‘Transatlantic’ Star Ralph Amoussou On Creating His Character Out of Frustration and an Excellent Playlist

Ralph Amoussou stars in the new Netflix miniseries Transatlantic as Paul, a man in occupied France during World War II. Here, in an interview with Awards Daily, Amoussou digs into what makes his character tick and what makes him so willing to fight. Amoussou is also very open about the way society made things difficult for him as a French-African and shares a horror story about the night he was up for a César Award. Finally, he shares his personal playlist for getting into his character of Paul.

Awards Daily: What got you interested in Transatlantic?

Ralph Amoussou: The historical aspect of things, the fact that it talks about what really happened during World War II but from a different point of view. Based on a true story, except for two characters they added that didn’t exist, for narrative effect. I think it was very interesting for me to see that happen and I really enjoyed it.

Awards Daily: Your character Paul starts with just hiding people. Then he gets more involved, wanting to really resist the Nazis while pursuing this pragmatic alliance with British colonizers he obviously has issues with. How did you approach Paul’s growth in that area?

Ralph Amoussou: First when I was building that character one thing was very interesting to me was the frustration that he has with being born in ”France” colonized territory; it must have been frustrating to the max. The fact that he was born in 1912 so he has no allies, so to speak. All he can do is read some Marcus Garvey or W. E. B. Du Bois and get inspiration from these kinds of heroes. So the frustration was the most important thing for me. His growth I approached from him being so frustrated, and the more frustrated you get the more desperate you are. The more desperate you are, what else do you have to lose? You might as well just go for it and fight for what you believe in.

Awards Daily: I read this being described as your first major US role. What do you want US audiences to know about you?

Ralph Amoussou: [Laughs] That I love what I do, and that I think I’m okay at what I do. [Laughs] I love American TV and movies, and I am passionate about it. I grew up watching a lot of US TV, and given the opportunity, I’d love to move there and work there if it is possible.

Awards Daily: I read that you were interested in acting since around 15 years old. What got you interested in acting specifically?

Ralph Amoussou: I think it was more that I started taking acting classes when I was 12. I think it’s a pretty banal and cliched story. I was really shy so my mom got me into acting and I actually liked it. Because I was like, ‘Woah, you can be someone else–that’s amazing!’ Then when I discovered you could get paid for it I was like, ‘Whaaat? What is happening here?’ [Laughs] So there is that. Also you get to people-watch a lot, watch human behavior, and analyze and recreate human beings with all their flaws and everything. And I think that’s fascinating.

Awards Daily: I read your piece on iCARE, and it’s terrible the way you have been harassed and marginalized by society. Do you feel like anything is being done? Or is there anything else you want to add about that?

Ralph Amoussou: I can’t speak about the whole world, but when it comes to France I don’t think anything is being done. I feel like the industry in France is trying to be inclusive, but unfortunately I don’t think they’re doing it in the right ways. The actors that they want to include just do comedy stuff. So, it is sad to witness because what it says is, if you want to be accepted and you are Black, then you have to show your teeth. Be sure that you are laughing and not threatening. That is the most depressing thing I’ve lived through.

Awards Daily: On a completely different note, I hear you have a playlist for every character that you have played. What was Paul’s?

Ralph Amoussou: Oh, my God, Paul’s was, wait let me get it! (Looks through his phone). You have a lot of Kevin Lamar, you have some Herbie Hancock, the song “In a Sentimental Mood,” John Coltrane, a lot of jazz and blues, Nina Simone. The song “Strange Fruit” was one of the heaviest songs I was listening to during the shoot. I feel like some American artists’ and writers’ work is very universal for Black Americans or Africans because we all went through somewhat of a shared experience on both sides of the Atlantic. I grew up listening to that music, I grew up having that feeling. Even my name. My real name is Nick but when I became an actor I became Ralph because my mom named me after Ralph Abernathy and Ralph Ellison. So I grew up listening to blues and jazz and reading a lot about African American/Black American history and African history as well.

Awards Daily: I was curious what it was like being at the César Awards when you were nominated for most promising actor in 2009?

Ralph Amoussou: It was so weird, this is going to be the darkest story ever. I was on my way to the ceremony and I had played NBA 2K with a friend before the ceremony, and I was, like, I got to go because it was about 5:00 something and there were interviews at 6:30 at the venue. I thought, I’ll go by the metro, and I’m walking down the street and I see police cars cornering me. I’m being searched and I don’t know why and I’m wearing a Dior suit and they were, like, we got to take you in. I asked, “What did I do?” And he wouldn’t tell me. The ride to the station was three minutes, and it was so long cuz I could be in for anything and I didn’t have any ID. Because if there is one night that I’m allowed to not have an ID it is the night that I’m celebrated for being nominated. So I call my mom and my mom comes in and she goes berserk on them. We ended up going to the ceremony. I missed the red carpet, I missed the photo call, I got there and I’m drenched in sweat. Then the camera pans on me and I hear and the nominees are… I am like, oh no, I do not want to win right now. So for me it was not a good experience. I was happy to be nominated, but it was just very traumatic. Every time something good happens you can see something horrible in French society is going to happen to you. It is kind of weird.

Awards Daily: Any final thoughts?

Ralph Amoussou: I just want to say playing Paul has been extremely gratifying. It is gratifying that Anna Winger and her team brought such a character to life. He is like a figure for all the unseen in the world—Africans, Black Americans, women. Anna Winger and her team–Tunde Aladese, Isabel Teitler, Steve Bailie–just did an amazing job making the unseen seen, and that is just remarkable. I hope the audience enjoys the show and I hope the show meets its audience, and that’s about it.