With the immense success of this season’s new breakout sitcom, Black-ish, there has been many eyes on young actress Yara Shahidi, and veteran actors Anthony Anderson, Tracee Lee Ellis, and Laurence Fishburne. But what about Marcus Scribner?
Although we haven’t heard much from the teen who portrays Andre Jr., he has certainly been getting noticed. Now that he is being nominated for an image award at the upcoming NAACP ceremony, it seems like a good time to get to know more about this young comedian.
On the show, Andre Jr. can be immediately pegged as a lovable oddball. His father’s first concern is that he doesn’t fit the “black guy” stereotypes he had expected him to fall into — and that worries him a bit. In fact, Andre Jr. seems to have no real connection to his “black-ness.” He’s not the cool kid in school, he’s not suave, and he refers to Barrack Obama as the president, without so much as recognizing him as the first black president. Instead, he’s a fun-loving, goofy nerd-type who loves video games and can be a little clumsy.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Marcus revealed that he does have an affinity with Andre, which makes him really fun to play. “I think that Andre Jr. is a lovable character… [we] have a lot of things in common.” The actor noted his “fly” fashion sense and his love of video games as points of interest. He also stated that Andre Jr. is “always sure of himself” which he commends as a valuable characteristic for anyone, real of fictitious.
When asked about the popularity of the show, and what makes it so special, Marcus noted that the dynamic between himself and all of the actors translates a working chemistry that viewers can always relate to. “From the first day, it was like we were a real family… No matter what race you are, you have people in your family who have done stuff like [the Johnson family].”
As for his success and recognition, Marcus is proud to have caught the eye of the NAACP.
To be nominated for an NAACP award was overwhelming to me and my family. To have my name connected to the NAACP is an honor I don’t take lightly. The change they have created inspires me to keep creating it in my generation. When I heard I was nominated with these actors of such high caliber was a moment I will never forget.
Catch Black-ish Wednesdays at 9:30pm on ABC.
