Pop-Culturalist.com

Justiin Davis has quickly emerged as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men. He’s landed coveted roles in projects including Boardwalk Empire, Madam Secretary, Chicago Med, and The Politican—just to name a few.

This spring, he can be seen in the highly-anticipated third season of The Boys, playing a young Stan Edgar, originated by Giancarlo Esposito.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Justiin about his exciting (and thriving) career, The Boys, and how he prepared to play this iconic character.

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling and the arts?
Justiin: I discovered my passion for storytelling and the arts at a very young age. I think I was about nine years old when I told my family I wanted to make a career out of acting. I’m sure my family was like “Yeah, okay,” but they did everything within their power to make that dream come true. Plus, I realized early on that acting allowed you to be anything and to tell the stories of so many sides of life. That pulled me in even deeper. I started out with school productions, then went on to the Professional Performing Arts H.S., then eventually gained my Bachelor’s in acting from Brooklyn College.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Justiin: I would have to say my grandmother as well as the rest of my family. My grandmother really made me believe I could be and do it all if I wanted. She was a literal angel on earth. She adopted me in her late 60s, and there was never a day I felt like I was missing anything. Plus, taking on a rambunctious motormouth like me in your late 60s? She was heaven-sent!

Outside of my family, I would say my team: Bonnie Shumofsky, Dave McKeown, Leslie Zaslower, Hillary Beckford, and my entire team at Buchwald, Stewart Talent, and Edge Entertainment. I’ve been with many of them for nearly twenty years. I’m a die-hard loyalist, and when you find people who push for you the way my team does, you stick with them no matter the weather. They know I’ll follow them anywhere, and I know they will always have my back!

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Justiin: Booking Boardwalk Empire and my audition for Chicago Med. Those were wild. For Boardwalk, I remember waking up late one Friday after co-starring on The Good Wife that same week and thinking, “Wow, I haven’t heard anything at all. No callback, no notes, no producers’ session! I must suck.” Then I reached for my phone and saw a ton of missed phone calls, voicemails, emails, and text messages, and I even thought I saw smoke signals at one point. I thought it was to tell me about a callback, but they actually had called to say I had booked my first recurring job. I fell down right then and there.

For Chicago Med, I shed so many tears in my audition that the casting director said, “They must get you to play crying roles a lot, huh?” I mean the waterworks flowed and flowed that day. It was such a great emotional release and one of my proudest audition room moments ever.

PC: You’re going to be appearing in Season 3 of The Boys. Did you feel any pressure heading into this project just given how successful this franchise has been?
Justiin: No, actually. A friend of mine from high school has been on the show since Season 1. Colby Minifie, who plays Ashley. I was thrilled to be able to see her again and jump into the Vought world. I knew I had big shoes to fill but had done so much research on Giancarlo and what he’d already created for the show that I was beyond excited to be a part of the franchise.

PC: When you’re playing a character that’s already been brought to life on the screen, how do you find the balance between taking influence from Giancarlo and making this character your own?
Justiin: It’s interesting. You’ll see that Stan Edgar back then is the same no-nonsense, suave, and controlling figurehead as he is in the present day. I focused intensely on speech patterns, the musicality of his voice, how even with the simplest of explanations he twists the dagger that much more, his movement, and his overall physical demeanor. Production also provided me with every tool imaginable when it came to preparing for the role. I didn’t get to sit down with Giancarlo prior because of scheduling, but after hearing from everyone on set how much I looked and sounded like him I trusted everything I did was spot-on.

PC: Besides The Boys, what’s next for you?
Justiin: Well, I don’t want to spoil any more surprises, so you’ll just have to wait and see…

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Justiin: Real Housewives of Atlanta and Potomac and old-school Nickelodeon or Boomerang cartoons. Yea, I said it! What? [laughs]

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Justiin: Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit and Mrs. Doubtfire! “Help is on the way, dearyyyy.”

PC: Favorite book?
Justiin: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Justiin: Gem of the Ocean and Wicked.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Justiin: LCD Soundsystem.

PC: Dream role?
Justiin: The lead in a major motion action film. Or a film with Jordan Peele. That man is a super-genius!

To keep up with Justiin, follow him on Instagram. Watch the new season of The Boys on Amazon Prime today.

Photo Credit: Hosea Johnson