Tracy Morgan’s triumphant return
A Q&A with the comeback star of The Last O.G.
Tracy Morgan has triumphantly rebounded from a tragic 2014 accident in which his limo bus was rear-ended by a Walmart truck, killing his friend, comedy writer James McNair, and sending Morgan into a medically induced coma.
His new comedy, The Last O.G., was put on hold at FX. And after a long rehab, a triumphant return to Saturday
Night Live in 2015 and a Netflix special, the series premieres Tuesday (10:30 ET/ PT) on a new network, TBS.
Morgan plays an ex-convict, newly released after 15 years in prison, who reconnects with his now-married former girlfriend (Tiffany Haddish) and teenage twins he never knew he fathered.
Morgan spoke to USA TODAY about the accident, SNL and parallels with his own second chance at life.
Question: How has accident changed you?
Morgan: I got a wife and I got kids, and I get to see them every day. So I embrace life a little bit more. I’m living, I’m breathing, seeing rather than being in a coma. Scared the (expletive) out of me.
Q: How did you put yourself into the mind-set of your character, Tray, who’s just released from prison? Morgan: By watching MSNBC’s Lockup Raw and watching Key & Peele. (Jordan Peele is an executive producer of The Last O.G., and Morgan says they “came up with the blueprint” together.)
Q: What’s it been like shooting the series, and how did you prepare for the role?
Morgan: We’re everywhere in Brooklyn. I’ve seen people from my projects. Seen one dude that just came home after 27 years for murder. We also know people on the set who know people who did time and try to come back and be in their kids’ lives. We all know people like that; they’re here, you can’t just throw them away. We all make mistakes, everyone. We all deserve a second chance.
Q: Are there parallels with your own second chance at life?
Morgan: Absolutely. We both got a second chance at life. I survived the accident, he survived prison. I got a second chance. ... My room wasn’t ready. Do you know what happiness is?
Q: Yes. Contentment.
Morgan: No, you’re wrong. Simply having something to look forward to. When they gave (Tray) a release date, he was happy. When he seen his kids, he got happier. He looked forward to them graduating. When I saw my daughter when I opened my eyes (from the coma), I was happy. We had her first birthday party in my hospital room.
Q: What was it like returning to SNL as host after you recovered?
Morgan: A lot of goodwill (and) warmth. That whole week in rehearsal, there were people who were working there when I was a cast member, (and) they wouldn’t speak to me because they were emotionally overwhelmed. Then one day, people were just breaking down crying. No one wants to see anyone get hurt like that. There were hugs, there was love. I said to ( SNL creator) Lorne (Michaels), “I love you like my daddy.” ... What’s important to Tracy Morgan is to give it back.
“We all make mistakes, everyone. We all deserve a second chance.”