Nicole Byer talks about “magical negroes” and refuses to change the code

Nicole Byer is literally bringing her own brand of dark girl magic to the screen along with her latest role as the proverbial HNIC from .

Byer stars in the acclaimed satirical comedy through which Aren (Justice Smith) and his mentor Roger (David Alan Grier) navigate a secret society of black people gifted with magical powers whose entire lives are devoted to keeping white people comfortable. Based on the media trope of the “magic Negro” – a term coined by Spike Lee – which depicts black characters playing second banana or right hand to white characters who need their help to be their best selves (think Michael Clarke Duncan in , Will Smith in , or Jennifer Hudson in the first film), the film takes this idea and asks what happens if we just give attention to ourselves as a substitute?

We caught up with Byer just before the film’s March 15 premiere to talk all things magical, showing up in person, and why she doesn’t want to undo code-switching in real life or on screen.

BEING: When the titled script got here across your desk, what did you’re thinking that? What about the plot made you say yes?

Cities: Honestly, the name could be very polarizing. I assumed to myself, “What is this?” I do not know if people know that it’s based on a trope in film and television, the magical trope of the Negro, where there’s often a best friend or a clever black man who helps the white hero on his hero’s journey.

I actually like what Kobi {Libii, author and director} created by taking a movie trope and then wrapping it in a love story. I assumed it was so clever and smart. When I read this, I assumed, “Oh shit, this really resonates with me!” While this just isn’t a story about a black woman – it’s a story about a biracial man – but about how he finds his voice and the ability to speak up for himself and defend himself. I believe everyone can find themselves on this.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 13: Nicole Byer attends the New York screening of “The American Society of Magical Negroes” at Metrograph on March 13, 2024 in New York City. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Speaking of this magical Negro trope, while the film is satirical and literally portrays this idea, the idea of ​​carrying the pressure to make white society comfortable with our presence is something very real to a lot of us every day. Is this something that has shown itself to you in real life, especially working on this industry?

In industry? Yes! There’s an countless string of best friends bits where you possibly can’t be the major character; where people of color turn into character actors fairly than major characters. Code-switching is something we do to make white people feel more comfortable.

I sound the way I do, and people were like, “Oh, you sound white” or whatever. But I never felt the need to code-switch to turn into a stereotypical black man [for the media]. I’ve had people ask me this in auditions, and I believe it’s sort of funny – not sort of funny – because Black people usually are not a monolith. There are many Black individuals who sound like me and we deserve representation.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Nicole Byer attends the NAACP Image Awards Dinner at the Hollywood Palladium on March 14, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for the NAACP)

For those that have not seen the movie yet, tell us about Dede.

Dede is the head of the American Society of Magical Negroes and wants to maintain the establishment. Helping white people gives us power and that is what she’s all about. When that is questioned, he gets upset and upset.

I feel like this speaks to something greater: some black people don’t mind accommodating white people and making white people feel more comfortable. I believe we’d like to shake up the establishment. We need to shake things up a bit. Otherwise, how will all our stories be told if nobody goes in there and tells people who our stories need to be told? I mean not only entertainment, but life generally.

In this role you might be essentially commanding David Alan Greir, the comedy legend all of us grew up watching. What was it like working with him on this project?

David Alan Greir is really amazing. It was a dream for me to have the opportunity to share the screen with him or have him acknowledge me, and he’s so insightful, wonderful and wonderful. In the breaks we talked about comedy and stuff, really, it was amazing. He is an icon.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 13: Julia Lebedev, Kobi Libii, Justice Smith, An-Li Bogan, Nicole Byer and David Alan Grier attend the New York screening of “The American Society of Magical Negroes” at Metrograph on March 13, 2024 New York City of York. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

I’m sure you saw when the trailer first hit the web there was quite a lot of response online and now that it has hit the box office there was much more. What conclusion do you’re thinking that viewers should draw from this?

I believe the takeaway needs to be a way of empowerment, a way that your life matters. Your voice matters. Your thoughts matter. And talking about it could be scary, but it is going to enable you in the end. This will relieve you and make you’re feeling more comfortable. I never truthfully said what I assumed and then regretted it.