Watch: André Benjamin on What Led Him to AMC’s Trippy Dispatches from Elsewhere

By Allison Keene  |  February 14, 2020 | 12:00pm
Photo Courtesy of AMC
Music Features Dispatches from Elsewhere
Watch: André Benjamin on What Led Him to AMC’s Trippy Dispatches from Elsewhere

In AMC’s upcoming anthology series Dispatches from Elsewhere, André Benjamin (a.k.a. Outkast’s Andre3000) stars as Fredwynn, one of four lead characters seeking to uncover a twisty existential mystery. Jason Segel, who created the series and also stars in it, admits “I just wanted to spend time with André so … I got what I wanted!” Because who wouldn’t want that? (When I was at the most recent TCA press tour, I both saw and heard Benjamin playing a sound therapy flute, and it was indeed magical).

In our exclusive video below, Benjamin details his character in the series, who is described as a “game-player,” one who is into conspiracy theories and who, according to Segel, represents blind ambition. Benjamin notes, “he cannot rest until he gets to the bottom of [this mystery],” but Fredwynn doesn’t yet know how far this one goes—and it may, in fact, be infinite.

The series, however, is not; even though it is set up like a puzzlebox, its anthology format means that it will be telling a complete story in its inaugural season. And that is something that should make any overwhelmed Peak TV viewer happy. (Plus, just look at this stellar cast!)

Below, Benjamin talks about both the intensity of the role and the curiosity that led him to it:

Dispatches From Elsewhere will debut with a two-night premiere event on Sunday, March 1 and Monday, March 2 on AMC.

Created by and starring Jason Segel, AMC’s upcoming original anthology series also stars Academy® and Emmy® Award-winner Sally Field, Academy® Award-nominee Richard E. Grant, multi-Grammy® Award-winner André Benjamin and rising star Eve Lindley.

The ten-hour series is centered around four ordinary people who feel there’s something missing in their lives, but they can’t quite put their finger on what it is. This diverse foursome is brought together by chance – or perhaps it’s by design – when they stumble onto a puzzle hiding just behind the veil of everyday life. As they begin to accept the mysterious ‘Dispatches from Elsewhere’ challenges, they come to find that the mystery winds deeper than they imagined, and their eyes are opened to a world of possibility and magic.

The AMC Studios production is executive produced by Segel, Scott Rudin, showrunner Mark Friedman, Garrett Basch, Eli Bush, Jeff Freilich and Alethea Jones.

Allison Keene is the TV Editor of Paste Magazine. For more television talk, pop culture chat and general japery, you can follow her @keeneTV

For all the latest TV news, reviews, lists and features, follow @Paste_TV.

 
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