Key Takeaways
- Da’Vinchi said producers may favor overseas actors for Black American roles because they see them as more focused, affordable, and committed.
- Drawing on his experience with British actor Daniel Ezra on All American, he framed casting as a business decision, while Cam Newton pushed back against the idea that Americans lack work ethic.
- The BMF alum now joins Chicago Fire Season 15 as firefighter candidate Marcus Burke and praised the show’s team for filming with real flames and trained firefighters.
Da’Vinchi just walked into Firehouse 51—and straight into one of Hollywood’s most charged casting debates.
On Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast, the newest Chicago Fire actor said overseas performers may be winning Black American roles because producers question U.S. talent’s work ethic.
“I do think the work ethic of Americans is one that people in a higher position—it’s hard for them to trust it,” he said.
Newton pointed to British stars such as Daniel Ezra and Damson Idris, who convincingly played Black American characters on All American and Snowfall. Da’Vinchi knew the situation firsthand.
He worked with Ezra on All American and admitted that some casting decisions left him “a little perplexed,” especially when he felt personally connected to a role.
But he also offered a blunt reality check: “This is the entertainment business, not the entertainment arts.”
He argued that money may be one factor. A British performer who can deliver the same work as an American actor “could be cheaper” and may see the job as a bigger break.
Then came the line that drove the controversy. “I do think some producers probably [are] just like, ‘You know what? We want an overseas actor because they’re probably going to be more focused,’” he said. “‘They’re probably going to be less worried about being a celebrity or influencer and probably just locking in on the work.’”
Newton pushed back on the suggestion that Americans are simply lazy, arguing that the country prizes efficiency. Da’Vinchi countered that constantly seeking an easier route can weaken basic skills and independence.
His own upbringing shaped that view. Born Abraham D. Juste and raised in a Haitian household in Brooklyn, he said home felt like Haiti while the outside world was America. His grandmother didn’t speak English, and Da’Vinchi said he learned to take care of himself early on.
That drive helped turn a handful of breaks into a fast-rising career. Da’Vinchi went from Grown-ish and All American to playing Terry “Southwest T” Flenory on Starz’s BMF.
Still, he rejected the idea that success came easily. “I probably got like seven yeses and like a million nos,” he said. “And them yeses just happened to hit so big” that outsiders assumed he was always winning.
His latest yes is Marcus Burke, the roguish firefighter candidate joining Chicago Fire in Season 15.
The NBC set has also given Da’Vinchi a fresh look at what it takes to make a television hit. He praised Dick Wolf’s production team and described filming scenes with real flames, designated escape routes, and trained firefighters.
“Everything actually gets lit on fire,” he said.
