Lamorne Morris: ‘Nick Cage will match your silly’

Lamorne Morris. Pics/AFP, Instagram

Known for his razor-sharp comic timing, Lamorne Morris proved with his Emmy-winning turn in Fargo that he is far more than just a funnyman. In a candid chat with mid-day, the actor not only had us in splits, but also revealed the intense research behind his character Robbie Robertson in Prime Video's Spider-Noir, his easy chemistry with Nicolas Cage, and why he is still waiting on a signed poster from Robert Downey Jr.

Excerpts from the interview.

(L-R) Lamorne Morris and Nicolas Cage

This being your first superhero project, was there a moment on set when it finally hit you that you were part of the Marvel multiverse?
I snuck a peek at Nick Cage's suit when I was getting fitted for wardrobe. They were trying to hide it from me, but couldn't. I just remember peeking around the corner and going, ‘Oh wow, that's cool.' And then it hits you. You're in it. This is the thing that you wanted as a kid. Just being a part of the Spider-Noir universe, I got to say, it took me back to a time when I was a kid. So that was probably the moment for me when I realised, ‘Oh boy, this is it.'

In the comics, Robbie Robertson has a traumatic history. Does the series also explore his connection with the criminal underworld?
I think that's one of those things where you'll have to watch. But I can tell you, Robbie is not doing this just because [it is work]. It comes from somewhere. The more you dive into the series, you might get a better glimpse at what makes him tick.

Lamorne Morris as Robbie Robertson in ‘Spider-Noir'

After getting the script, did you go through the comics for research?
I did. I knew a little bit about Robbie from the late Bill Nunn in the original Spider-Man trilogy [2002-2007] directed by Sam Raimi, where he played Robbie Robertson. He was always so mysterious and you always wondered what's going on with the guy because he wasn't in it a ton. Upon doing further research, you realise that he's a huge part of the evolution of Spider-Man, of the newspaper Daily Bugle, of the times they're in, and of the way things were reported. I also came across a guy named Ted Poston, who lived a very similar life to Robbie.

Born in the early 1900s, he was a reporter for the New York Post and one of the first Black reporters in a mainstream White publication. He would uncover dark crimes in New York City and break stories that were happening in Harlem and elsewhere. Now, I don't know if that was part of Robbie's inception, but I pulled a lot from his upbringing and from how Ted Poston went about his business. He had a very ‘by any means necessary' attitude. And that's the same with Robbie.

How did Nicolas Cage and you work together to create that camaraderie between a reporter and a private investigator?
I was nervous before I met him. I didn't know what to expect. So, I was careful about how I approached it because I can be a bit silly. And the cool thing about Nick is that he will match your silly. I didn't know that. He's the most prepared and giving actor that I've ever worked with. So when he gets there, he already knows what he's going to do. But then you improvise something and you see how quick he is. He can immediately respond with something off the cuff, non-scripted because he's following you. And that's the sign of a great actor who's truly listening. He gave me the licence to be free.

Waiting on RDJ

During his Emmy win, Lamorne Morris expressed a desire for Robert Downey Jr to sign a poster for him. The actor says his wish is yet to be fulfilled. "I hope he reads about it and finally brings me that signed poster. Robert, I'll come to your house and get it. Just text me your address."

‘Fargo' changed the game

Lamorne Morris recently became the first actor in ‘Fargo' history to win an Emmy for a performance. Speaking about how the award changed his career, he said, "I used to get mostly comedy [scripts], but now I get a mixture of both - some darker films and some that demand you carry both."