Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
So much of the Obamas story is public knowledge.
But whats extraordinary about that time is that it was when social media was exploding.
Video cameras and peoples phones were ubiquitous, and the quality of it was getting better and better.
Obama did a lot of press, and theres a lot of footage on YouTube.
One video I used was hisComedians in Cars Getting Coffeewith Jerry Seinfeld.
Some of the veneer came off, and he was playful in a way I hadnt often seen.
Theres also this really incongruous video of him talking about Malia meeting one of her teen-idol crushes.
Something about him, physically, was very loose.
It felt like a peek at what hes like when hes not so conscious of being filmed.
Its really satisfying to hear you as Barack swearing since the public never saw that side of him.
We were going to really understand the people involved and look under the fingernails.
The Barack we know is available to everyone online.
You really mastered not only his speech patterns but also his voice and mannerisms.
Theres a virtual-reality game I play sometimes, and I used the voice.
Whats your biggest fear?
Whats your biggest dream?
Youre forced to expand the entire world and the character within yourself.
My friends would drill me, and wed work on the minutiae.
For most of the series, you play Obama through almost a comedic lens.
That approach changes in Nadir as he reacts to the Sandy Hook shooting news.
What was your first reaction to the script?Obviously, its a terribly tragic event.
Obama gave a famous, tearful speech that day, which is recreated in this episode.
We knew we were coming to the end.
The shooting schedule was tight, and we knew it was an intense scene.
And my mom was on set no pressure like Moms pressure.
All of that added up to quite a charged environment.
But there was a lot of support and space for me to explore it.
The episode centers mass shootings and the ongoing need for gun control.
Its kind of heartbreaking.
Did you have any conversations with the real Barack Obama?I tried to get in contact and failed.
Maybe thats the silver lining.
Ultimately, I wanted to serve the story first.
So to be honest, I was skeptical that Id be able to discover anything new.
I was just excited by the potential of chatting.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
