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For most ofSnowfalls run, Louie remained a loyal member of the Family.
Id hear him hollering out, Be more Detroit!
I was always asking myself, Can I be more Detroit?
Can I be more in my power?
Because you cant play Louie scared.
We need to start with this past episode.
What was prepping for that like?A lot of meditation.
I incorporated some music, I had my little playlist.
We havent seen Louie break down to that level.
What song would you say is the culmination of all that?It was probably Alanis Morissettes Uninvited.
I felt like Kane wasnt invited.
This attack on Louie was not invited.
She was so close!
Theres grief around that, theres so much anger behind that.
How do you feel about the fans response to Louies evolution?
After the episode, some said she got what she deserved.Ive been shocked!
Im like, No, I think Louie wanted to beseen.Louie brings a lot to the table.
Louie was pivotal from day one of this empire growing.
Despite popular belief, Franklin did not build this shit brick by brick by himself.
So I said, You know what?
I want Louie to be a villain.
I dont think Louie is wrong, I just think shes the opposite of Franklin.
Theyre actually very similar.
The difference between Louie and Franklin is that Franklin has temper tantrums and she does not.
I was already like,How am I going to play this?
What I discovered was that she had been abused her entire life.
She didnt have the same opportunities that I had.
How heartbreaking is that?
Do you think Louie aligns with this shift?I do.
We hear all the time, Black people arent a monolith.
We all do different things.
We come from different walks of life, we think differently, and we feel differently.
What gets me is the rationale that people have, the logic thats nonsensical.
Like, what show are you watching?
What you just said is not what happened?
I think people ride so hard for Franklin that its almost clouding their judgment.
Do you feel that way?[Laughs.]
People think that theyre Franklin so theyre watching the show through his perspective.
Which is a remarkable thing our writers, directors, and cast were able to do.
But if you watch the show objectively, you cant have those same feelings.
I know double standards exist like this, but Ive been really disappointed.
They think Louie did this to Jerome … but Jerome was a grown man!
At any point he couldve said he wants out.
Some people feel like, Im not responsible to nobody but me.
Some people feel like, I only do specific work because Im a mentor.
I think I fall somewhere in the middle.
She can easily be disregarded.
Its easy to see her as Uncs wife whos got hands and thats it.
They might just play her as some hood chick that got hands looking cute.
I couldnt bear that.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
