Atlanta

About Atlanta

Released in 2016, Atlanta is an American comedy drama series about two cousins navigating their way through the Atlanta neo-soul scene. It was created by Donald Glover, who also stars in the series. The show follows Earnest “Earn” Marks, a young manager trying to get his cousin’s rap career off the ground while juggling some personal issues of his own.

Making / Production

This critically acclaimed show was created by Donald Glover and produced by FX Productions. Aided by a team of accomplished writers, directors, and producers, Atlanta is recognized for its unique blend of humor, drama, and social commentary, offering a fresh take on the music industry and socio-economic issues within the African American community.

Actors

• Donald Glover: as Earnest “Earn” Marks, Glover plays a young Princeton dropout with a vision to manage the music career of his cousin. He adds depth to his character, flitting between comedy and drama effectively.
• Brian Tyree Henry: Henry portrays Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles, a rapper on the rise in the Atlanta music scene, and the oft-misunderstood soul of the series.
• LaKeith Stanfield: As the always unpredictable Darius, Stanfield plays the right-hand man to Paper Boi. His charmingly eccentric characterization is a series highlight.
• Zazie Beetz: Playing the role of Van, Earn's on-again-off-again girlfriend, Beetz brings emotional complexity to her character, a working mom attempting to balance love, career, and parenthood.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The series was filmed in Atlanta. It took great strides in accurately representing the city's culture and geography.
• Creator and star of the show, Donald Glover, has stated that the show was heavily influenced by the offbeat humor of Twin Peaks.
• Donald Glover set a rule in the writing room: "No one was allowed to say 'this wouldn't happen in real life.'"

Awards

Atlanta has won numerous awards since its inception, including two Golden Globes: Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy and Best Actor for Donald Glover. Glover also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

Quotes

• "You need to start acting like you're better than other rappers." - Earn (Donald Glover)
• "I scare people at ATMs, boy. I have to rap." - Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry)
• "I just think that we need a chance as humans to fail in order to discover what actually works." - Darius (LaKeith Stanfield)

Music, Soundtrack

• A mix of rap and hip-hop, including original tracks performed by Paper Boi.
• The opening credits feature "OJ Da Juiceman" by No Hook, depicting the gritty reality of Atlanta's streets.
• The scores are done by Ludwig Goransson, incorporating a mix of soulful tunes to match the series' unique blend of humor and drama.