‘The Get Down’ Cast Sings The Praises Of Working With Baz Luhrmann

The Get Down won’t be debuting on Netflix until the heat of the summer, but that didn’t stop the cast from teasing Baz Luhrmann‘s latest fantastical opus on the Daredevil season two red carpet last week.

The Get Down is a musical coming-of-age story that takes place in 1970s New York City. Specifically, it takes place in the South Bronx, a place that was the hotbed for funk, hip hop, and crime at that specific moment in time. Netflix dropped a sizzle reel for the series early this year and it looks like the director is turning away from the opulence of Australia and The Great Gatsby in 3D and returning to his gleefully scrappy roots as a musical filmmaker. The show’s trailer has the same kind of wistful yearning and fantasy that defined Luhrmann’s first film Strictly Ballroom.

When we spoke to the cast, they all seemed pumped to share the show with audiences and were quick to sing Luhrmann’s praises. Star Shameik Moore said, “I mean, he’s just like the films are. So the feeling you get from the film is who he is in person. Soon as you meet him, he’s very [makes a fun, visceral roaring sound], you know?”

“He’s inspiring,” Moore continued. “His dialogue…the words that he uses when he speaks, his energy, how loving he is… You know how the colors look in his movies? You feel those colors when you meet him. It’s a part of his energy.”

All the actors we talked to praised Lurhman’s process and teased that the fun on set translated to some pretty awesome bloopers.

Skylan Brooks also enthused about Luhrmann’s commitment to researching the time period and era. Brooks said, “He’s from Australia and we’re working on South Bronx. It’s like he was from the South Bronx!”

The Get Down premieres on Netflix on August 12.