This interview was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike.I’m about to talk to Sam Richardson over Zoom when technology threatens to fail us both. Richardson’s AirPods won’t connect. Meanwhile, Zoom slams me with a notification that an update failed to download. “Every time,” Richardson deadpans. “It’s like, Oh no, Drastic update needed!” We’re here, ostensibly, to talk about the 39-year-old’s leading role in Apple TV+’s mystery whodunnit comedy, The Afterparty, which is now over midway through its second season. But at this point, in late June, it feels like nothing is going right. We’re sweating through record temperatures, scraping for Twitter alternatives, and of course, anticipating the looming actor’s strike. SAG-AFTRA wouldn’t hit the picket lines until a couple weeks after we spoke, but it was still top of mind for Richardson. “We need art to be written and created,” he tells me. “This isn’t about the top actors. It’s not about millionaires paying millionaires. It’s about billionaires paying people a living wage. It’s about the people who gig, need health insurance, and the residuals to support themselves.” Today, in mid-August, the studios still feel no closer to reaching a deal. On a more optimistic note, the smart device gods do eventually smile upon us, and I lighten up the vibe by telling Sam about my deep love of Detroiters—one of his earliest Comedy Central shows. It’s always my go-to recommendation when someone asks me for a good laugh. “Thanks so much,” he replies. “I do the same thing.”Since Detroiters, and… Click below to read the full story from Esquire
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