'Wu-Tang: An American Saga' star TJ Atoms says playing the role of the late Ol' Dirty Bastard was a 'dream come true'
Ol' Dirty Bastard is the only member of the iconic hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan, to pass away, so unlike the other actors on Hulu's 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga', T. J. Atoms had to rely on secondhand information to accurately portray the character.
However, his acting has impressed many viewers and has been lauded as a perfect portrayal of the late actor. In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), Atoms said he prepared for the role by "studying every little piece of footage" he could find.
But Atoms did not stop there and went to the late rapper's family for more insight. He also studied his son, Young Dirty Bastard. Many viewers had wondered why Ol' Dirty Bastard's son was not made to play the younger version of the late rapper, but their worries were allayed after watching the show.
For Atoms, working on the Hulu show and meeting its executive producer, the RZA was a childhood dream come true.
He grew up listening to the group's music and "still can't believe it's real." Atoms says the group influenced his childhood in many ways and that he was in a rap group himself, adding, "We made songs over Wu-Tang beats, and we recreated their logo and made our own."
Atoms found the role of Ol' Dirty Bastard challenging to play, "even talking with frills for the first time and down to his voice, everything," but admits that "we all have an inner ODB."
He says he learned many things about the rapper while preparing to play him, "I learned that ODB was super smooth with the ladies, and he really liked to sing."
He enjoyed working with all the other actors and admits that they became a low-key family and learned from the Wu-Tang Clan's that "no matter what your circumstances are, you can still be as great as you want."
He says it is really important to tell the group's story today "because the culture needs it more than ever." Hulu's 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga' has wrapped up — in what fans are hoping — the first season, but Adams will continue to be busy.
Atoms will be a part of the Lena Waithe-produced 'The 40-Year-Old Version', about a down-on-her-luck New York playwright who decides to reinvent herself and salvage her artistic voice the only way she knows how — by becoming a rapper at age 40.
When he's not filming, Atoms likes to skateboard, play video games, but mostly, write rap songs. He will be dropping a new music project in early 2020 on all streaming platforms.