Tupac helped Michael K. Williams land his first film role

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Michael K. Williams is now one of the most respected film and television actors around, but it all started with a polaroid and Tupac Shakur.

On the latest episode of PeopleTV’s Couch Surfing, Williams looks back at his first film role (“The very first film role…ever, ever, ever, ever.”) in Bullet alongside Tupac Shakur.

“It was a time in New York when music videos were really a big thing, at least in New York City. The right music video would make you a star,” he explains. “You would just go around to all these different production offices…and audition. And the way you would audition was, if it wasn’t a dance video, they’d just stand you up against the wall, polaroid you — ‘Next!’ — and if they liked your look, you’d get the gig.”

As it turns out, the right person saw Williams’s polaroid: Shakur. “He was like, ‘Yo, go find this dude, he looks thugged out enough to play my little brother.” Lucky for Williams – and for all of us!

Watch the Couch Surfing clip above.