“I had had wine before, but I never went out of my way to drink wine.
But that was my introduction, essentially, to the wine world.
That led him back to his home base.
‘Grand Crew’ creator Phil Augusta Jackson.Randy Shropshire/Peacock/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty
“It happened very organically,” he says.
How important was that for you to highlight?
These are Black issues, but these are also human issues.
The ‘Grand Crew’ team (clockwise from top left): Justin Cunningham, Aaron Jennings, Carl Tart, Grasie Mercedes, Dan Goor, Echo Kellum, Nicole Byer, and Phil August Jackson.Trae Patton/NBC
But, to answer your question, that’s how it is with my friend group.
Really, it’s just staying honest to the premise, which came from my real life.
Incredible job, incredible show.
I felt so fortunate to work on the last two seasons.
You could start with something small and it could lead to a bigger conversation and a bigger storyline.
Also,Insecurewas a very flat room.
Devin Reed, our sommelier, yeah.
The hope is that as the show grows, the crew’s knowledge of wine grows as well.
As far as helping…
I don’t know at what magnitude it’s helped.
We make it a point to highlight Black-owned wineries on the show.
I’ve gotten some messages.
I’ve had some interviews with folks, and some talks with Black-owned wineries.
I think any exposure is helpful.
Speaking a little bit about season 2, I love Nicole Byer.
I love her character so much because she is who she is.
So how did you approach that for her character and did you talk to Nicole at all for feedback?
In a lot of ways, this role was handcrafted for her.
I definitely check in with her to see what types of stories she wants in the show.
What else will the crew be up to this season?
For Noah, who loves love, love is the goal, and finding his person is the objective.
Sherm owns a business now.
We get to actually play now that you know who these characters are and where they’re coming from.
As for the group arc for the season, it really is the thirst for more.
you could feel the maturation a little bit more than you do when you’re in your 20s.
