'Atlanta' star Brian Tyree Henry ranks the best moments from Season 1
For Fayetteville, N.C. native Brian Tyree Henry, Atlanta was the first place where he saw his image reflected back positively. And now, as the star of FX's critically acclaimed serio-comedy Atlanta, Henry, who plays Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles, is holding that same mirror up to the black Mecca.
"Atlanta's the hub of black culture and it's OK to be you there — it's the city that really shaped me to be who I am," the Morehouse alumnus says. "I’m so grateful that FX was really open and willing to do the show. It shouldn't be taking a chance at this point but, you know, most networks still feel that way. Most people are still afraid to put people like Earn (Donald Glover) and Paper Boi in folks' living rooms at night."
The East ATLiens will enter living rooms for the last time Tuesday night — at least until Season 2 makes its debut in 2017.
Ahead of the finale, we spoke with Henry, who shared his favorite moments from the premiere season.
5. Episode 9, "Juneteeth"
"There's a moment when Earn is really being honest about Vanessa and he says ... 'I don't do anything. Van does everything actually.' And to watch her see him with that honesty and then she goes to that bathroom and just cries and says, 'What am I doing?' It just — oh, my God — it just sent a shock through me because, damn it, we need to stand side by side, us black men and women. And we have to hold each other accountable and we have to hold each other up more than anything in the world."
4. Episode 8, "The Club"
(Warning: This video contains explicit language.)
"Oh, the invisible car! That just cut through that whole scene like a knife... It’s just another example of how we created this universe and we cut through the monotony. Like, yeah, there was a shooting in the parking lot, but we still drove an invisible car through the crowd. Never forget that."
3. Episode 5, "Nobody Beats the Biebs"
"What better way to turn the universe on its head than making our Bieber black? The funniest thing about that to me is like, 'Paper Boi, you shot somebody. You've done all these things, you sell weed, you're a trap rapper and your beef is with Justin Bieber? Like, that’s where you draw the line? Well, all right, we’ll rock with you.' "
2. Episode 7, "B.A.N."
"It's so hard to pick one ... but one of my favorite moments is when Alfred and Dr. Holt agree. In this whole turmoil of being on the show and having differences, we realize that we are exactly the same. ... And when they reach that conclusion with each other and have that moment where they're like 'You know what? You're right. You know what? You're right!' and then you watch Montague's (expletive) go, 'Well, you hate women!' You know, it’s just such a callout on media and to all those people who feel like we can’t reach an agreement, we can't reach common ground. Boom. We did it right here on this show."
And No. 1 ... ?
"Any of the scenes that take place on Alfred’s couch in the field," Henry says. "I like to think of it as the therapy sofa. That’s where I smoke. That's where I come up with my best ideas. That's where I can tell Earn he's lame as hell. That's where Darius can come up with the deepest philosophical quotes of your life. And the fact that it's out in the field, looking at the city that we live in, that imagery really strikes a chord with me because, you know, it’s safe, it’s our safe haven. ... I hope it starts a revolution with people bringing their sofas onto their yards and inviting their homies to figure out the ways of the world. ... I feel like Alfred’s couch is there for anybody who wants it."