’s do this!” He’s always excited, ready and professional. That level of professionalism at the age of eighteen is pretty amazing. He is quite a young fellow and I can say that with Mason and Kyla. These guys are professionals. They have worked a lot. Kyla was with “The Walking Dead” and other projects and Mason as well. They are pros. They come to work prepared, ready and on time. That is what you want. They are little professionals.

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments from filming?

A) Some of my most memorable moments I can’t tell you, but our Halloween episode is spectacular! It’s out of this world! Some of the costumes and some of the dialogue is really, really great. Also, there is another episode where I can’t tell you everything, but I will tell you that Micah and I kind of take advantage of who we are and we get to do a bunch of things that are pretty ridiculous. I’m just really excited for everyone to see each and every episode because every one of them is packed with a “what are they doing” aspect to the show. I’m most excited for people to finally see what we have been cooking up here. I’m excited for people to just see what we have been able to do.

Q) What do you think it is about the show “Speechless” that will make it a fast fan favorite?

A) I think it will stand out in that is a very relatable middle class family who goes through challenges, but aren’t sad about it. We all go through ups and downs in our lives but how you get through them are very shaping of who and what you are. This family laughs a lot at the great time even despite some of their trials and tribulations, including Kenneth. I think that’s what people are going to really enjoy. This family has a child with special needs or a person with a disability, but a lot of us have a child with certain needs. They might not be as extreme as others, but every child has a point of view, an opinion, and it is how parents deal with it. I think people have those neighbors, uncles, those teachers or people who really care about your kids who aren’t necessarily related but are related in that they care a lot about your family. I think that is what Kenneth’s character is for the family. I think people are also going to really like this show because it is just funny. I think that’s what we come for. We come for the funny and then every once in a while we hit you with some depth and care.

Q) Since you are a part of social media, are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback you will receive to the episodes?

A) You know what? No. [laughs] I am not looking forward to the fan feedback. Here is the thing, as an actor you try to stay sort of in a bubble because you don’t want any outside influences effecting your performance. You don’t want to feel too bad about yourself or too good about yourself. You want to stay in that pocket of being honest with the character and with the show. I am excited for fans to see the see and share and enjoy the show? Am I excited about hearing their opinion? No. I have to be honest. Especially now with social media, people will say anything and everything that they might not say that to your face. They might go in on me about any number of things. So, on that subject I can’t protect myself from (other than not looking). I am excited though for people to see the show and to talk about it and for them to talk about it amongst themselves and not to me. I have made that mistake. It’s not just fans, but also family. Family will tell you things and you’re like, “That’s what you thought?! Oh no!” So, I have also told my family to keep your opinions to yourself. You can talk about me all you want, but just don’t talk to me about me. [laughs]

Q) Is there anything else you want to be sure fans know about the show?

A) I think in my experience in working in television and movies, every once in a while you’ll feel certain things. Sometimes you think, “I don’t think this will work out very well.” Those kind of things you know you hate to lie and try to promote like “Yeah, this is going to be a good show.” I don’t feel that way about this show at all. I am so proud of this show. It’s very hard as an actor to get any show, just to book a pilot. Then, to finally book a show that you actually like is a whole other level of happy. Then, you get on a show where you actually like the people you are working with? That you respect and love what they are doing too? That’s another level of happy. Then to find a network that really believes in your show and is promoting as well? It’s just too much! It’s crazy! It’s a crazy experience that we’re having. The only other times that I felt that was when I did a cartoon called “The Boondocks” and when I did “Reno 911.” You feel like it is lightening in a bottle. You feel that there is something here that you can be very proud of it, that is going to be very funny and people are really going to like. That’s what I feel about this show.