Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Glynn Turman: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, marrying Aretha Franklin and more

We're back with our first new episode of the year! It's already one of our favorites in recent memory. Actor Glynn Turman talks with us about his extraordinary life. You might know him as Clarence Royce on The Wire, or Doctor Senator on the most recent season of Fargo. And he's had a number of iconic roles in films like in Gremlins and Cooley High, too. His latest role is in Netflix's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. It's a film adaptation of the August Wilson play of the same name. The story centers on a fateful recording session of "Mother of the Blues" by Ma Rainey in 1927 Chicago. Glynn's been in the game for over half a century – he reflects on his past roles and future ambitions. We also discuss what it was like working with Chadwick Boseman in his final film role. Plus, he shares an incredible story about how he met his second wife ... Aretha Franklin.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture. Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney's, which called it "the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world."