Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Ruthless’ Lenny Thomas

If you want to accomplish your goals, you need to do one thing—big or small—each day to reach them. That’s the advice that Ruthless star Lenny Thomas gives anyone. It’s also the reason he is where he is today, having the time of his life, playing a character who’s, well, ruthless. Pop Culturalist caught up with this rising star to chat about his biggest role to date, how he got his start, and how he plans to pay it forward.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Lenny: Do you remember the show Whose Line Is It Anyway? When I was a kid, I used to watch it all the time. They were having so much fun in the most stressful circumstances. In high school, I had a Spanish teacher who taught electives and one was improv. I was like, “This is my opportunity to do Whose Line Is It Anyway? My world exploded from that moment. Football was my first passion, but I never felt so passionate about doing something like that in my entire life. I needed more and I wanted more.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Lenny: That’s a good question. The first person that comes to mind is my mother because she always had my back in everything that I chose to do, even if she didn’t understand it. That was huge for me. It’s hard to really back something if you don’t really understand it. She was like, “This is what you want to do. Go for it.”

Besides her, I would say my acting teachers. I’ve had a few over the years, but one in particular, his name is James Brill. He’s one of the senior teachers at the Neighborhood Playhouse. He was like a surrogate father figure. He broke me down as a person and built me back up as an actor. I love him so much. To this day, I still study with him. In fact, we’re about to teach classes together.

If I could throw in a third, I’d say my partner in life. She was on tour with The Lion King. To see her drive, hustle, and mindset, I just wanted to mimic how awesome she is and how she showed up in her life and in this world.

PC: You got your start in theater. What has the transition been like going from the stage to the screen?
Lenny: Oh my goodness. The transition was a little rough at first. In theater, you have to fill the space. For film and TV, you have to do the same thing but for the camera. It’s easy to get lost in doing too much or doing too little. But if you find truth in what you’re doing—it doesn’t matter how big or small it is—it’s going to be conveyed.

So it was a little rocky at first because I didn’t know how to hit my mark. I didn’t know how to play for the camera. I didn’t know how to read. On stage, your focus is who is on stage with you and whatever little props there are. You rehearse it so much that it becomes second nature. With TV and film, you don’t get much rehearsal at all. It’s heavier on the improv side, which is dope because I have an improv background. It’s about bringing the truth when they yell “action.”

PC: What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started your career?
Lenny: You have to do something towards your career and your goals every single day. No exception. I was terrified to put myself out there when I first started out. I was like, “Are they going to like me? Am I doing it right?” I was always worried about being wrong. Then one day, I was like, “I don’t care if I’m wrong. I’d rather be dead wrong and have tried, taking imperfect action, than be perfectly right in my thoughts and not taking action at all.

PC: Was there a particular moment that sparked that mindset?
Lenny: Oh, I kept having the actor’s nightmare. It’s where you’re performing on stage or in film and you can’t remember one of your lines. I’ve had that dream so many times. I remember this particular time when I was the lead in a play. I woke up sweating my behind off. My work ethic skyrocketed at that point because I was like, “I don’t care if it kills me, I will never have that moment. That will never be my existence.” That tenacity carried throughout the rest of my career.

Ruthless

PC: You’re currently starring in Ruthless. Tell us about the series, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Lenny: The series follows a woman named Ruth, hence Ruthless, who’s devoted her life to this crazy cult that’s anti-government, anti-establishment, pro-black. In the first episode, she kidnaps her daughter to bring her to the cult because this is a better life for her and her daughter. My character is the enforcer of this cult. He is the second hand man to the Highest, who’s the cult leader. He will do anything to maintain his position. He will do anything to serve the Highest. He’s exactly as the name suggests: ruthless. He’s the baddest character I’ve ever played in my career. Villains have the most fun because I don’t think I’ve had more fun on a set. I’m always like, “Why am I having this much fun? I should be ashamed of myself.” [laughs]

PC: What can you tease about the back half of this season?
Lenny: I love the saying “every dog has his day” because it’s true. Truth is the only thing that’s constant in our existence, right? I feel like justice finds a way to prevail. The characters you see doing devious things are going to pay the price eventually. I can’t speak on if that’s my character or not yet.

PC: This is a breakout role for you. What’s been the biggest takeaway from this experience?
Lenny: This role required so much time and energy, and we had no time. The turnaround on this was nuts. Six days after being cast in it, I was shooting. I had six hundred pages of lines to learn in three weeks. It was absolutely bonkers, but it let me know that when your buns are to the fire, you can do literally anything. If you are determined, you can do it.

PC: As you look forward in your career, what are some of the goals that you hope to accomplish?
Lenny: I would love to start a production company and pay it forward. I’ve had so many blessings in my life. I’m here because I’ve had some of the most amazing people believe in me and put me on these platforms and stages. They’ve been invested in what I had to bring to the table. There are so many people who won’t get the same opportunities that I’ve gotten. I want to create a space that I can do dope stuff for my friends.

I want what Tyler Perry has. He blew my mind. I’ve never seen somebody work like him. We were all trying to keep up with him on set. I want a fraction of what Tyler Perry has. I’m so inspired by that man.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Lenny: Ozark. I just finished Season 3 and I can’t. That or Euphoria. Euphoria deals with a part of my past— part of my youth that I’ve never seen shown on a TV show before.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Lenny: Pulp Fiction is number one, and Fight Club is number two. Those are probably two of the first movies that, like, blew my mind, as far as storytelling and cinematography.

PC: Favorite book?
Lenny: The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. This book changed how I operate in life. Little small things every day over the course of however many years will lead you to wherever you want to be. I feel like the reason why I’m successful now is because if you find something every single day to do—even if it’s a tiny thing, even if it’s just submitting yourself to one role—it compounds over time and you find yourself way beyond the level of success you might’ve dreamed for yourself.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Lenny: My favorite play is Fences with Denzel Washington. That was the first Broadway play I’ve ever seen and the first time seeing Denzel in person and when that man walked out on stage, I swear his aura filled the entire theater. I’ve never felt that kind of energy from a human before.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Lenny: Michael Kiwanuka. If you watch Big Little Lies, the opening song is his!

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Lenny: That’s hilarious. I don’t even know if this person is born yet. Honestly, if I had my cake, it would either be Anthony Mackie or Chiwetel Ejiofor just because we resemble each other and have similar temperaments. But I would love to play their little brother in the movie who terrorizes them—just because I’ve been dreaming of that forever.

To keep up with Lenny, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Catch new episodes of Ruthless every Thursday on BET+.

Photo Credit: Nuru Dorsey