By Andrew Cristi
Photos Taken At The AKA Smyth Tribeca
85 W Broadway, New York, NY 10007
212.587.7000
Photos by Josh Lehrer Photography
Grooming by Crystal Carrero for Honey Artists
Story & Styling by Andrew Cristi
Assisted by Ashley Lane & Kathy Andres Hernandez
Possessing the kind of benevolence and good-natured charm that could win over the biggest curmudgeon, smiley star Suraj Sharma seems like the last person who might ever be involved with controversy, yet, right before his new CBS hit, the charismatic star found himself facing plenty of negativity from naysayers who had yet to see the show and were quick to judge that it might offend them. Quickly putting the kibosh on any doubts as the series immediately became one of Fall’s hottest new shows, “God Friended Me” premiered to rave reviews as it not only impressively didn’t offend anyone, but, it also offered up hope, visibility, and a unifying message along with its talented cast and great story- all of which seemed much more in line with the gifted actor’s brand.
Frightening both the conservative right with fears that the show could be sacrilegious, as well as the liberal left with groans that the show was somehow regressive, “God Friended Me” proved to be a show for all fans as its delicate approach to all points of view was heartwarming and refreshing, and it’s cast of diverse characters with various beliefs seemed far more progressive than anyone realized. Proud of the show, it’s positive message, and the way that it starts a dialogue, the intelligent and intuitive Sharma is fast to praise creators Steven Lilien and Bryan Wybrandt for working together as a team despite their differences, as well as casting such a varied group in order to tell their pertinent story of embracing other people’s views.
No stranger to heartwarming projects, Sharma made a splash in Hollywood with his first and breakout role leading Ang Lee’s 2012 Academy Award nominated masterpiece; “Life Of Pi,” only to go on and continue to stun audiences with great performances in other critically acclaimed hits like “Million Dollar Arm.” A truly dynamic actor, the CBS star gave one of the most compelling performances of the decade (no exaggeration) on the hard-hitting “Homeland,” showing off sophisticated nuance and complexity as Ayaan, the kind-hearted sacrificial lamb caught in the crossfire. For anyone who missed it, his work on the series was a true tour de force and the kind of acting even most seasoned veteran actors can only dream of with acting chops that should have easily got him nominated for an Emmy for best guest-star in a drama- if not won him one.
Sadly, the gifted artist went unrecognized by the academy that year, but, it’s not just his impeccable that makes the talented performer worthy of admiration. A major part of a movement happening where the media is beginning to acknowledge the need for visibility and representation, the New Delhi native is one of sadly very few Indian actors serving as a lead, and while his presence alone is helping to break barriers and change the game, it’s his real-life kindness and amiability that constantly shines through the screen and captivates all audiences, constantly warming their hearts. A genuinely good guy, Sharma is perfectly cast for his new uplifting show as it provides worthwhile characters that give viewers hope- and his character, Rakesh, tends to be the most upbeat one of the bunch. New to comedy, the quick-to-learn actor has been a shoe-in, showing that he is far from just a one-trick pony and that he is just as capable of making people laugh as he is at getting them to cry.
With “God Friended Me” already a success, and with two new films on the way including the anxiously anticipated “Happy Death Day 2U,” Sharma can get ready for quite the exciting new year. That said, Wingman knew we had to take an interview with the compelling star and find out all about what we can expect on the CBS show, so, take a look and see what he had to say!
WINGMAN: So, “God Friended me” actually attracted a bit of controversy before the premiere, and unified the country as the criticism came from both sides. But, ironically, it’s not sacrilegious at all as far as conservatives go, and on the flip side, it’s very progressive as it features an extremely diverse cast. Can you talk about that?
SURAJ SHARMA: I think one of the main points behind the show is essentially to have a place where different perspectives can come into conversation. I think in today’s society, for various reasons, peoples ideologies tend to be polarized by both social media, and sticking to what they already choose to believe in. This show really tries to pull together multiple perspectives in order to have a real conversation, regardless of the outcome. This show is not trying to be sacrilegious toward God, gods, or religion, and at the same time it’s progressive to the times today and opening up a dialogue.
WINGMAN: What drew you to the character of Rakesh?
SURAJ SHARMA: I like Rakesh because he is one of the few characters that stands on a middle ground. He is not set in his beliefs. He is relatable, funny, and extremely important in the sense that he helps the audience gage what Miles is thinking at the time. I also like him because it is a very emotional show, and it’s important to have some lightness, and I hope Rakesh brings that to the show.
WINGMAN: Do you prefer drama or comedy?
SURAJ SHARMA: Comedy is new to me. I don’t have a preference, but I see drama as my strong side, so, it’s been an interesting ride and a lot to learn. I’m trying to pick up as much as I can on the way and gain more comedic skills, so, it’s been good.
WINGMAN: Your creative team here; Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt, are incredible and have already been behind great shows like “Gotham,” “CSI: NY,” and “Hawaii: Five-O,” and you have a great cast including Joe Morton, Javicia Leslie, and Brandon Michael Hall. Talk about the fantastic company you are in
SHARMA: Oh, absolutely. One of the main reasons I wanted to do this was because when I met Bryan and Steven, they were just so great. They are truly the perfect balancing act. There ideologies are different, as are there personas, but they truly balance one another out. The core of the show; it’s multiple perspectives, that comes from them. They are both so fantastic. They are also so open to collaboration. And the cast is crazy good! We all also come from different backgrounds and ideologies, so, it’s very interesting. Brandon is amazing and so inspirational in real life, truly. There’s a lot to learn from him. Javicia is extremely fun and she was the first person in the cast to make me feel really welcome. We even auditioned together, so that was great. Violett Beane is really easy to talk to, and Joe- when you’re not working you can just sit back and watch Joe work. He has unlimited wisdom and skill, and there’s so much to learn from him. It’s a fantastic team, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.
WINGMAN: You also guest starred on “Homeland” as the wonderfully optimistic and “resourceful” Aayan, and you gave an incredible tour de force- seriously, the performance of a lifetime. Can you talk about playing in that world and about your amazing character?
SHARMA: Aayan was a very interesting and fun character to play. He came from a background that definitely was not privileged, and he was the nephew of the main antagonist of the show at that time. It was really such an incredible experience. I feel so lucky with the people I get to work with, and the people on that show were also just fantastic. I was very sad that they had to shoot me in the head. [Laughs]
WINGMAN: That was truly the greatest scene of that series, and “Homeland” has had a lot of good scenes.
SHARMA: Thank you, man, I really appreciate that.
WINGMAN: Of course, fans know you from the Academy Award nominated and four time winner “Life Of Pi” by the astounding Ang Lee. Were you a fan of the book or familiar with it before the movie?
SHARMA: No, actually I didn’t know anything about the book! And I’m glad, because the pressure would have really been mounted in the audition process if I knew. And… I’m also glad I found out1 [Laughs again]
WINGMAN: Your career actually started because your brother offered you a Subway sandwich if you went to the audition with him. You should be the spokesperson for Subway!
SHARMA:[Chuckles] Well, I don’t know about that. I’m going to give the credit to my brother on that one!
WINGMAN: Since then, you also starred in “Million Dollar Arm” Are you a baseball fan, or do you play baseball?
SHARMA: No, actually, I’m not that into baseball at all. One of the reasons that I like this job is that it takes you places you’re not familiar with, and so, you adapt and wind up learning some skills. That was really great. I grew up in India where everyone plays a lot of Cricket. But, that was really a fun shoot and another great cast. Jon [Hamm] was fantastic. I’ve been pretty lucky with my projects.
WINGMAN: You have a ton of movies on the way, including the anxiously anticipated sequel to “Happy Death Day 2U.” Can you tell us anything about it?
SHARMA: That was a great shoot. We were in New Orleans for that. Again, a wonderful cast. The director, Christopher Landon, is so fantastic. I’m really looking forward to that one- it was just so fun.
WINGMAN: You also have “Killerman” opposite some great people; Liam Hemsworth and Diana Guerrero. What can you tell us about that film?
SHARMA: I did a small part in that film, but, again, the people working on it is what interested me. The script is very gritty, and it was really fascinating. I like doing what I haven’t done, and that was a whole new road to explore- which was good.
WINGMAN: In such a short time, you’ve already had an amazing career and worked opposite some great people like Claire Danes and Jon Hamm. Who else would you love to work with and what else would you love to play?
SHARMA: I would love to explore both comedy and drama more. I know that might not really say much, but, I want to do stories that are dark, gritty and cerebral- projects that involve psychology really get to me, and I would love to do some dark humor. Who would I like to work with? A lot of people. There’s an intense amount of talented people in this world. But, more than anyone, I would love to work with Robert De Niro- I’m just such a big fan, and I’d love to work with him.
WINGMAN: What else can we expect on “God Friended Me” this season?
SHARMA: Honestly, I don’t know myself! We never get to see the scripts ahead of time. The one thing I can tell you is that the people we meet are very interesting, and you get to see more insight into people you might not have looked for.
We can predict one thing for the future of the show; more great performances by Sharma. Check out “God Friended Me” Sunday nights at 8/7c on CBS, and look for “Happy Death Day 2U” in theaters this February.
Mike McCarthy