Damson Idris Explains How He Got His Role In ‘Snowfall’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: Damson Idris attends the "Swarm" Red Carpet Premiere and Screening in Los Angeles at Lighthouse Artspace LA on March 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images)
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Actor Damson Idris took a trip down memory lane while explaining how he landed the role of Franklin Saint in the FX hit show Snowfall. 

While on The Drew Barrymore Show, Idris revealed his audition process and the task that he was faced with, which was given to him by the late John Singleton

“By audition number eight, Singleton took me to South Central, opened the car door, and said, ‘If you survive, you’ve got the role,’” the actor said. 

He continued, “It really was an experience. You know, 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 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.”

The show Snowfall was created by Singleton and aired on television in 2017. For those who’ve never watched the show, it is set in Los Angeles in 1983 during the first crack epidemic. 

This show is in its last season and will end soon. It comes on FX on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Will you miss Damson Idris playing Franklin Saint once the show comes to an end?