‘This Is Us’ star Niles Fitch breaks silence on shooting of cousin Rayshard Brooks
'This Is Us' star Niles Fitch says his mother called him with the news about Rayshard Brooks
The latest episode of The Mix tapped into real but real but hard conversations.
The Fox Soul millennial and Gen Z talk show is hosted by Romeo Miller, Zonnique Pullins, Jazz Anderson, Anton Peeples, and Jamie DuBose. The show is known for dishing on controversial topics and social issues but this particular episode became personal when their guest Niles Fitch of This is Us divulged his cousin was Rayshard Brooks.
theGrio previously reported that Brooks was shot and killed by now-former police officer Garrett Rolfe. Brooks was sleeping in his vehicle in Atlanta near a Wendy’s parking lot and was reported to the authorities. Brooks, 27, was shot in the back as he ran from Rolfe and officer Devin Brosnan on the scene following a physical encounter that was all caught on camera.
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During the sit down with crew, Fitch told them at first glance he couldn’t identify the man in the viral video because it was too dark.
“I’m from Atlanta and I haven’t said anything publicly but my cousin was Rayshard Brooks,” said Fitch, 19. “I remember watching the video and I couldn’t see who it is or anything and I remember being like damn that’s crazy and I was a little numb to it and I kept it moving.”
He says later on in the day his mother called him and told him it was his cousin who was in the video.
“It really set on me how bad it has been and how desensitized we are. It was a tough time but we got through it, you have to get through it. That is the only thing you can do.”
The actor first made his mark on Tyler Perry’s House of Pain, and it was recently announced he will be Disney’s first Black price, Prince Tuma in Secret Society of Second-Born Royals.
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The actor spoke with Rolling Out in September about the casting and said he is excited about expanding his roles as an actor and taking his audience with him as he matures. He said he put in work to fit into the role of Prince Tuma. He currently plays Randall Pearson on This is Us and says the roles are very different.
“My process for this more was really the appearance,” he told Rolling Out. “Randall is a teenage kid, but Tuma is a young man with powers. I gained 26-plus pounds, so I’d be able to look like the superhero type guy.”
He goes on to add that he hopes fans see his progress.
“I hope it allows people to see my range. To start seeing me as a leading man, that’s something that I’ve always wanted, my career to go down a leading man path. I’m hoping people [will be] able to see me as a cool superhero.”
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