Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with The Underground Railroad’s Kraig Dane

Whether he’s working in front of the camera in projects like This is Us or working behind the scenes, Kraig Dane is an emerging talent to keep your eye on. Currently, he’s blowing audiences away with his performance in The Underground Railroad, and Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with him about the series!

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Kraig: In sixth grade, I did my first play. I fell in love with the process. I was treated differently and felt free to express my emotions. I was always drawing and painting—that was actually my way of communicating with people.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Kraig: I would say I’ve had multiple influences on my career, both positive reinforcement and negative. The night of my sixth grade play, I lost my voice. My nerves got the better of me (they still do, actually) and the rest of the class, including my teacher, thought it would be funny to give me the “Croakiest Throat Award”. That was devastating and made me very fearful of performing. I remember watching plays in high school, wanting to be a part of the show, but remembering how they made me feel, so I didn’t even try out.

It wasn’t until The Dark Knight came out, and I was watching Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker that I decided to give acting another try. I thought he was brilliant, and I wanted a chance to portray a character in the same way and inspire someone else to chase their dreams.

PC: In addition to acting, you’re also a writer, producer, and director. How has your work behind the scenes made you a strong actor and vice versa?
Kraig: I went to film school to get away, actually. I didn’t feel as though things were heading in the right direction with acting. I hadn’t been in class and was at a loss in my life. I wanted back into the industry, and I kept seeing signs for film school. I decided to learn behind the lens work so that I could get back on sets and be a part of the creative process. Film school and being on set behind the lens taught me how to better behave on set—set etiquette as some might call it.

I would say that the biggest thing that I learned from being behind the lens was that I actually prefer the acting side of things: playing with words and emotions and expressing myself through the characters I’ve been given a chance to play. As an example, on The Underground Railroad, “my scene” (the scene where I speak the most and am featured the most) was actually shot in a way that tells the story best. Prior to working behind the lens, I may have taken the way Barry [Jenkins] shot this scene as a slight to my acting. Knowing what I do now, I know he shot this scene from Cora’s perspective, because this is Cora’s story, and that’s the way this scene needs to be felt. It’s not about me; it’s about Cora.

PC: What attracted you to The Underground Railroad?
Kraig: What attracted me to this project was working with Barry Jenkins. That dude is a genius, and I am so very thankful for him. The way he runs a set and directs is amazing and makes you feel so safe and free to explore.

PC: When you’re playing a character who is so different from who you are, is that easier or more difficult?
Kraig: If you can’t tap into different realms of yourself, you can’t relate to any character. You may not have the same viewpoint or say things exactly the same way, but I believe there is a part of each of us that wants to see what it is like to be another person. Right now, I play a lot darker characters. There is a darkness in each of us that is pushed down because it’s not “socially acceptable”. Acting gives me an opportunity to express those darker feelings in a safe environment. The same could be said for love. I’ve had a very difficult time in my life expressing strong feelings of love and happiness out of fear of rejection, but acting creates a safe environment for me to express those feelings as well.

PC: This is one of your biggest roles to date. What has been the biggest takeaway working on this project?
Kraig: Relax and enjoy the process. I can get in my head a lot, and Barry and the other stars of the show (Thuso [Mbedu], Joel [Edgerton], and Chase [Dillon], among others) seemed so much more relaxed and willing to play than I did. I tend to keep to myself, unless approached by others. I always feel like I’m being a nuisance, which is simply an insecurity on my part, but as the days went along, I felt more and more comfortable, and I have them to thank for that. Hopefully, I can carry that with me on to the next project. It’s a work in progress.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Kraig: Always Frasier, Friends…almost any three-camera sitcom. Throw in Archer and Bob’s Burgers for sure, too.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Kraig: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood…Leo [DiCaprio] freaking out in his trailer after forgetting his lines…that shit gets me every time because it’s so relatable. You can give me Frozen any day, though.

PC: Favorite book?
Kraig: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. Also, anything by Brené Brown and The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Kraig: Hamilton, but in all honesty, I haven’t seen too many…I should change that.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Kraig: I stick to my favorites, to be honest: 5 Finger Death Punch, In This Moment, Gemini Syndrome, and Pop Evil. I listen to all of them on a loop. If I hear house music, though, I won’t hesitate to dance so terribly that it’ll make my friends squirm.

PC: Dream role?
Kraig: A role in a Marvel movie—one of the X-Men or Fantastic Four. With Marvel having almost all of the rights to their publications back, I know they are going to keep the train rolling, and I would love to jump on it.

To keep up with Kraig, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.