Season 3 of Snowfall is back, continuing the portrayal of the story behind the crack epidemic and its influences.
On Monday, July 1, the cast of Snowfall joined the NYC premiere screening and red carpet event.
We spoke with the leads, Damson Idris, Isaiah John, Angela Lewis, Amin Joseph, and Michael Hyatt about what to expect in the upcoming series set to premiere on July 10.
The Knockturnal: What’s something you learned about your character this season?
Isaiah John: I feel like Leon’s loyalty and love is definitely getting tested this season by his friendships and his relationships. You’re definitely going to see him fighting and having that inner battle. And that’s something I learned because I feel like everyone has an inner battle that they have to face, they have to fight, that’s unspoken. And seeing how Leon has to fight definitely put things into perspective for me and helped me with my own individual fight.
Angela Lewis: I was surprised at how much Louie and Angela [me] have in common. And I think the more the seasons go on, at least in her emotional vulnerability, I have to make sure that I’m coming at it from Louie’s perspective and not Angela’s perspective. Because Angela is a softie and Louie is not, you know what I mean? I think Louie is soft on the inside but her shell is definitely much harder than Angela’s, so I always have to watch out for that.
Damson Idris: I just think this season Franklin taught me the importance of fatherhood and how important it is for African American kids to have their dads in their lives. This is a universal problem. And some of us did have our dads in our lives. If our dads weren’t snatched away from us, we might be different men today.
Amin Joseph: Without giving any spoilers, I will just say that my character Jerome Saint has a new level of vulnerability that’s reached this season, and I think that he is stepping into uncharted waters as far as trying to be more of a man than he was. I think he has been a man that has sort of been living in the shadow of himself, being disenchanted with life and perhaps opportunities. And I think that this season we’ll get to see him step into his own truth but also deal with the repercussions of the life that they’re living.
Michael Hyatt: This is a pretty strong season. I think it surpasses season 2, I really do. They have stepped up the story. We’re just getting deeper into the story. I think there are more opportunities to focus on the characters and the journey of the individual people, their emotional journey, which is beautiful. And one of the things I enjoy most is that the audience gets an opportunity to see Alton in his glory. You haven’t seen Alton yet. You haven’t experienced Alton yet. That is going to be a treat. It’s a treat for me.
FX Networks
The Knockturnal: What are you hoping people will take away from this new season?
Michael Hyatt: I would be quite proud if that is what people take away this season. Being introduced to who Alton really is, understanding his journey. I think if we do that, it’s a beautiful thing because he represents so many members of our community.
Damson Idris: You know, when you come into a show, season 3 is always the season you want to get to. To make some more money [laughter]. No, I’m kidding. But yea, it’s beautiful. We’ve made great stuff and I can’t wait for others to see it. It’s the best show in the world. I just hope people understand that this isn’t a show that glorifies drugs. This is a show that’s touching on an important time in American history and for them to see their past so that they can understand why they are in their present. And be able to walk positively into the future.
Angela Lewis: I think people will be surprised to see Louie so vulnerable. She has not been this vulnerable or this emotional in the past 2 seasons. She doesn’t like it. It was a surprise for me, so I think everybody will be surprised. And I think people will be surprised to see all the things that are at stake.
Amin Joseph: This season is a continuation. I thought that we got off to a fair pace with the first season. I thought the second season, in my opinion, was excellent and kind of quickened the pace of it. We already knew the characters. We’re really into it now with this third season. I think this solidifies as being one of the best shows on television. I’m just being honest. With the type of work that we did, and of course the big brother now watching over us, there’s an integrity and a detailed storytelling and character development that I think is unmatched on television especially in this genre.
Isaiah John: This season is full fledge into the crack epidemic. You’re gonna see what people were willing to do and give up for crack and how it really affected people’s minds, their spirits, their families, the community. So I hope that people really learn, especially for the younger generation, that they learn and see what really happened before your time.
FX Networks
The Knockturnal: On remembering John Singleton…
Isaiah John: I loved the fact that he would always take my mom and I on his boat and cook for us and tell us all these stories about his life and what he experienced and things like that. Those were sentimental moments that I’m definitely going to cherish.
https://youtu.be/JWqa30odVkY
Season 3 of Snowfall premieres on July 10 on FX.
