Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Wu-Tang: An American Saga’s T.J. Atoms

T.J. Atoms is an up-and-coming actor who’s quickly caught the industry’s attention with his uncanny performance as Ol’ Dirty Bastard in Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Set in early ’90s New York City, the series tracks the Clan’s formation, a vision of Bobby Diggs, a.k.a. the RZA, who strives to unite a dozen young black men who are torn between music and crime but eventually rise to become the unlikeliest of American success stories. Pop Culturalist caught up with T.J. to chat about his preparations to play this musical icon.

PC: You initially auditioned for a different character, but landed the role of Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Did that change your preparation?
T.J.: I wouldn’t say it really changed my preparation too much. I initially went in to audition for Raekwon. I knew I had to kill the audition. But honestly, I didn’t think I would get it. I was hoping that the casting director would see me and consider me for future projects. This experience really taught me to be open-minded because you never know.

PC: Ol’ Dirty Bastard is incredibly outgoing and this over-the-top personality. How challenging was it to find the right balance?
T.J.: That’s spot on. It was a challenge. Luckily, we had people on set who were close with the Wu-Tang Clan like DJ Mathematics. They really helped us embody these characters. DJ Mathematics was on set helping me with the rapping, rehearsing, and telling me how to do it the right way.

PC: In many ways, this feels like the definitive bio series for the group. Was there anything surprising that you learned during the process?
T.J.: Oh, hell yeah! Everything about this experience actually. I knew they were coming up in the world, but I didn’t know about the behind-the-scenes dynamics. That was crazy. I didn’t know half of that stuff.

PC: This is your first breakthrough television role. What’s been the biggest takeaway?
T.J.: I would say the biggest takeaway was that I learned how to really work hard for what I believe in—no matter what situation you may find yourself in. I didn’t take any acting classes before this role, but I believed in myself. I really feel like I learned how to believe in myself more.

PC: You’re an actor and a musician. How did you discover your passion for the arts?
T.J.: My mom has been playing hip-hop since I was a kid. I always felt like I could rap. I was always making up songs and banging on the table. One day a kid in my class said, “We should really rap.” I was like, “That’s crazy.” But we ended up in the studio, and the rest is pretty much history. The same thing happened with acting.

I was in a park when a lady approached me. She was working on a music video and liked my style and wanted me to be in it. It was for a huge metal/rock band, and the scene was us building up a car and then setting it on fire. It was on a real set and everything. I had no lines, but I was acting. I fell in love with it after and found an agent. I’ve been going hard ever since.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
T.J.: I’ve always looked up to Tupac. I wanted to be him growing up. He acted and rapped, and I was like, “If he can do it, I can do it.”

To keep up with T.J., follow him on Twitter. Catch Wu-Tang: An American Saga on Hulu.

Photo Credit: Emily Assiran