Actor & Comedian, Frankie Quiñones joins Cheddar News to discuss his upcoming Hulu show, 'This Fool.'

Between Bells

Actor And Comedian Frankie Quiñones Talks New Hulu Series 'This Fool'

Welcome back to Between Bells from executive producer fred Armisen the hulu original series. This fool makes its debut, this friday, august 12th. The comedy is set in south central Los Angeles and follows the relationship between Julio and his cousin luis who was recently released from prison and joins a gang rehabilitation nonprofit hugs, not thugs. Here's a glimpse at the series. Me and my boys will be there but be warm. My boys ain't boys anymore there man, my boys are soldiers, my boys are warriors. Why'd you fletch? Stop playing one half of the complicated dynamic duo is our next guest actor and comedian, Frankie Kenyans. Welcome so much welcome to the show. You play louis and he and Julio cannot be any different from each other. So my first question for you of course is how did you prepare for playing this character? Um well it was, it was pretty easy. I got a lot of you know, family that's uh pretty familiar, I mean pretty similar to the character luiz and louis is actually based off chris real cousin and so it was pretty, it was fun and organic. It just felt good. The characters very like grounded but you know, he's very emotionally immature. So that contrast between them always talking smack to each other but still wanting better for each other, still having love for each other was just added so much dynamic and it was a lot of fun to do in this show really offers and look inside those rehabilitation programs and the people who are involved with them? What did you learn and take away with your portraying this character and how did you really look into kind of preparing for that? Yeah. Well, um, yeah, as I said, like I grew up around that kind of stuff and those cousins that I have that were actually incarcerated and came out and had kids and turned their lives around. And so that's what I love about this show is like, you know, it's not your normal, like cops and robbers that you see, these are all like former gang members trying to better their lives. And so that's what I love about the show. It's very genuine and um, you know, it's not your normal thing, it's like all these people are trying to do something better with their lives and improve. And, and that's another thing I love about it now, you just mentioned you have a personal connection to the show. Have your family members watched what has been their feedback so far? Oh, they love it. They can't wait. You know what I mean? My dad was, you know, he's like an old school Cholo that, you know, better his life and was all about his family, a great father. And so, you know, it really hits home for me. So, like I said, this is my favorite role I've ever played and it was just so organic. It just hits me, hits me right here. And uh, I think it's gonna resonate with not only our community, but with everybody now, Let's get a little bit back into your character. He seems like he's a little bit stuck in the past here. How would you describe his personality? Yeah, yeah. He's he's really immature, you know, and he acts like he knows knows it all, but he has a heart in there, you know, And he's like, you know, he's just funny and he's always making fun of, you know, Julio his cousin. But yeah, yeah. I would just say he's very immature and you know, he spent eight years in prison and he came out like, you know, not being very pc and not catching being hit with the time. So he has to be educated about all that stuff by his, you know, fellows and his cousin and his family. Well, that makes so much sense because your character still acts like it's 2005. So I'm really curious. Okay, if we go back to 2000, which I enjoyed. I thought that was a good time. Which friend would you want to see? Come back for real? I'm sorry. What was that if we were to go back to 2000s, what would you like to see? Come back if we had to just take that journey back there? I mean, Yeah, I don't know what tread um jeez, I don't Yeah, yeah. You got you got me stuck right there. I don't know. I kind of think to thousands, but I know in the, in the scene, I'm like told me Tobey Maguire Spider man anymore, you don't like, you know Tobey Maguire always be Spider man in my head but I have to go for that to just bring those movies back, bringing that music back, bringing nameplates back, even though those, even though those have not really gone out of style now 2000 for the best and now the show is executive produced by SNL Alum and Portlandia Star fred Armisen. How do you think that he helped shape your character and make it into this series um that it is today? Yeah, it's funny, I wasn't, you know, I wasn't handed this where I wasn't imagined to play this character actually, but you know, I've been a longtime friends with, with chris and and the other producers and uh yeah fred you know, they had had me start reading for this for this character and fred and and Jonathan are like, you know what he brings a kind of a joe pesci vibe, the unexpected like uh interesting, you made this character more interesting so we sort of reinvented it was first imagined to be like a bigger, more tougher dude and then I came in like, you know, kinda and so yeah, breaded and Jonathan growth kind of just co signed and and push for me and and that's how I got the part, so thank you fred big thanks switching gears because we have to get this and you also have a podcast called the Frankie Kanye's show produced by Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network and I Heart Radio, How does your family play a part in this podcast? I'm curious because you said your family also plays a part in your role as well. So you have a lot of personal life experience you're bringing into your professional life at this point. Oh yeah, yeah. Some of my, my main characters like you know, creepers, a fitness instructor, you know, he's a fellow and he has a program called colo fit and he's an extension of my father, you know, my father was always repping his style just at west coast, you know, l a like Cholo style, but a very positive person, you know, like a little gratitude, respect and represent you know, and then J. C Juanita Juanita. Carmelita is based off my mom, you know, she's very intense but you know, positive woman, like you know, she's just a go getter, like you paint your picture that life you wanna live and you go get it, you make it happen, you know, and I, so I have these characters based on my family Will Farrell uh fortunately took, took a liking to him and and uh yeah, for me to get that call that he wanted me to join his, his team and as a programming on his podcast network was it was an honor, you know, like so yeah, that's incredible. And one last question, you're also on your so busy, you're also on your comedy tour at this point. I mean, what does it mean for you to connect with fans and what do you think is the most successful bit to a good set? I would say the most successful bit. It's a successful thing to like a good bit is coming from something real, something like personal. Um you know, for me, like when I see a stand up, if I can know who they are within the 1st 30 seconds to a minute and then they got me and let's go for a ride. And so yeah, but so many people watch my content that come to my show. So when I see them, I feel like I know them already and I'm like, what's up? What's up? You know, we're hugging and high fiving and we already have a connection. You know, it's, it's pretty interesting and it's something that I love That must be absolutely incredible. Thank you so much. Actor and comedian, Frankie Canyon, is this fool premieres on Hulu this Friday on August 12. So you definitely have to check it out