1 of 4 | Tracy Morgan (L) and Craig Robinson appear in a scene from “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins.” Photo courtesy of Peacock
NEW YORK, March 19 (UPI) — The Office and Killing It icon Craig Robinson says it was an honor to play the nemesis of Tracy Morgan’s title character in The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins.
“Tracy just has an aura about him. King of the set. He’s so confident,” the 54-year-old actor told UPI in a Zoom interview this week. “It was awesome to finally work with him.”
The Peacock comedy follows Reggie, a disgraced, former pro football player who hires down-on-his-luck filmmaker Arthur (Daniel Radcliffe) to make a documentary about him in the hopes that he can redeem himself in the public eye after a gambling scandal.
Robinson plays Reggie’s long-time rival, Jerry, while Heidi Gardner plays Jerry’s wife Tisha.
“He got overlooked. He was always better than Reggie, but the Heiseman didn’t see it that way and he bested me in some games or whatever. Whatever. But, I’m on top now, so that’s what it is,” Robinson said of his character, who is now a TV presenter and heads up a successful kids’ football camp.
“I love all the characters and I love a good mockumentary setting. So, I was ready to go with that,” he laughed. “Heidi was easily one of the best partners I’ve had on screen. She just is willing to play and have fun. We’d just get an idea, and we’d go with it. She’s a great writer, too.”
He also had a great time working with Erika Alexander, who plays Reggie’s ex-wife and manager Monica.
“We were fast friends,” Robinson said. “Now, when we see each other, we just start singing duets.”
Radcliffe made a good impression on him, as well.
“He’s a great actor,” Robinson said. “He’s hysterical and a super-nice guy, devoted father. We saw that off the screen and stuff. He was real cool.”
In addition to his live-action acting and stand-up comedy performances, Robinson is also a popular voice actor, playing roles in animated series such as The Cleveland Show, American Dad!, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and Big Mouth, as well as movies like Shrek Forever After, Sausage Party, The Bad Guys and the upcoming Toy Story 5.
Robinson said he enjoys the convenience and ingenuity that comes with recording his lines for cartoons.
“You can go in your pajamas if you want to and it’s so much fun and you’re usually in a booth by yourself. I think I’m going to do a project somewhere where I’m actually with another great comedic actor, so that’s going to be crazy,” he explained.
“But, for the most part, it is you and the producers, and you’re going back and forth trading jokes and creating stuff.”
While The Office may have wrapped its nine-season run in 2013, the show remains wildly popular in re-runs, not just with the original die-hard fans, but, also, in many cases, their children.
So, how does it feel to be part of something with such a cherished legacy?
“It feels like you have friends everywhere,” Robinson said.
“People come out, they support my shows, and they reach out and say the nicest things and people bond with their families, or sometimes it’s the only thing their family watches together. It’s an amazing position to be in.”
About the Author
