Superheroes, civil rights luminaries, and modern-day cops: Ray Fisher has played them all. Currently, he’s starring in Brian B. Crowe’s production of “Macbeth” at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (through Nov. 17). Next, he’ll reprise his Broadway performance as the deeply earnest Lymon in Malcolm Washington’s film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play “The Piano Lesson” (out in limited theaters on Nov. 8). The impressive cast also includes Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler, John David Washington, and Erykah Badu. Here, Fisher discusses his career and shares the advice he once received from the late James Earl Jones.
1. You had your big-screen breakout in 2017 as Cyborg (aka Victor Stone) in DC’s “Justice League.” How did that experience shape you as an actor?
There are a lot of similarities between Victor’s backstory and my own life. For example, he has a strained relationship with his father, and I grew up in a single-mother household. That only goes so far, because I’m certainly not an all-star college athlete with supergenius-level intellect like he is. But for the emotional part, I was able to pull from my day-to-day experience—not only as a human, but also as a Black man growing up in very specific circumstances.
2. You played the son of Mahershala Ali’s Wayne Hays on Season 3 of HBO’s “True Detective.” What was it like to share the screen with him?
Being able to work with Mahershala, who was our keystone and linchpin on that production, and just watching him transform every day—both figuratively and literally—was amazing. I got to see him undergo this extreme prosthetic process; and it’s funny, because I rarely saw him on set without makeup on. Whenever somebody mentions his name to me, that’s still the first image I have of him, as older Detective Hays.
3. On ABC’s “Women of the Movement,” you portrayed the husband of civil rights activist Mamie Till-Mobley. How did you prepare to play a real-life historical figure?
There was a lot of source material to look at. Gina Prince-Bythewood, our director for the first episode, and Marissa Jo Cerar, our writer and showrunner, made sure that we had all the resources we needed to wrap our heads around the piece intellectually. We filmed in Greenwood, Mississippi, where Emmett Till was murdered, so there was an additional layer of energy that imbued the production.
Glynn Turman, who was playing the uncle of Mamie Till-Mobley, said that he remembers when [the lynching] happened and being personally affected by it. To be in that community where folks could regale you with [the story] as though it happened literally yesterday was a very humbling thing to witness and be a part of.
Danielle Deadwyler and Ray Fisher in “The Piano Lesson” Credit: David Lee/Netflix
4. What was it like to bring Lymon from the stage to the screen for the film version of “The Piano Lesson”?
It felt a little bit like riding a bike. There’s a different technique in terms of presenting on film versus presenting onstage; but our director, Malcolm Washington, was really smart about how the piece came together. For me, Lymon can be a tricky character. Thankfully, we had time during the Broadway run for me to really lock into him.
5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
When I used to bartend for theaters on Broadway, James Earl Jones was doing “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” directed by Debbie Allen. He was extremely gracious; he would just leave his dressing room door open for folks to say hi, and he ended up chatting with me for a bit. One of his pieces of advice was: “Don’t listen to any advice, including this advice.”
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
This story originally appeared in the Oct. 31 issue of Backstage Magazine.