“What If We Weren’t Afraid to Tell the Hard Truths?” Chris Chalk on Playing James Baldwin

Chris Chalk may not be a household name just yet, but he’s on the cusp. The North Carolina native burst onto the American theater scene in 2010 when he starred opposite Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of August Wilson’s Fences. Since then, you may have seen his supporting turns in 12 Years a Slave, Detroit, Justified, Homeland, The Newsroom, or Gotham. Most recently, Chalk played Paul Drake—a troubled beat cop turned private investigator in 1930s Los Angeles—opposite Matthew Rhys in HBO’s acclaimed reboot of Perry Mason. In Capote Vs. the Swans, the second season of Ryan Murphy’s venomous anthology series Feud, Chalk plays none other than James Baldwin, who, in 1975, pays a flying visit to his old friend Truman Capote (Tom Hollander) amid the latter’s alcoholic exile from New York high society. Chalk and I spoke over Zoom about his love of Baldwin’s writing, Black- and queer-friendly creative spaces, unlearning racism, and reprising this most coveted role in the future. * Dan Sheehan: What drew you to this project? Were you a fan of Baldwin’s writing before accepting the role? Chris Chalk: I’m a fan of not only James Baldwin’s writing but also his way of life. I’ve been wanting to play him for as long as I can remember. I love how free he is, and so, when allowed to jump into a bit of what he is, I’ll be the first in line every time. It was an easy yes, this role. DS: You only appear in one episode of Capote vs. the Swans [Episode 5: “The Secret Inner Lives of Swans”], but the entire installment is a showcase for Baldwin. He’s like a comet that blazes through Capote’s sky for a single night. What were some of the challenges you faced in preparing for a role like this—one which had such an intense spotlight but which you also knew would be contained within a bottle episode? CC: I think the opportunities […]

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