iPresenter Teresa: Welcome to tonight’s Live Chat with Don Gilet and Wil Johnson from
BBC2 drama series Babyfather.
From Leah: I live in Brixton, and when people heard about the second series everyone was well excited. Did you have a good response from people on the street when you
were filming the second series?
Don Gilet: Yeah yeah, a very good response. People said well done for coming back and
welcome back. It's encouraging and complimentary. It's good to bring a character back, and
have the chance to do it again. It's been fun. It's been too long! I had to go and work at
McDonald's in between! There was probably about 9 months in between.
From Caroline: Don, you are great looking - are you attached at the moment?
Don Gilet: I'm attached to this microphone! I am unattached at the moment,
Caroline... I don't know what to say about that... I'm footloose and fancy free! It just
really means she hasn't agreed to marry me!
From Jackson: What did you do before you got into acting?
Don Gilet: I was at college, doing A levels, getting my education. Then I just
entered the world of unemployment, getting rejections and stuff, and when I wasn't I was
going to the gym!
From Pete: Johnny's in a bit of a slump at the moment, is it going to get better for
him?
Don Gilet: You see, we'd all like to think that, but I will say he's a guy on a
mission. He'd like to see a light at the end of the tunnel, but he has to earn it. If he
does right by the people around him, he'll get it, if he doesn't, he won't.
From Poppy: I saw you on TV last year in the Apple advert, are you going to be off to
America soon?
Don Gilet: It's my plan, my dream, my ambition, but there's no calling for me yet. It
would be nice to conquer it and explore. It was a fun advert to do, but I didn't really see
L.A. at all, I just did the commercial and flew back. I've got to keep my options open, the
same as in the UK. Doing theatre as well, etc, to show I am proficient across the board, and
keep the juices flowing! Babyfather has done really well, I was really happy to get the
job, and the reviews are really good, so I'll be waiting...
From Baks: Who's your hero in the acting world?
Don Gilet: Well, good question! I'll tell you who I like - Richard Prior. I like the
art that he uses in storytelling, and the way he characterises things. He can characterise
anything, a car engine or anything. I like watching his genius.
From Pat: Hello, are all the guys in Babyfather originally from London?
Don Gilet: I'm not from London, I'm originally from Walsall in the West Midlands. I
live in London now. Walsall is just outside Birmingham, and my family are still there so I
go back often. London is getting close to being a 24 hour place, which is close to the New
York feel, but it's not quite there yet.
From Peta: I'm a black American who just tuned into the show. Great work! However,
I'm a bit disturbed by the images of four black men - which seem to support the stereotype
of black men as oversexed souls who are irresponsible fathers, and people afraid of
commitment. Any concern about this?
Don Gilet: I am a bit concerned, but I don't think they're irresponsible fathers at
all. There's a guy with a child for the first time, and he has to deal with the shock of
being a father, just like that. It's about four guys first and foremost, and they grew up
together. We're not making a cultural statement. If you watch in detail you'll see they're
dealing with their situations. No four guys together are never going to not make mistakes.
We're not making any kind of cultural stereotype, and I'm sorry you've taken it that way.
It's entertainment with a reality angle. This isn't what we're saying about all black guys.
Let's not get too bogged down with the politics of it, it's entertainment, with ups and
downs, bitter and sweet. These guys are just mates, and it could have been that one of the
guys was white.
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