DANIEL AUGUSTIN is currently starring in Issa Rae’s hit series Rap Sh!t on HBO Max.
We caught up with Daniel Augustin to talk about his recurring role.
What can audiences expect from Rap Sh!t?
DANIEL AUGUSTIN: You can expect the unexpected. I tried to guess what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised every time I went into another table read. It’s incredible what our writers have been doing with these characters. You’ll see.
What do you think is your character’s ultimate goal?
I want to think Maurice’s ultimate goal is financial freedom, but this season, I think there’s more to him than the money. I think his goal is to exist. To give and be seen.
Can you recall any funny moments from on-set filming?
Yeah. In 206, there was a moment with some pollo and dirty dancing at the door. I remember while we were rehearsing the scene, the episode’s director, Amy Aniobi, made a suggestion that led to a laugh-out-loud funny moment we were able to have with each other behind the scenes that I’d say would be more of a laugh-at-my-pain moment for my character.
As an actor, what are you still trying to learn?
I’m still trying to learn how to get the best call times. Like, whose pocket do I need to be in?
How can you tell when you’re reading a great script?
It sings. It’ll make me stand up and start physically acting it out.
When did you begin to see acting as a potential career avenue?
Like, in 2016 and I booked a SAG commercial for Hewlett-Packard, working alongside Christian Slater. When I got that check back, I noticed that I received it two to three weeks after filming, unlike the non-union work I had been doing, where it would take three to six months. Lastly, I noticed a significant difference in my take-home. For the one SAG commercial I was in, I didn’t even have any lines, and I made five grand, plus residuals, and for the non-union work, I’d work all day under terrible conditions and get like $200, if that.
How important is social media to you right now?
I’m not too fond of social media, but it’s useful and can be an essential tool in a marketing campaign, so I respect it. I’m still figuring out my relationship with social media. Right now, it is more my brand’s digital billboard. If I have no new content to post this week, I have no new content. If I’m on a show, and I don’t have any assets to post, but they do, and it’s of another one of the characters, I’ll probably still post it because it’s for a brand that partners with my brand, and supports me, so I support them because it supports us.
What’s the biggest realization you’ve had this past year?
That being a late bloomer has its advantages.
Everyone seems to have an app idea at the moment; what’s yours?
If I told you, you’d have to help partner with me to make it happen. Are you ready to make that happen? If so, have your people call my people.
What makes you feel nostalgic?
Music. Nothing does it more than music. It can be a song from back in the day or a song that talks about a time or a feeling I can remember. Music is a nostalgic spaceship to me.
The second season of Rap Sh!t premieres Summer 2023.
PHOTOGRAPHY: BEN COPE
