Andre, the business-minded one of Lucious and Cookie Lyon's three sons onEmpire, has so far stayed slightly more in the shadows than his singing siblings,Hakeem and Jamal. But that's about to change, says Trai Byers, who plays him on the Fox series. Last week's intense shower scene, he says, was just a sample of what's coming for Andre. "I'll give you this teaser: This is basically the beginning of Andre's story for real, where we really focus on why," Byers told Cosmpolitan.com. As Andre's story unfolds, by the end of the season, Byers promises, "Your jaw is going to be on the ground. It's going to blow your mind." Ooh, sounds soapy. Here, the Yale Drama School graduate talks about Andre's complicated relationship with wife Rhonda (played by Kaitlin Doubleday), their infamous blow-job bib, and playing someone with bipolar disorder.
Andre is bipolar. Did you talk to people with that condition to prepare for the role?
Yeah. I have family members that are bipolar. One had a case recently that I witnessed, and it was very, very helpful to me. In addition to that, I read up on it. I went online and I found two people that were interesting to me and tried to fuse the two. They were both going through episodes of mania. One spoke so fast that he induced a stutter for himself, because he couldn't slow down, he couldn't stop. And another one was manic — not depressed, but seemed depressed, so mellow, so laid-back, lackadaisical, and slow. I was trying to find something in between the two. There are many different forms of bipolar and the way that it expresses itself. I'm trying to do the best that I can to do it justice.
Yeah. I have family members that are bipolar. One had a case recently that I witnessed, and it was very, very helpful to me. In addition to that, I read up on it. I went online and I found two people that were interesting to me and tried to fuse the two. They were both going through episodes of mania. One spoke so fast that he induced a stutter for himself, because he couldn't slow down, he couldn't stop. And another one was manic — not depressed, but seemed depressed, so mellow, so laid-back, lackadaisical, and slow. I was trying to find something in between the two. There are many different forms of bipolar and the way that it expresses itself. I'm trying to do the best that I can to do it justice.
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When they wrote that character, did [co-creators] Lee Daniels or Danny Strong have some knowledge of how bipolar behavior works?
Initially, Andre was just a depressed character, a depressive. It developed into bipolar disorder from the pilot, into the second episode, so we had something more to delve into, and a little bit more of a journey to craft.
Initially, Andre was just a depressed character, a depressive. It developed into bipolar disorder from the pilot, into the second episode, so we had something more to delve into, and a little bit more of a journey to craft.
Andre's relationship with Rhonda raises a lot of questions. Why are they together?
They both had to work for where they are. Andre was by himself coming up and had to pull himself up by the bootstraps — went to school, made certain practical, logical things his focus in order to be of use to his father and in order to feel like a man himself. And Rhonda has a similar background, from a family that didn't have a whole lot at all. It'll come out a little bit later what her journey is. They're actually the greatest love story on this show. They're the only two people who genuinely love each other and have each other's back through it all. And as twisted as it may seem — because of the bibs and the other women — ultimately, they have an understanding between the two of them, and they are ride or die. If you've ever seen a couple be ride or die, it's them.
They both had to work for where they are. Andre was by himself coming up and had to pull himself up by the bootstraps — went to school, made certain practical, logical things his focus in order to be of use to his father and in order to feel like a man himself. And Rhonda has a similar background, from a family that didn't have a whole lot at all. It'll come out a little bit later what her journey is. They're actually the greatest love story on this show. They're the only two people who genuinely love each other and have each other's back through it all. And as twisted as it may seem — because of the bibs and the other women — ultimately, they have an understanding between the two of them, and they are ride or die. If you've ever seen a couple be ride or die, it's them.
There was that awkward sex scene, after he admits to cheating on her with the assistant DA to get information about Bunkie's murder.Well, he wasn't saying how he cheats on her. She's asking him to call her that name [while they have sex]. I don't know that it's cheating — it's not cheating more than it is doing what he has to do for Empire. Lucious will send Andre to get something done; Anika will send Andre to get something done. He'll do it by any means necessary. Nobody really wants to know what the deed is, but they know that he's doing something. And his wife knows, specifically; that's why she lets it go, because she wants Empire to be all that it can be as well. Why? Because she's going to inherit it with her husband. At least that's what they think.
And about that scene with the bib: Did you and Kaitlin laugh at it or think, What is this?
Of course we laughed at it. Because it was so extreme. I've never thought of that, ever, before. I'm not going to go into my past, but that just seems so out there. That's Lee's genius. It was certainly fun to play, and it's really interesting to see how the country is dealing with that, the memes coming up about bibs, and Toys"R"Us selling out of bibs now. It's different, it's twisted for the characters, but it's their thing. It's part of their love story. I dig it; it's new.
Of course we laughed at it. Because it was so extreme. I've never thought of that, ever, before. I'm not going to go into my past, but that just seems so out there. That's Lee's genius. It was certainly fun to play, and it's really interesting to see how the country is dealing with that, the memes coming up about bibs, and Toys"R"Us selling out of bibs now. It's different, it's twisted for the characters, but it's their thing. It's part of their love story. I dig it; it's new.
Last week you had the shower scene, where Andre breaks down after finding out Lucious has ALS. Was that your most intense scene to shoot so far?
You've got to keep watching, my friend. I'll give you this teaser: This is basically the beginning of Andre's story for real, where we really focus on why. We've seen a whole [lot] of the what up to this point of the series, and now we're going to delve into the why and what's actually going on with him. He is one of the most tragic characters, if not the most tragic character, of this show.
You've got to keep watching, my friend. I'll give you this teaser: This is basically the beginning of Andre's story for real, where we really focus on why. We've seen a whole [lot] of the what up to this point of the series, and now we're going to delve into the why and what's actually going on with him. He is one of the most tragic characters, if not the most tragic character, of this show.
I read that they are trying to get Oprah on next season. Have you heard anything about that?I have not. There are so many rumors, man. This show is big, and we're all appreciative of how huge it is and that people embrace it. But with that comes a lot of different rumors. But it would be great to have her, shoot! Absolutely.
What was it like to be on the Selma set with her?
It was so cool. And [seeing] the way that she deals with people and the way that people respond to her is like an out-of-body experience. Looking at this, like, Wow, it's amazing how many lives she's touched. She just deals with it like a champ. She's so lovely.
It was so cool. And [seeing] the way that she deals with people and the way that people respond to her is like an out-of-body experience. Looking at this, like, Wow, it's amazing how many lives she's touched. She just deals with it like a champ. She's so lovely.
Did see Common and John Legend perform "Glory" at the Oscars?Oh, yeah. It was so powerful.
Did you cry?
I didn't cry, but I was proud of what they were doing, proud of what we've done as a film. They did a fantastic job, and the set was magnificent. It conjured up those old memories and feelings of back when we were shooting.
I didn't cry, but I was proud of what they were doing, proud of what we've done as a film. They did a fantastic job, and the set was magnificent. It conjured up those old memories and feelings of back when we were shooting.
How did you feel about the Oscars conversation around the movie, about Selma being snubbed?
I think that the focus needs to be on who was actually being snubbed, if we're going to use that term. Ava [DuVernay, the director] and David [Oyelowo, the star] did an exceptional job on the film — David, especially, as Martin Luther King. This is a very spiritual brother who has been holding on to Martin Luther King for seven years. And being able to make the film and take the spiritual journey and give it to America and the world, I think that's the bigger prize, my man. You can't give an award that's bigger than being able to express our history, especially in a timely manner. Not only was Ferguson happening, but it's the 50-year anniversary of the actual Selma marches. So the gift of history, he already has. He doesn't necessarily have to have the award to feel like he's accomplished something.
I think that the focus needs to be on who was actually being snubbed, if we're going to use that term. Ava [DuVernay, the director] and David [Oyelowo, the star] did an exceptional job on the film — David, especially, as Martin Luther King. This is a very spiritual brother who has been holding on to Martin Luther King for seven years. And being able to make the film and take the spiritual journey and give it to America and the world, I think that's the bigger prize, my man. You can't give an award that's bigger than being able to express our history, especially in a timely manner. Not only was Ferguson happening, but it's the 50-year anniversary of the actual Selma marches. So the gift of history, he already has. He doesn't necessarily have to have the award to feel like he's accomplished something.
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