Saeed Adyani/NetflixIn an episode of Netflix’s Dear White People, a white policeman pulls his gun on Reggie (Marque Richardson), a black student who refuses to show his student ID during a house party that has gotten rowdy. Friends urge Reggie to comply. After an incredibly tense few moments, he does.
Later, Reggie breaks down in his dorm room. It’s a spectacular moment of acting and one that so nauseatingly reflects the times. The crying was not in the script, Richardson shares. That just happened, he explains. How could he not?
Here he answers our “5 Questions.”
- If your TV carried just three shows or networks, what would they be? The Chi on Showtime. I love Netflix — I lay on the floor with my dog and watch Netflix. I love A&E because I love Bates Motel and [TLC’s] My 600-lb Life.
- What are three things you have to have in your fridge or pantry? Water, because I drink a lot of water. I love ranch dressing — I put that on everything. And Newman’s Own Fig Newmans — they’re the best fig newtons I have ever had.
- Tell us about a time when you were starstruck. Octomom. I saw her years ago, and I asked if I could take a picture, and I guess she took the night off. It was so weird, and I took a picture with her.
- Who would be your ideal three guests — living or dead — for a dinner party? Oprah, Maya Angelou and Honey Boo Boo.
- If acting weren’t your profession, what career would you most likely have pursued or would be successful at? I grew up always wanting to be an astronaut, but I started acting when I was 4, so looking at it now, I would probably be in Thailand building boats and doing humanitarian work, and in Africa rolling in the dirt.
