Devon Terrell on how prepared to play Obama in "Barry"
President Barack Obama was once just another Columbia University student in New York City, and the new movie “Barry” examines what that might have looked like.
Devon Terrell stars in the upcoming Netflix film, and he talked to CBSN host Josh Elliott about how he prepared for his role as Barry, the young Obama who was finding himself.
Terrell said of the president’s college years: “He knew there was something within him but he was unsure what that was, and I think coming to New York, I think it was a time in his life he was really forming his identity and really understanding he needed to go through adversity to become something of substance.”
He added that he watched videos from Obama’s past to better understand him and said, “There was an awkward charm to him back then and a lankiness about him.”
Director Vikram Gandhi said the name of the film comes from a different phase of Obama’s life.
“When I read a section of ‘Dreams from My Father,’ I was struck by how this period of time was when he was learning about himself and figuring out his identity,” he said. “It was also a time when he had been called Barry and he was becoming Barack.”
Gandhi said he and Terrell studied in particular two clips of the president speaking when he was younger, one from when Obama was at Harvard Law School and one when he was on his book tour.
“You could really see the beginnings of the person we all know, but he was definitely more awkward and just more normal -- a regular guy,” said Gandhi.
“Barry” is available on Netflix on Friday.
