Writer/producer Phil Augusta Jackson didn’t have to go far for inspiration for his latest series, “Grand Crew.” He found it in a wine bar.
“It’s about a group of friends that hang out at a wine bar and, in real life, I hang out with my friends at a wine bar,” he says.
Jackson worked on Issa Rae’s “Insecure,” and found what made that series so relatable was that it was authentic. So, “Grand Crew” had to have the same kind of inspiration.
Among those in the cast: Nicole Byer, who hosts “Nailed It” and has starred in several series. “Phil and I did improv together in New York for a very long time,” she says. The character she plays in “Crew” is based on her, “so it is my voice.”
Likewise: many of the other cast members. “I’m such a fan of his creative artistry,” Echo Kellum says of Jackson. “Phil wrote an amazing script and a lot of just really deep, fleshed out characters in different ways than I’ve seen them. I was very excited to come and play any part on it. I would have been a grip on this show if I had an opportunity to do it.”
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The show’s thrust: A group of young Black professionals living in Los Angeles meet at a wine bar to unwind and share their feelings. In the first handful of episodes, they talk about therapy, inspiration, self-care, fathers and headlines.
“We were very intentional about the themes that we wanted to hit,” Jackson says. “One recurring theme is friendship and just having your friends there by your side for whatever you are going through.”
A bit like “Friends”? Producers say that’s an easy comparison but “Grand Crew” goes a bit deeper.
“What was so unique about the script was that it was so human,” says Justin Cunningham, who plays one of the six. “It was showing the human side we don’t get to explore as actors.”
Too often, cast members say, Black actors are expected to play stereotypes. “Grand Crew,” however, showed “I can be human in this industry and I can be human through my art as well,” Cunningham explains.
Aaron Jennings, who auditioned for several roles in the comedy, says each character forced him to tap into a different side of his own personality. “And, still, they were fully fleshed out and dimensional characters.”
Grasie Mercedes says when she auditioned she didn’t feel she had to dance around a stereotype. “I felt like, ‘I can just bring who I am to this character’ and it felt really good.”
To keep the vibe going, Jackson says he asked his writers to look at a situation from real life: “What would be interesting? What conversations have we had at the bar?”
The bar that served as “Grand Crew’s” inspiration is an all-white bar, according to Kellum. Those in the group who are also in the series hung out there before shooting started and tried to find a rhythm.
“We would meet and get the chemistry popping early,” Jackson says.
Now, he says, it’s just a matter of uncorking it and discussing issues.
And the regular drink orders? They change quite often. Jackson lists a bunch of possibilities, then admits, “I like every wine.”
“Grand Crew” airs on NBC.