Before you shoot their first big scene together in Apple TV+’s “Dope thief,” Wagner Moura drug Brian Tyree Henry into a makeshift green room and pressed his forehead against his costs. Moura had been hired just a few days earlier and had no time to prepare.
“We take hold of each other’s forearms, and he is like,” my name is Wagner Moura. I’m Brazilian. I have three children. I am married. I am extremely scared. I don’t really know what’s going on. English is not my first language, “Henry said.” I’m like, “It’s cool. My name is Brian. I have your back. I’m also afraid. No matter what, just look at me if you need anything. I promise I never leave your page.” And I meant it. “
Created by Peter Craig (an Oscar nominated for his “Top Gun: Maverick” script), “Dope Thief” tells the story of two men who became friends while being imprisoned as teenagers. After they were released, Ray (Henry) summarizes a seemingly sacrificial system: he and Manny (Moura) pretend to be dea agents and rob drug dealers at a low level of their delivery and cash. But when the two are aimed at a dealer who is a much bigger player than they realized, their lives spiral. In its core, “Dope thief” the friendship bindings – what would you and your best friend do if you were
To be chased by an unmatched drug lord?
Thewrap: Ray and Manny’s relationship is fascinating because they love each other as friends, but as the series progresses it becomes more toxic. How did you construct this relationship?
Wagner Moura: There is a lot of love and explicit demonstrations of love, which I find beautiful among two men and two friends. You can see that they care about each other. They touch each other; They hug each other. I haven’t seen it in this kind of show. There is lots of love, but (at the end of the show) it is not healthy anymore.
Brian Tyree Henry: We didn’t want this to fall into this classic trope of a black and brown man with drugs and violence and all the SH-t that we have seen a million times. We really wanted their love to be the matter. I remember thinking when I met Wagner, I want to know him for the rest of my life. There was a huge desire to take care of each other that came so naturally to both of us that it couldn’t help but reflect in the series. Peter saw and saw that there was no place for Bravado. There was no place for Machismo.
We see these men at their lowest. We see them cry. How do you channel it?
Moura: Manny is probably the most vulnerable character I’ve ever played. In each scene, his heart and his soul are completely vulnerable. I joined the empathy I knew about him. It’s so well done because Ray is cerebral. He wants to control the situation. He thinks he can take care of everything. Ray is Batman and Manny is Robin. Another thing about this character is that he is an artist. He pulled birds on Ray’s role when they were little, and Ray tattooed these birds on his arm. If you see his house, there are many drawings he did. So he has this sensitivity, which makes him suffer even more.
Henry: They both do terrible jobs to hide for themselves. So for me to lock it in, I had to remember when I was that guy, really. I do it with all the characters I play. I have to come from a place with, what would I have to see if it wasn’t me? If this show came out and it wasn’t me playing it, what would I like to see?
How did you recover emotionally after big scenes?
Moura: You begin to learn how to protect yourself. For example, when I did “narcos” (played Pablo Escobar), for example, it was a very violent show and I got that question. The answer is that you go into your mind. But what is interesting about actors is that things happen in our bodies. So your mind is free from everything, but it is almost as if the characters continue somehow in your body. You make a very emotional scene and when you are done is your mind as “ok, good. The scene was amazing. I will go home. I will have a beer.” But when you take a glass of water shakes your hand because your body does not know.
Henry: Five years ago, if this had come to me, I would not have had the tools to get through it at all because Ray asked for a lot by asking for so little. Seeing his struggle with sadness and loss was real to me. It was very important for me to see him fight addiction and see him fight to do it day after day. It was very exciting, but it was a lot of exposure at the same time, because I had to be honest with everyone on the set. I had to be like, “I don’t really know if I’m ready to confront this relationship with my father yet.” But Ray has a few words he has to say (about his father). “I don’t think I’m ready to confront suicidal thoughts yet.” Have I confronted my own? I have my own systems in place. I would therapy every week. I made sure I talked to people I needed to talk to. I would talk to Wagner. So I am grateful that five years ago I would not have done so. For me five years ago would have completely bleeding out.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
This story first ran in the limited series & TV filmer edition of Thewrap’s Awards Magazine. Read more from the question of limited series and TV films here.
