The mystery of The CW’s Naomi is still building with the second episode of the series airing tonight (January 18) on The CW, and just as mysterious as Naomi herself is the character “Zumbado,” a mysterious and well dressed car dealer who appears to have powers and uncanny origins of his own. Playing Zumbado is actor Cranston Johnson.
KSiteTV had the opportunity to speak with Cranston Johnson last week about this mysterious character and Naomi itself. If you have not seen the show yet, it airs Tuesdays at 9PM ET/PT after Superman & Lois.
KSITETV’s CRAIG BYRNE: How exciting is it that people could finally see your work on Naomi?
CRANSTON JOHNSON: It was great… I had a lot of response from the family and the friends. They were really excited. The anticipation has been building over the last few weeks, especially.
We’ve been working on the show since August when we started filming, and we’re right at the finish line right now. I had seen the pilot previously. We were kind of gifted that from the executive producers and from Ava [DuVernay], right when we resumed filming, after the pilot was picked up. They had a special treat for the cast, to see the pilot. It wasn’t completely in its edited phase which is what you saw last Tuesday, but it was still great. But seeing it again, it was kind an out of body experience/ It’s really exciting. I’m very proud of the work that that the entire team has done, from the creators, to the cast and crew, to just everyone. I’m really thankful to be along for this journey in this ride on the Naomi world.
Especially with what we’ve seen on screen in the first episode, is Zumbado a good guy or a bad guy?
That’s something that we’ll have to determine. I guess it’s gonna fall into the lines of what your definition of good guy or bad guy will be. Right now, and for several of our episodes, I don’t think you’re going to be able to make a clear determination of what you think he is. I think the mysterious element is the most dominant presence that we have for him right now. He’s somebody that we’re trying to figure out. What exactly is his motivation? How is he tied in to this world? What is his interest in Naomi? To me, that’s one of the most exciting things about playing him; that enigmatic feel that he has and that he’s bringing to the show.
I really enjoyed doing that scene in the forest. That was my introduction to the character. That’s the scene that I auditioned to get the role. It’s written so well. I think I was able to find so many different little layers to kind of bring through that. I think that Zumbado’s very complicated. So we just have to keep watching, and determine what his motivation is, and how he aligns in the universe. I think it’ll be a very interesting watch.
When you got the role of Zumbado, did they purposely keep you in the dark about this backstory, or did you want or need it in order to know how to play it?
Initially during the audition process, we were able to talk about the little things, but during that process, it was mostly “what’s your interpretation? Show us what you have come up with this character, and how you want to present this character.” So for me, even though I knew this was going to be a superhero show with supernatural elements to it, I based my character in reality. I played it as if he was not in this world; that he was just in the everyday world that we live in, to give him a sense of reality.
For me, wrapping my head around something that is not realistic, or that may not be the reality of what I live, it can be sometimes hard for me to bring that across. I have to always grounded in truth, and something that I can believe in. So, the backstory that I created for him initially, is not 100% consistent to what the actual backstory is. I just took some of the characteristics that I saw that jumped off the page to me.
We talked about him being an enigma, and being someone having a dangerous, mysterious, imposing element. I just kind of created a backstory off of that to kind of bring that to life. Once we got to set and we’re working on the pilot, some things were revealed to me. But Ava and Jill Blankenship who is one of the main writers and creators of the show, they wanted to keep things a little vague, because we’re still filling out the world and where we want to go with it. But also, by keeping it vague, you the audience won’t be able to have a clear cut answer to who this is, what he is, and what his motivation is. I think having people not knowing what the ultimate motivation is, I think it’s creating a more exciting view of what we’re watching.
I’ve been slowly fed some of the backstory as we have continued to film, and I think that that’s the perfect way that the creators have chosen to approach these characters. They’ve chosen to reveal to us to the actors, the interpretation of how we kind of can put our own little spin on it, and play them.
Can you speak about what it’s like to work with Ava DuVernay?
Working with Ava DuVernay… I don’t think that I could ask for more as an actor. She’s very accepting to the bouncing of ideas. For example, he’s very open to hearing what your interpretation of something is, and working together to to come up with the best creative work that we can do. That right there is something that I really find exciting and just inspirational. She’s always available to you to speak on whatever it may be that you have going on with the character. I’ve been a fan of hers before the show and so getting the opportunity to work with her is a dream come true. I’m really excited to see where our show and the characters continue to grow. Hopefully we can continue to do this for a while. It’s been really exciting just as the scripts come in, and being a part of this Naomi and Ava DuVernay universe been exciting.
At the recent TCA session, there was a lot of talk about Zumbado’s outfits. Do those help you get into character?
Oh my goodness. I was teasing Ava and also the wonderful wardrobe team that we have. I was like, “you guys are making it hard for me to go home and wear my clothes now.” I went back and looked at my clothes, and I’m just like, I have to do a complete overhaul of my entire wardrobe, because undoubtedly Zumbado is going to be the best dressed man in Port Oswego, hands down, but he may be fighting for the best dressed man in the universe.
The clothing does help you embody certain moods, or feel a certain presence or stature about yourself. It’s the sophistication that he has, which is something that I’m really also excited about. Whenever I get the opportunity to work as a Zumbado with his almost GQ sophistication he has, to match this this dangerous presence. To me, that’s very exciting. So, yes. I love the wardrobe, and they do really help me with with carving out my character, and some of the choices, and just you know how I’m moving physically. It ties in.
Can you talk about what it’s like to work with Kaci Walfall?
Kaci is amazing. I’m saying this from a 100% genuine position. She is so delightful to work with, from the first day that I met her in person.
Kaci is someone that I did a chemistry read with her during the audition process, and of course, at that time, neither one of us had been cast, but I remember doing that read over the Zoom, and I really felt like we had a great connection. And sure enough, obviously, the producers, and Ava, everyone felt the same way. But you know, just getting on the ground in Atlanta, meeting her and meeting her mom… they’re the nicest people. She’s so humble and grateful for this opportunity. Never have I seen her not with a bubbly smile on her face, unless she’s in character, and we’re working and filming, but just walking around set, she has the best spirit. She’s always thinking about others.
You know, she was responsible for setting up a toy drive during the holidays. She’s just a 17 year old that really gets it. She doesn’t take herself too seriously. She has this this massive job, being the leader of this show at such a young age, and she’s handling so well personally and professionally. She’s an inspiration to me even though I’m much older than her. I’m so proud of her, and I’m so grateful that I’m getting to see her and work with her right now, because the sky’s the limit for this young lady. She can do anything that she wants. She’s a superhero in real life.
Career wise, you have worked with a lot of big names. Was there ever a time where you were like, “wow, I’m doing this for a living?”
Every day, Craig. I come from a pretty small town. Not two-stoplight small, but under 100,000 people, called Gastonia, North Carolina. So growing up, being an actor, living in Southern California, being on TV, being in movies… it just didn’t seem like a reality to what was going on in my world. So, I didn’t discover acting until late in life. So for that, watching the premiere at 9PM when it came on, it’s like I get these out of body experiences. To me it just still seems surreal that “you are planning Zumbado, he’s part of the DC Comics universe, you’re on a show Naomi, you’re working with Ava DuVernay,” or whatever it’s been that my journey has led me on over the past 11 years or so… I never want to lose that feeling. Like I said about Kaci before, she doesn’t take things too seriously, and I try to adapt that same mentality, because I want to still be excited. I still want to be excited when I get to watch my castmates or I get to tell someone to tune in to watch the show, and to watch their excitement, or when people tell me they’re inspired – that’s what was special to me. It’s always fresh. It’s always surreal. And it’s always something that I’m grateful for.
Is there anything else you’d like to say for the fans who might be reading this?
Just, thank you for the support. We appreciate you guys tuning in on Tuesdays at 9PM, and supporting our show Naomi, and we’re excited to hear the dialogue from the guys and the feedback as we take you on this journey of the origin story of Naomi.
A new episode of Naomi airs TONIGHT (January 18) on The CW. See some photos here; a trailer for the episode can be found below.
