It’s hard to imagine someone who radiates love and positivity as much as Sterling K. Brown. As I entered the room to speak with the “This Is Us” star about his latest film “Waves” for Episode 14 of The Fourth Wall, he was glancing at his phone all giddy, cheering with excitement. Naturally, it being a Saturday, I simply assumed his college football team scored, however, it was something far more heartwarming that spoke to the essence of who he is. Brown was receiving updates on his son’s flag football game and got word that his son scored a touchdown. His reaction was the support of a proud father celebrating the achievements of his child as if his team just won the Super Bowl. So yes, I suppose you could say Brown is as family-oriented and fatherly as Randall Pearson makes him out to be.
Brown lost his father at a young age, but was so “profoundly affected” and “wholely loved” by him that he anticipated being able to do the same for his own children someday. Being a parent has not only given him a great purpose in life, but it has also influenced how he approaches parental roles in film and television, specifically the character of Ronald in “Waves.” Brown spoke to the fact that he strongly understands and empathizes with a father who is scared for the well-being of his children, even when unfortunately making decisions for them out of fear. The actor specifically touched on the pressures of raising a young African American boy in such an unforgiving climate.
“You’re raising a young Black boy in Florida and you know that life may not be appreciated the same way in the form of a young Black boy that it is appreciated in other people,” said Brown. “So you want to keep him safe and more than anything you want to give him the tools to be excellent otherwise people may write him off as being not worth the investment and so you say you gotta be twice as good to get just as far.”
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The actor continued on the unfair pressures of Black excellence and how it should be addressed. “My wife had a very astute observation, so credit to Ryan Michelle Bathe,” said Brown. “Real success for a community is when they are given the ability to fail, and other people are still given opportunities after them. The openness and ability to fail and still get a second chance, that feels like a really good place to begin from in terms of what does it mean to move beyond that idea that I have to be twice as good to get just as far.”
During our conversation, Brown delves deeper into this topic, fatherhood, his own upbringing, wisdom imparted onto him by his children, “Waves'” banger soundtrack, and much more. And yes, Brown’s son ended up winning that flag football game.
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