Rayan Lawrence [Interview]

Photo by Miles Maker (milesmaker.com)

In two days, the world will finally be receiving what we can only hope will be the definitive film showcase of the great Tupac Shakur. All Eyez On Me will finally be brought out into the world on June 16th. And we were lucky enough to grab some words from a couple of the film’s stars. Kicking things off is the amazing actor Rayan Lawrence, best known for his reoccurring role in WGN America’s amazing drama Underground.

Rayan will be portraying the crucial role of one of Tupac’s closest friends in the rap game, the illustrious Treach of Naughty By Nature. For avid and die-hard fans of Tupac Shakur, you KNOW the importance that Treach held in heart of Shakur. And you will also understand that Lawrence had a huge job to tackle in portraying a crucial role in this upcoming biopic. For those of you who may not be as aware, with this cat behind the character, you will soon realize.

So, please enjoy our awesome interview with the brilliant actor Rayan Lawrence below, and remember to come back this Friday for some more great words, and then make your way to a theatre near you to check out All Eyez On Me. Ladies and gentlemen, the great Rayan Lawrence!

When did you first realize you wanted to join the world of acting? Was it always a passion of yours from an early age, or was it a random occurrence that brought you in?

I first realized I wanted to join the world of acting, when I went out on my first audition and booked it. It was a random occurrence because I was interested in modeling and once I booked my first acting job I then realized I have a passion for acting.

What sort of research went into your performance as Treach in the Tupac Shakur biopic All Eyez On Me? Did you manage to hang out with the man himself? Did he have any advice or stories to give you that worked with your role in the film?

I never got a chance to hang out with Treach but I’ve always been a fan of his music. So, I went back and listened to all of his music and watched his interviews to get a feel of his personality, mannerisms and get a feel of his friendship with Tupac.

And what was the filming of All Eyez On Me under the guise of the great Benny Boom and amongst some of your fellow amazing actors?

Working with Benny Boom on All Eyez On Me was great experience because working with a director who is passionate about telling the story is very important. You can see the focus in Benny’s eyes about telling the story right. Demetrious Shipp Jr. really embodies Tupac, as well as Khadija Copeland who plays Queen Latifah and Chris Clarke who plays Shock G. The times we spent on set were priceless.

Recently you worked on the incredibly original and unique WGN original show Underground which covers a very specific and dark period of American history. What was it like diving into such a harrowing tale of unsung heroes in American history? Can you help but feel like you are a part of something bigger than yourself with this performance?

Working on Underground was a sacred experience. It was very humbling for me to be able play a character from that time period and to understand the sacrifices that our ancestors made for us to have the freedoms that we have today. It is important for our generation and our future generations to be reminded of how our ancestors fought for us and that we need to continue to fight for the cause.

I am a huge fan of biopics of all kinds, and with your recent experiences performing one as a supporting character, I would love to ask this question: If you were given the free range to portray any legendary person in American history in a lead role, who would it be?

I am a huge fan of biopics as well. If I were given the free range to portray any legendary person in American History in a lead role it would have to be former president Barack Obama. Doing research on Mr. Obama would be priceless. This would be a challenging role but very rewarding.

What is next for you? Anything coming up you’d like to tell our readers about?

I have a couple projects that I am attached too but can’t reveal at this time. One of my other projects I would love for you to look out for is this indie feature PIMP with Keke Palmer. This should be a good one.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

The last thing that made me smile was when I kissed my mother this morning before I left the house. Nothing makes me happier than making my mother proud of my growth as a man.