Lamorne Morris Opens Up About His Experience as the Only Black Character on New Girl

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Actor Lamorne Morris, best known for his role as Winston Bishop on New Girl, recently reflected on the challenges of being the only Black lead on the hit series for most of its run, during an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Morris, who portrays Saturday Night Live’s first Black cast member, Garrett Morris, in the upcoming biopic Saturday Night, shared that his personal experiences strongly resonate with those of his on-screen counterpart.

“Garrett being a fish out of water, I definitely felt that in my early years on New Girl,” said Morris. “I was the only Black character, and for a while, it felt like they didn’t know what to do with my character. You start thinking, ‘What the hell, man? He ain’t got no job—is that the storyline now?’ It’s hard not to take it personally.”

Morris’ character Winston Bishop was added to the cast after the pilot when Damon Wayans Jr., who originally played Coach, had to return to his previous show. The actor admitted that he initially struggled to find his place on New Girl, but looking back, he recognizes the difficulty of developing characters in a TV series.

“I had moments where I thought I might get fired,” Morris revealed. “But the writers stuck with me, and I’m grateful for that. Now I can see it wasn’t personal—it’s just not easy to figure out a character’s direction in the beginning.”

Morris also touched on his experience working on other projects where he was often the only Black person on set, both in front of and behind the camera. “Sometimes you’re the only Black person on the entire set—no Black crew members either—and it makes you wonder, ‘What age are we living in?'” he shared.

His portrayal of Garrett Morris in Saturday Night gave him an opportunity to explore these themes further. The film, directed by Jason Reitman, focuses on Garrett’s struggles as the only Black cast member on a predominantly white show. Morris found many parallels between his own experiences and those of Garrett, who faced racial isolation during his time on SNL.

To prepare for the role, Lamorne Morris had multiple conversations with the real Garrett Morris, despite the director’s advice to keep some distance. “Jason [Reitman] didn’t want us reaching out to the real actors, but I called Garrett anyway,” Morris admitted. “He’s lived an incredible life—protesting for civil rights, desegregating unions, all while being a classically trained performer. He told me, ‘Just play it honestly,’ and that’s what I tried to do.”

Morris’s portrayal of Garrett Morris is set to bring an emotional depth to the film, reflecting both humor and the profound challenges Garrett faced in the entertainment industry.

Saturday Night, with Lamorne Morris in the lead, is expected to premiere later this year, shedding light on the often-overlooked struggles of trailblazing Black performers in Hollywood.