November 25, 2024 • 22 mins
The BUZZ sat down with Johnny Ray Gill, who plays the role of ex-cop/antagonist Bobby Trey in the Prime original series, "CROSS." The series is based off of the novels by James Patterson and follows the life of forensic psychologist Alex Cross, and his partner, Detective John Sampson, as they track down dangerous killers in D.C. Bobby Trey stands out for his outlandish personality, which sets him apart from villains that we normally see in television series. He loves music, but he loves money more.
Most of Ray Gill's screentime was spent in scenes with Ryan Eggold, who plays Ed Ramsay, a serial killer who is obsessed with notorious serial killers; so much so that he finds look-alikes to make them look like their doppelgänger and plans to get rid of them on the birthday of the killer they resembled. I got to ask him about working alongside Eggold in the series:
"Working with Ryan was a treat. He is a fantastic actor, and to be able to share the screen with him was super dope. Early on, I sent the producers a video of badgers and coyotes hunting together to highlight that these are two individual killers that are coming together for their own mutual self-interest. Don't get it twisted, though. At the end of the day, if the coyote talks to the badger the wrong way, somebody got to go! There's a charged energy when you approach the scene in that way."
Ray Gill talks also about the characteristics of Bobby Trey:
"With the creation of Bobby Trey, I was reading, 'A People's History of the United States,' at the time when I was offered the role. Mr. Ben Watkins, genius showrunner of the project, was giving me nuggets about where Bobby Trey comes from. He said that, 'Bobby Trey fakes smiles all the time.' When he told me that, I thought about capitalism. The first thing I wrote in my notes was, 'Bobby Trey is capitalism come to life.' I mean, the personification of it: Capitalism is incredibly charming, but it'll murder you in a f****** second. When I thought about what his drive was, Ben said he is motivated by money. That's where the viciousness and the charm came from, and as a former detective/police officer and former member of the military, I wanted to inject the violence of that."
More in the discussion included us talking about the fantastic soundtrack used throughout the series, the impact and real life stories being implemented into the storyline(s), and some standout moments from this season.
All eight episodes in season one of, "CROSS," are available to stream on Prime.
Most of Ray Gill's screentime was spent in scenes with Ryan Eggold, who plays Ed Ramsay, a serial killer who is obsessed with notorious serial killers; so much so that he finds look-alikes to make them look like their doppelgänger and plans to get rid of them on the birthday of the killer they resembled. I got to ask him about working alongside Eggold in the series:
"Working with Ryan was a treat. He is a fantastic actor, and to be able to share the screen with him was super dope. Early on, I sent the producers a video of badgers and coyotes hunting together to highlight that these are two individual killers that are coming together for their own mutual self-interest. Don't get it twisted, though. At the end of the day, if the coyote talks to the badger the wrong way, somebody got to go! There's a charged energy when you approach the scene in that way."
Ray Gill talks also about the characteristics of Bobby Trey:
"With the creation of Bobby Trey, I was reading, 'A People's History of the United States,' at the time when I was offered the role. Mr. Ben Watkins, genius showrunner of the project, was giving me nuggets about where Bobby Trey comes from. He said that, 'Bobby Trey fakes smiles all the time.' When he told me that, I thought about capitalism. The first thing I wrote in my notes was, 'Bobby Trey is capitalism come to life.' I mean, the personification of it: Capitalism is incredibly charming, but it'll murder you in a f****** second. When I thought about what his drive was, Ben said he is motivated by money. That's where the viciousness and the charm came from, and as a former detective/police officer and former member of the military, I wanted to inject the violence of that."
More in the discussion included us talking about the fantastic soundtrack used throughout the series, the impact and real life stories being implemented into the storyline(s), and some standout moments from this season.
All eight episodes in season one of, "CROSS," are available to stream on Prime.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Buzz Buzz Buzz is on.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
The Buzz is on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
That gets you up close and personal with some of
the hottest stars. Now here's your host, Novelle Jaylee.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
What's going on, everybody. It's Noveelle jay Lee with a
new buzz cast here at Buzzworthy Radio. And I'm excited
that I got to sit down and speak with Johnny
ray Gill, who's stars in the new Amazon Prime series
Cross And let me tell you, I've watched it all.
The entire first season is available on Amazon Prime right now,
and it is just straight up fire. I keep saying
(00:37):
that in this interview when you get to listen to it,
but let me it's just absolutely incredible. And I got
to talk to him about his character, Bobby Tray, and
just the wackiness of his villainy is. It's so entertaining
to watch him play this character. The soundtrack to this
show is off the charts. The acting is absolutely amazing.
(00:57):
We also got to talk to him about how this
series is encompassing things that happen in our real life
and how accurate it's being portrayed in the series. And
then we also got to talk to Johnny about him
working alongside Ryan Eggold, who many of you remember from
(01:18):
New Amsterdam and The Blacklist. So here it is our
interview or should I say me famblowing about Cross on
this show with Johnny ray Gill.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Check it out.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I'm here with Johnny ray Gill, and I gotta tell
you Cross is fucking bomb everything. I'm just gonna start
it off right there. It's fucking Bob and our guest
plays Bobby Tray on the show.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
How are you, man, man, I'm good, brother, good to
be here.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Hello to the people.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Feel me. I'm glad you'll think it's fucking bomb.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I just from the jump, just seeing how many facets
in the twin and turns it's coming throughout all these
eight episodes that dropped for the first season, and I
did stay away because I'm on this. I'm on the
last episode before the finale right now.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Okay, but.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Just getting to this point, I'm literally just blown away
by literally everybody, the entire cast and crew, the soundtrack
that's on the show, the theme song for the show itself.
I'm just sitting like, dude, this theme song sounds so mellow.
I saw an article. I'm just gonna say it right now.
(02:34):
It said that they keep the actor who plays Cross
in the series could be the next Double seven. I
was like, the theme song kind of resonates that a
little bit, so I'm kind of going, it's so chill
as hell, but you know, he means business kind of
a thing with the theme. But I'm so sold on
the music soundtrack, man, the music soundtrack has so many
good hits in it that I'm savage.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
I remember when a trailer.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Draw that's twenty one.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
I was like, I said, oh we outside, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
It's not even that.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
There's like old school mixes thrown in. My god, I
was just, you're going like my childhood right now. I
was like, not just here week by s.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
W V playing right right, right right.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
That's how you bring That's how you bringing people to
the that's how you bringing people to the project. You know,
the show is set in d C, and it's real
d C. I think a lot of times, I think
a lot of times in Hollywood now, I think I
know they trying to sanitize, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Where we're from.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
So I think that's why we get we get into
love that we getting from d C love, Bobby Trays
getting from Shreeport like we we we got the culture
standing up. You know, all over the world. You feel me.
I've had people reach out to me from Cameroon, so
I think, you know, we get excited. We get excited
when we see you know, authentic representations of us because
so often times it don't be that.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I actually wanted to touch on that too before we
even into your character, because there's there's so many things
I want to say about Bobby, but that was also
that was also a point I did want to bring
up in this interview. Is like when you're watch when
you're watching this and you're seeing a lot of these
scenes playing out, especially in the beginning when Tavio was murdered,
and just everything surrounded by it with You're seeing the
(04:20):
signs of police brutality, you're seeing you're talking, you're hearing
them talk about the b l m UH Black Lives
Matter movement, and it's just when you're watching this, you
you literally are seeing what we have seen in our
lifetime and they're playing in true to form. It's not
something that's one glossed over and two it's not something
that they're also what's the way I want to say it.
(04:42):
I want to say, it's not faked. You know that
that's kind of where we go with it. It's actually,
you know, the research that went on with the movement,
the walks and the marches. You're portraying that accurately on
the screen.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
So a part of our lived experience.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
As as black people in the dash for as Black Americans,
and so it's a part of the characters lived experience.
When I first got the part, I read the pilot.
One of my favorite scenes is the dinner is the
dinner scene when Cross and Samson revealed that they police officers.
At the dinner scene, they get into that conversation with
the brother. I remember I told Ben, I said, that
(05:23):
conversation usually goes, you know, one way, and it makes
the police officer look like the heroes if they have
all the answers all the time in Hollywood. And so
the tennis match that's happening, and so at the end
of that scene when the brother says, oh, so is
this how you're going to treat one of the protesters?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yes, that I remember that. The premiere folks said, oh.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Yeah, I kind of did one of those too. I
just literally went, oh, we went there, and then it
just exactly. You know, you just see him jump out
of the chair and you're just ready, yeah that swing.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
So it was just intense, man, Yeah, it's intense.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
And so those are conversations that are happening around our
dinner tables, and so it's right that that conversation happens
rang the dinner tables of these characters.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
It's interesting you also bring out that point too, because
there was that scene and I can't remember the characters scene,
but it was it was outside and you just see
her basically saying that line like you you're on a
whole other level of coonery, right, And as soon as
I heard her say that and what she had to say,
I just looked at it and my way, oly shit.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
You know when you get them, when you get the period,
when you start talking whole periodly period.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Okay, we're doing some good work.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
There is no shame in what these people are saying
to the cops in this show. And I'm just sitting
here going like, no holds bar and I'm just sitting
there and just I'm sneaked stephen A Smith with my
tea right now, I'm going like, this is amazing your character.
You know, obviously Bobby Tray is just is it wrong
(07:02):
to root for a villain in this show, because it's
just it's your character is just so unique, and and
by that is that he's not the typical villain. I
feel like he's an antithesis of a villain because he's
so fun to watch and he's so wacky. Yeah, he's
(07:23):
so wacky and at it, but it's just like, and
I feel like that just adds on to the element
of the fact that he's wacky. But don't don't misconstrue
that everybody. Just because he's whacky doesn't mean he won't
do business. So it's just watching when you're holding that
girl hostage and you're literally just like with the playlist
(07:43):
and everybody, if you haven't seen this, we're dropping Matt
spoilers right now. So please, if you have not watched it,
I'm telling you right now, Matt, spoilers are being dropped
in this conversation and you've got to get on it
and watch this show. But it's just a matter of
you have the playlist going, and you're going like, this
playlist isn't go the last and then the songs were
coming on and I was just going like oh man, this.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Dude is whacky. But I love I love.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
The fact that he was just so immersed in all
the songs that were playing and before he did any
damage to her, but you sing anyway and all the same.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
He's a lover of music. Maybe you know, maybe in
another life, Bobby Tray was on Broadway.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
You know, you don't know, We don't know that backstory,
but it's it's it's so fun to watch you and
just to play and just playing off of Ryan Eggel,
who I absolutely loved from the Blacklist and New Amsterdam,
who was on this show as as the main villain
of the of the show. Just your chemistry opposite of
(08:47):
him is just absolutely incredible. So what what what? What
was it like working opposite of him? And and and
then also just the character of Bobby with all of
his intricacies, with everything that he does, ranging from his
whacking to actually being serious.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
What was that like?
Speaker 5 (09:02):
To play?
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Working with Ryan was a treat.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
It's fantastic actor a run and bout them for a
long time, So to be able to share the screen
with him was super dope. Early on, I sent the
producers uh videos of badgers and.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Coyotes hunting together to to to highlight the fact that
these are two.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Individual killers that are coming together for their own mutual
self interest.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
But don't get a twisted at the end of the day.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
It's the coyote talks to the badger of the wrong way.
Somebody got to go. There's there's that conversation that does yeah, yeah,
so there's and I think that there's a charge energy
when you approach you know, the scene in that way. Also,
if you if you get a chance to watch badgers
and kyotees hunting together, is incredibly interesting.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
They're talking to each other, it's it's phenomenal. And the
creation of Bobby Tray.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
I was reading the People's History of the United States
at the time when I got the offer for the role.
And you know, mister Ben Watkins, genius showrunner for the
for the project, he was giving me nuggets about you know,
where Bobby Tray comes from, and he said that Bobby
Tray fake smiles all the time. And then he told
me that I thought about capitalism. And the first thing
(10:18):
I wrote in my notes is I said, Bobby Tray's
capitalism comes to life the personification of it, and capitalism
is incredibly charming and it'll murder you in.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
A fucking second. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Pollution, It'll pollute your entire shoreline and then make a
commercial about it and sell you the water back at
three seventy five.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
And when I thought about this, this drive for what
is his?
Speaker 4 (10:41):
He said, he's I think Ben said that he's motivated
by money. And so that's that. That's where the viciousness
in the charm came from. It's the first thing I
wrote in my notes. And then also as a former detective,
a former police officer, I wanted to inject the former
member of the military.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I wanted to.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Inject the violence of that. And if you know about
you know we talked about Black Lives matter. Since twenty twenty,
for example, the police have murdered more people in the
United States every year since twenty twenty. So when you
understand the viciousness of this system, I said, oh, I
think it would be very interesting if Bobby Tray is
(11:18):
a personification of that.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
A lot of times.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
People when they when they discuss social paths or any
of those kinds of things, it comes from this very personal
thing that happens in the childhood or something like that.
For Bobby Tray, I was like, oh, I've never created
anything from thematics before, and I think that these people
are more oftentimes created by systems, whether that's systems of
(11:42):
violence against women, systems that allow violence against people of color,
that allow violence against indigenous communities, or what have you.
So that's where that's where Bobby Tray's those are, That's
that's how it started.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
That's how it started, and it's been working out for you.
Like I said, it's so entertaining to watch you play
on the show. It's so much fun. And you touched
on a really great point. I know we talked about
it just a few months ago about the authenticity of
the scenes that we watch in this series. Another point
we want I wanted to bring up is just a
fact that with Ryan's character of Ed, he plays a
(12:17):
serial killer. And the other part of it too, is
just like we're seeing that this character is emulating or
basically not really emulating, but he's worshiping real life serial killers.
So they're even pretty real life serial killers into this
show as well. I just feel like for me that
(12:38):
on top of watching everything happening with the marches and
protests in the show and how the black characters are
not just perceiving policemen, but black policemen. I'm adding that
facet into that, just all of this stuff that we
do see unfortunately in our daily lives. Here. I'm just
(12:59):
looking that if from that lens of going this is
way too intense for my blood. But it's so it's
so interesting to watch these two different type of scenarios
play out in one show, in one bucket. So it
just you being on it, just playing on both sides
of that spectrum and way different than me watching it
(13:20):
for sure, But I just but it's just so enthralling
to me that you're we're able to tell two compelling
stories in just one fell swoop on this show, and
I think that's really what's so entertaining about it.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Yeah, and that's a tribute to the writers, that's a
tribute to Amazon for giving us a platform to be
able to tell complex stories that are about humanity at.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
The end of the day. I think that's why. I
think that's.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Why we're number one in one hundred and eleven countries,
because it's.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
About that all that.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Yeah, Yeah, it's about humanity. And I think when when
you tell complex about humanity, other humans are going to
find it interesting, and they're going to see parallels to
their own lives, whether that's the police show in other countries,
whether that's here, whether that's the duality of being a.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Black police officer. You know, a Cross is a genius,
he's you know, Charlotte Holmes with muscles.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
You know what I'm saying. But if you're a genius
and you're a police officer, you can't make me, you
can't make me not believe that you haven't thought about
the fact that you're also a black police officer. Those
two things go together. Yeah, and I'm sure that you
know and we see you know, al this is doing
such an amazing job as Cross wrestling with that, wrestling
(14:30):
with with that, with that duality, wrestling with that paradox and.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
What it means.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
It's another one of the things that that that that
that weighs.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
On his character.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
I'm sure, especially when he talks about having a hero
complex and wanting.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
To save people. He couldn't save his wife.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
I want, how does it feel when you feel like
you can't save your community?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
So it's and all that is baked into the show,
like your show is a burrito down for the socks.
It's got all, it got everything in it.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
It's so huge with what they're doing on this show.
Like I said, I'm on seven right now, and just
even just getting up until this point, I'm just so
amazed at as you just put it out, the writers,
what they were able to craft for this show. It's
just it's amazing how I'm able to sit there and
go like I am so mesmerized by not just the writing,
(15:22):
but also the talent that emulating the stuff on the
page onto the screen. Just phenomenal work. It's just so
phenomenal just to I'm just sitting there going like, it's
only eight episodes. That's it. I mean more, you know,
that's how we got it.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
We got some we got some stuff coming.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
But it's it's, it's it's it's a great watch. And
I just I have to ask, like, when you got
the role of Bobby Tray, First of all, what was
that process like getting reading the script and then you're
looking at it and going like, I gotta have this part.
I got to be in this show.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Well, Ben sent me the script. I was I had
a film that was at Austin Film Festival. I was
down there and you know. They they offered it to me.
He said, here's the you know, here's the pilot.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Read it. Tell me there's son you're interested in.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
I'm not gonna lie. I don't be jumping to.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Do cop shows. Okay. I was like, let me. I
was like, so let me.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
I was like, so, let me read this.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Excuse me.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
I was, let me read this real quick. And it
was phenomenal. It was like I said, that dinner that
dinner table scene in on the page. I said, I
have to do this. This is fantastic. And then you
to be collaborating with like in the true sense of
the word collaborating, talking to the writers, talking to the producers,
(16:41):
and you're like, oh my goodness, this is gonna be
a collaboration. This is gonna be fantastic. And so that's
what got me excited. And then, like I said, starting
to deal to dwell into the nuances where Bobby trays
from you know, I remember, okay, wait, so he's from
Street for how did he get to DC? How long
is how long has he been in DC? All those things,
(17:02):
and then you start away at the at the clay
and and you know, kudos to Ben and the producers
and everybody else for you know, letting us cook and
letting us create. So you know, Bobby Trade just came
from the ultimate creation and wanting to, you know, acknowledge
the depth and breadth of our characters and our people.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
I was very surprised when and when we got to
one of the episodes, I think it was episode four,
and when he just basically said he's an ex cop,
I was like, ex cop.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
My mom said the same thing. My mom called me
and said, wait, they know each other.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Walks up, he walks up. I'm just going like, John
is like Bobby Trade. I'm going like this. I assumed
they knew each other already, So don't get me wrong,
because the previous episodes, you know, Bobby already mentions Cross
and not to not to fuck with Cross when I'm
talking and everything, so I already knew that there was
a relationship there. I didn't realize it was that. And
(18:05):
once once it was said that he was an ex cop,
I said, well, shit.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
I love my people when we get up.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Oh lord, that's literally what I did. I was like
what And then I rewinded back and I was like,
oh damn. I was like okay, And then it made
more sense than when he went into the river and
then he comes back with the dog that had threatened
(18:41):
to kill I'm like, that motherfucker had a bulletproof vesta on.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
So, oh, black people, can't black people cancel him? Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
I didn't want to say that, but that's literally what
I said. When he rolled up back in the house.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I literally said it.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
IF was like, now see, now see the stereotype is
freaking wrong.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
It was black people ever saying oh he cooked, he cooked,
he feeling that he's feeling that water.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Oh I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
I did.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
I was like, well, he ain't making it, y'all.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
And then then when he made it, I said, well,
he was the next cop, so he probably had to swim,
so I guess that made sense. I was like, all right, fair,
fair enough, you dispelled the myth.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
But man, I tell you, that's those are the moments
I live for television shows, especially this one, when you're
just sitting there going like, oh blackish, jiff right here.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
That's literally how that's literally how I do. So it's
it's it's so much fun. I wish I could say more,
but I I probably will after I watched the finale. Oh,
it's so far. It's been an absolute real watching this
and I'm craving for more. But I'm so excited for
you and I'm so excited. Thank you for this show.
(20:08):
It's been it's been an absolutely roller coaster ride for
this and I'm speechless with it right now. So that's
how that's how great it is to me.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
So well, we appreciate you perhalfs of the entire cast
and crew, everybody.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Thank you very much to you, so.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
All the fans listening right now, to all the fans around.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
The world rocking with us, keep rocking.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
And like I said, just thank you, Fluo. It means
it means the world.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Well, this seat here at our show is always open
for you to sit down at and we love to
have you back. Man, You're always welcome.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
Hey, thank you very much, good brother, it's been a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Talking to you and I can't wait for the next time.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Many thanks to Johnny ray Gil for stopping by the
buscast today. And like I said before, if you haven't
watched Cross yet, get on that. It's on Amazon Prime.
All eight episod those of the first season are available
at your fingertips. Please run, do not walk, to watch
this show. I'm so excited for everybody that's going to
(21:10):
be tuning into this and those that have watched it
and expressed to me how much they enjoyed it. So please,
if you haven't seen it yet, take a look at it.
You will not regret it, I promise you. But that's
it for me for right now. I'm the Bell Jayley
making sure you keep getting the latest buzz with Buzzworthy
Radio by logging onto our website at buzzworthyradiocast dot com.
You can also follow us on x formally known as
(21:32):
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and you can find me on the streaming platforms where
you can download and stream our podcast at iHeartRadio, Speaker
(21:53):
and Amazon Music and finally, finally, and I mean this
literally finally, Spotify. Amazing. Right, I'll see you guys next time.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Take care, stay in the.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
No catch up on all the buzz podcasts and videos
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Buzz Buzz Buzz is on.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
The Buzz is on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
That gets you up close and personal with some of
the hottest stars. Now here's your host, Novelle Jaylee.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
What's going on, everybody. It's Noveelle jay Lee with a
new buzz cast here at Buzzworthy Radio. And I'm excited
that I got to sit down and speak with Johnny
ray Gill, who's stars in the new Amazon Prime series
Cross And let me tell you, I've watched it all.
The entire first season is available on Amazon Prime right now,
and it is just straight up fire. I keep saying
(00:37):
that in this interview when you get to listen to it,
but let me it's just absolutely incredible. And I got
to talk to him about his character, Bobby Tray, and
just the wackiness of his villainy is. It's so entertaining
to watch him play this character. The soundtrack to this
show is off the charts. The acting is absolutely amazing.
(00:57):
We also got to talk to him about how this
series is encompassing things that happen in our real life
and how accurate it's being portrayed in the series. And
then we also got to talk to Johnny about him
working alongside Ryan Eggold, who many of you remember from
(01:18):
New Amsterdam and The Blacklist. So here it is our
interview or should I say me famblowing about Cross on
this show with Johnny ray Gill.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Check it out.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I'm here with Johnny ray Gill, and I gotta tell
you Cross is fucking bomb everything. I'm just gonna start
it off right there. It's fucking Bob and our guest
plays Bobby Tray on the show.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
How are you, man, man, I'm good, brother, good to
be here.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Hello to the people.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Feel me. I'm glad you'll think it's fucking bomb.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I just from the jump, just seeing how many facets
in the twin and turns it's coming throughout all these
eight episodes that dropped for the first season, and I
did stay away because I'm on this. I'm on the
last episode before the finale right now.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Okay, but.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Just getting to this point, I'm literally just blown away
by literally everybody, the entire cast and crew, the soundtrack
that's on the show, the theme song for the show itself.
I'm just sitting like, dude, this theme song sounds so mellow.
I saw an article. I'm just gonna say it right now.
(02:34):
It said that they keep the actor who plays Cross
in the series could be the next Double seven. I
was like, the theme song kind of resonates that a
little bit, so I'm kind of going, it's so chill
as hell, but you know, he means business kind of
a thing with the theme. But I'm so sold on
the music soundtrack, man, the music soundtrack has so many
good hits in it that I'm savage.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
I remember when a trailer.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Draw that's twenty one.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
I was like, I said, oh we outside, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
It's not even that.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
There's like old school mixes thrown in. My god, I
was just, you're going like my childhood right now. I
was like, not just here week by s.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
W V playing right right, right right.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
That's how you bring That's how you bringing people to
the that's how you bringing people to the project. You know,
the show is set in d C, and it's real
d C. I think a lot of times, I think
a lot of times in Hollywood now, I think I
know they trying to sanitize, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Where we're from.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
So I think that's why we get we get into
love that we getting from d C love, Bobby Trays
getting from Shreeport like we we we got the culture
standing up. You know, all over the world. You feel me.
I've had people reach out to me from Cameroon, so
I think, you know, we get excited. We get excited
when we see you know, authentic representations of us because
so often times it don't be that.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I actually wanted to touch on that too before we
even into your character, because there's there's so many things
I want to say about Bobby, but that was also
that was also a point I did want to bring
up in this interview. Is like when you're watch when
you're watching this and you're seeing a lot of these
scenes playing out, especially in the beginning when Tavio was murdered,
and just everything surrounded by it with You're seeing the
(04:20):
signs of police brutality, you're seeing you're talking, you're hearing
them talk about the b l m UH Black Lives
Matter movement, and it's just when you're watching this, you
you literally are seeing what we have seen in our
lifetime and they're playing in true to form. It's not
something that's one glossed over and two it's not something
that they're also what's the way I want to say it.
(04:42):
I want to say, it's not faked. You know that
that's kind of where we go with it. It's actually,
you know, the research that went on with the movement,
the walks and the marches. You're portraying that accurately on
the screen.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
So a part of our lived experience.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
As as black people in the dash for as Black Americans,
and so it's a part of the characters lived experience.
When I first got the part, I read the pilot.
One of my favorite scenes is the dinner is the
dinner scene when Cross and Samson revealed that they police officers.
At the dinner scene, they get into that conversation with
the brother. I remember I told Ben, I said, that
(05:23):
conversation usually goes, you know, one way, and it makes
the police officer look like the heroes if they have
all the answers all the time in Hollywood. And so
the tennis match that's happening, and so at the end
of that scene when the brother says, oh, so is
this how you're going to treat one of the protesters?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yes, that I remember that. The premiere folks said, oh.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Yeah, I kind of did one of those too. I
just literally went, oh, we went there, and then it
just exactly. You know, you just see him jump out
of the chair and you're just ready, yeah that swing.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
So it was just intense, man, Yeah, it's intense.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
And so those are conversations that are happening around our
dinner tables, and so it's right that that conversation happens
rang the dinner tables of these characters.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
It's interesting you also bring out that point too, because
there was that scene and I can't remember the characters scene,
but it was it was outside and you just see
her basically saying that line like you you're on a
whole other level of coonery, right, And as soon as
I heard her say that and what she had to say,
I just looked at it and my way, oly shit.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
You know when you get them, when you get the period,
when you start talking whole periodly period.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Okay, we're doing some good work.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
There is no shame in what these people are saying
to the cops in this show. And I'm just sitting
here going like, no holds bar and I'm just sitting
there and just I'm sneaked stephen A Smith with my
tea right now, I'm going like, this is amazing your character.
You know, obviously Bobby Tray is just is it wrong
(07:02):
to root for a villain in this show, because it's
just it's your character is just so unique, and and
by that is that he's not the typical villain. I
feel like he's an antithesis of a villain because he's
so fun to watch and he's so wacky. Yeah, he's
(07:23):
so wacky and at it, but it's just like, and
I feel like that just adds on to the element
of the fact that he's wacky. But don't don't misconstrue
that everybody. Just because he's whacky doesn't mean he won't
do business. So it's just watching when you're holding that
girl hostage and you're literally just like with the playlist
(07:43):
and everybody, if you haven't seen this, we're dropping Matt
spoilers right now. So please, if you have not watched it,
I'm telling you right now, Matt, spoilers are being dropped
in this conversation and you've got to get on it
and watch this show. But it's just a matter of
you have the playlist going, and you're going like, this
playlist isn't go the last and then the songs were
coming on and I was just going like oh man, this.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Dude is whacky. But I love I love.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
The fact that he was just so immersed in all
the songs that were playing and before he did any
damage to her, but you sing anyway and all the same.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
He's a lover of music. Maybe you know, maybe in
another life, Bobby Tray was on Broadway.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
You know, you don't know, We don't know that backstory,
but it's it's it's so fun to watch you and
just to play and just playing off of Ryan Eggel,
who I absolutely loved from the Blacklist and New Amsterdam,
who was on this show as as the main villain
of the of the show. Just your chemistry opposite of
(08:47):
him is just absolutely incredible. So what what what? What
was it like working opposite of him? And and and
then also just the character of Bobby with all of
his intricacies, with everything that he does, ranging from his
whacking to actually being serious.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
What was that like?
Speaker 5 (09:02):
To play?
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Working with Ryan was a treat.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
It's fantastic actor a run and bout them for a
long time, So to be able to share the screen
with him was super dope. Early on, I sent the
producers uh videos of badgers and.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Coyotes hunting together to to to highlight the fact that
these are two.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Individual killers that are coming together for their own mutual
self interest.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
But don't get a twisted at the end of the day.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
It's the coyote talks to the badger of the wrong way.
Somebody got to go. There's there's that conversation that does yeah, yeah,
so there's and I think that there's a charge energy
when you approach you know, the scene in that way. Also,
if you if you get a chance to watch badgers
and kyotees hunting together, is incredibly interesting.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
They're talking to each other, it's it's phenomenal. And the
creation of Bobby Tray.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
I was reading the People's History of the United States
at the time when I got the offer for the role.
And you know, mister Ben Watkins, genius showrunner for the
for the project, he was giving me nuggets about you know,
where Bobby Tray comes from, and he said that Bobby
Tray fake smiles all the time. And then he told
me that I thought about capitalism. And the first thing
(10:18):
I wrote in my notes is I said, Bobby Tray's
capitalism comes to life the personification of it, and capitalism
is incredibly charming and it'll murder you in.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
A fucking second. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Pollution, It'll pollute your entire shoreline and then make a
commercial about it and sell you the water back at
three seventy five.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
And when I thought about this, this drive for what
is his?
Speaker 4 (10:41):
He said, he's I think Ben said that he's motivated
by money. And so that's that. That's where the viciousness
in the charm came from. It's the first thing I
wrote in my notes. And then also as a former detective,
a former police officer, I wanted to inject the former
member of the military.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I wanted to.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Inject the violence of that. And if you know about
you know we talked about Black Lives matter. Since twenty twenty,
for example, the police have murdered more people in the
United States every year since twenty twenty. So when you
understand the viciousness of this system, I said, oh, I
think it would be very interesting if Bobby Tray is
(11:18):
a personification of that.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
A lot of times.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
People when they when they discuss social paths or any
of those kinds of things, it comes from this very personal
thing that happens in the childhood or something like that.
For Bobby Tray, I was like, oh, I've never created
anything from thematics before, and I think that these people
are more oftentimes created by systems, whether that's systems of
(11:42):
violence against women, systems that allow violence against people of color,
that allow violence against indigenous communities, or what have you.
So that's where that's where Bobby Tray's those are, That's
that's how it started.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
That's how it started, and it's been working out for you.
Like I said, it's so entertaining to watch you play
on the show. It's so much fun. And you touched
on a really great point. I know we talked about
it just a few months ago about the authenticity of
the scenes that we watch in this series. Another point
we want I wanted to bring up is just a
fact that with Ryan's character of Ed, he plays a
(12:17):
serial killer. And the other part of it too, is
just like we're seeing that this character is emulating or
basically not really emulating, but he's worshiping real life serial killers.
So they're even pretty real life serial killers into this
show as well. I just feel like for me that
(12:38):
on top of watching everything happening with the marches and
protests in the show and how the black characters are
not just perceiving policemen, but black policemen. I'm adding that
facet into that, just all of this stuff that we
do see unfortunately in our daily lives. Here. I'm just
(12:59):
looking that if from that lens of going this is
way too intense for my blood. But it's so it's
so interesting to watch these two different type of scenarios
play out in one show, in one bucket. So it
just you being on it, just playing on both sides
of that spectrum and way different than me watching it
(13:20):
for sure, But I just but it's just so enthralling
to me that you're we're able to tell two compelling
stories in just one fell swoop on this show, and
I think that's really what's so entertaining about it.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Yeah, and that's a tribute to the writers, that's a
tribute to Amazon for giving us a platform to be
able to tell complex stories that are about humanity at.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
The end of the day. I think that's why. I
think that's.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Why we're number one in one hundred and eleven countries,
because it's.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
About that all that.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Yeah, Yeah, it's about humanity. And I think when when
you tell complex about humanity, other humans are going to
find it interesting, and they're going to see parallels to
their own lives, whether that's the police show in other countries,
whether that's here, whether that's the duality of being a.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Black police officer. You know, a Cross is a genius,
he's you know, Charlotte Holmes with muscles.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
You know what I'm saying. But if you're a genius
and you're a police officer, you can't make me, you
can't make me not believe that you haven't thought about
the fact that you're also a black police officer. Those
two things go together. Yeah, and I'm sure that you
know and we see you know, al this is doing
such an amazing job as Cross wrestling with that, wrestling
(14:30):
with with that, with that duality, wrestling with that paradox and.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
What it means.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
It's another one of the things that that that that
that weighs.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
On his character.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
I'm sure, especially when he talks about having a hero
complex and wanting.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
To save people. He couldn't save his wife.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
I want, how does it feel when you feel like
you can't save your community?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
So it's and all that is baked into the show,
like your show is a burrito down for the socks.
It's got all, it got everything in it.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
It's so huge with what they're doing on this show.
Like I said, I'm on seven right now, and just
even just getting up until this point, I'm just so
amazed at as you just put it out, the writers,
what they were able to craft for this show. It's
just it's amazing how I'm able to sit there and
go like I am so mesmerized by not just the writing,
(15:22):
but also the talent that emulating the stuff on the
page onto the screen. Just phenomenal work. It's just so
phenomenal just to I'm just sitting there going like, it's
only eight episodes. That's it. I mean more, you know,
that's how we got it.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
We got some we got some stuff coming.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
But it's it's, it's it's it's a great watch. And
I just I have to ask, like, when you got
the role of Bobby Tray, First of all, what was
that process like getting reading the script and then you're
looking at it and going like, I gotta have this part.
I got to be in this show.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Well, Ben sent me the script. I was I had
a film that was at Austin Film Festival. I was
down there and you know. They they offered it to me.
He said, here's the you know, here's the pilot.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Read it. Tell me there's son you're interested in.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
I'm not gonna lie. I don't be jumping to.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Do cop shows. Okay. I was like, let me. I
was like, so let me.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
I was like, so, let me read this.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Excuse me.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
I was, let me read this real quick. And it
was phenomenal. It was like I said, that dinner that
dinner table scene in on the page. I said, I
have to do this. This is fantastic. And then you
to be collaborating with like in the true sense of
the word collaborating, talking to the writers, talking to the producers,
(16:41):
and you're like, oh my goodness, this is gonna be
a collaboration. This is gonna be fantastic. And so that's
what got me excited. And then, like I said, starting
to deal to dwell into the nuances where Bobby trays
from you know, I remember, okay, wait, so he's from
Street for how did he get to DC? How long
is how long has he been in DC? All those things,
(17:02):
and then you start away at the at the clay
and and you know, kudos to Ben and the producers
and everybody else for you know, letting us cook and
letting us create. So you know, Bobby Trade just came
from the ultimate creation and wanting to, you know, acknowledge
the depth and breadth of our characters and our people.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
I was very surprised when and when we got to
one of the episodes, I think it was episode four,
and when he just basically said he's an ex cop,
I was like, ex cop.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
My mom said the same thing. My mom called me
and said, wait, they know each other.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Walks up, he walks up. I'm just going like, John
is like Bobby Trade. I'm going like this. I assumed
they knew each other already, So don't get me wrong,
because the previous episodes, you know, Bobby already mentions Cross
and not to not to fuck with Cross when I'm
talking and everything, so I already knew that there was
a relationship there. I didn't realize it was that. And
(18:05):
once once it was said that he was an ex cop,
I said, well, shit.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
I love my people when we get up.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Oh lord, that's literally what I did. I was like
what And then I rewinded back and I was like,
oh damn. I was like okay, And then it made
more sense than when he went into the river and
then he comes back with the dog that had threatened
(18:41):
to kill I'm like, that motherfucker had a bulletproof vesta on.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
So, oh, black people, can't black people cancel him? Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
I didn't want to say that, but that's literally what
I said. When he rolled up back in the house.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I literally said it.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
IF was like, now see, now see the stereotype is
freaking wrong.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
It was black people ever saying oh he cooked, he cooked,
he feeling that he's feeling that water.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Oh I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
I did.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
I was like, well, he ain't making it, y'all.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
And then then when he made it, I said, well,
he was the next cop, so he probably had to swim,
so I guess that made sense. I was like, all right, fair,
fair enough, you dispelled the myth.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
But man, I tell you, that's those are the moments
I live for television shows, especially this one, when you're
just sitting there going like, oh blackish, jiff right here.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
That's literally how that's literally how I do. So it's
it's it's so much fun. I wish I could say more,
but I I probably will after I watched the finale. Oh,
it's so far. It's been an absolute real watching this
and I'm craving for more. But I'm so excited for
you and I'm so excited. Thank you for this show.
(20:08):
It's been it's been an absolutely roller coaster ride for
this and I'm speechless with it right now. So that's
how that's how great it is to me.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
So well, we appreciate you perhalfs of the entire cast
and crew, everybody.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Thank you very much to you, so.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
All the fans listening right now, to all the fans around.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
The world rocking with us, keep rocking.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
And like I said, just thank you, Fluo. It means
it means the world.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Well, this seat here at our show is always open
for you to sit down at and we love to
have you back. Man, You're always welcome.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
Hey, thank you very much, good brother, it's been a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Talking to you and I can't wait for the next time.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Many thanks to Johnny ray Gil for stopping by the
buscast today. And like I said before, if you haven't
watched Cross yet, get on that. It's on Amazon Prime.
All eight episod those of the first season are available
at your fingertips. Please run, do not walk, to watch
this show. I'm so excited for everybody that's going to
(21:10):
be tuning into this and those that have watched it
and expressed to me how much they enjoyed it. So please,
if you haven't seen it yet, take a look at it.
You will not regret it, I promise you. But that's
it for me for right now. I'm the Bell Jayley
making sure you keep getting the latest buzz with Buzzworthy
Radio by logging onto our website at buzzworthyradiocast dot com.
You can also follow us on x formally known as
(21:32):
Twitter at Buzzworthy Radio, liking us on our Facebook page.
I'm also on blue Sky now and our domain is
at buzzworthyradiocast dot com. I'm also on Instagram at buzzanav
and you can find me on the streaming platforms where
you can download and stream our podcast at iHeartRadio, Speaker
(21:53):
and Amazon Music and finally, finally, and I mean this
literally finally, Spotify. Amazing. Right, I'll see you guys next time.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Take care, stay in the.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
No catch up on all the buzz podcasts and videos
at buzzworthyradio gast dot com. Keep getting the latest buzz
with Buzzworthyradio now on Amazon Music.
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