Miles Brown talks BLACK-ISH, dancing, and joining the NBA

MILES BROWNIt’s no surprise to anyone that’s talked to me this season that ABC’s BLACK-ISH has been a stand out comedy – I love everything about it, from top to bottom, including how well the family works together and how insanely funny the family’s four kids are.  I had the chance to talk with one of those Johnsons, Miles Brown, about what comes next on the show (can’t say much more than “laughter”), what comes next for him, and what athletic aspirations he has!  Check it out!

What is it that you love the most about BLACK-ISH?
Oh wow, just getting to work with them is really cool, getting to work with all of the family.  Anthony, Tracee, Laurence, Marcus, Yara, Marsai – they’re all such great people to work with!

MARSAI MARTIN, MILES BROWNWhat I love about the family is that you all seem to really get along – is it like that when you’re not shooting as well?
Oh definitely!  On and off set, we all have become close. Me, Laurence, and Anthony will play catch with a football. And on set, we make jokes, having fun.  On camera, playing with the director and the producers and everybody.  Additionally, the kids, we traveled to DisneyWorld in Orlando. And that was just really fun.  We got to ride a lot of rides, and that was just awesome.

What can you tease for us about what we’ll see as the season continues?
Oh wow, I can’t tell you that!!  More laughs.  More laughs, definitely more laughs.  More dancing, hopefully, from Jack.  And seeing more family together!

Is it hard sometimes to get through scenes because everybody is so funny?
Oh yeah, it definitely is.  Anthony, he is like the improv king.  He’ll have whole scenes that are not even on the script and it’s so funny!  MILES BROWN, MARSAI MARTINI just laugh so hard, and I can’t even complete the scene, that’s how hard it is.  They’re just so funny, how they work. It’s not even work.  It’s just like we’re watching funny people.  They just make up the craziest jokes that you wouldn’t even expect sometimes; they’re so funny.

Do you have interest in improv – do you get to try your hand at that, too?
Sometimes, yes.  Sometimes!  Season 2, we’ll definitely get to improv more, and it will be funnier!  Just watch out!  Season 1 be there, but Season 2, watch out!

How much like Jack are you?
Me compared to Jack is really alike.  We love sports, we love to dance, and we both have the same nickname, Party Time, because me and Jack kinda know how to get the party started, and we get people to join in. And me and Jack are also very hyper!

Did you always want to be an actor or did it start with wanting to be more of a hip-hop artist, as I know you freestyle and compete with that?
I started dancing when I was 4 and then I started doing commercials, and then went into short films, and that led to guest stars on different TV episodes, which led up to BLACK-ISH.  I’ve been dancing for a while.

MILES BROWNWhy do you think BLACK-ISH is a show that people should be watching?
BLACK-ISH is a show you should watch because you can’t find many shows that are actually about a family. It’s an all-family show and every single person can watch it.  It’s also because it’s rare to see an all black family. And it’s funny!  Which is really cool, and it’s like any color.

Anyone I’ve talked to that has watched the show can relate to something, regardless of race, gender, you name it!
A lot of people tell me that “oh that’s what really happens in our family!”  The executive producer, Kenya Barris, and Anthony Anderson, the basic premise of BLACK-ISH is based on their lives, what happens to most people.  When they can say “oh that’s what really happens in my family” – it’s just really cool, to know that someone’s not just making up a story for BLACK-ISH because in a lot of ways, it’s what really happened.

What have fans said to you – do you get recognized now?
Yes! When I’m on social media, people comment like “oh the show is really good” and they inspire me because when they see the show, and stuff, how people relate and comment, and different things, they’re just saying really nice comments, and different questions and dancers always also say since I made it, do I still dance?  Which I still do, and people don’t call me what my dance name is, Baby Boogaloo, I go by that as my dance name, and people say like different things like, it’s actually cool that I still act and dance and hopefully I’ll get to do more, and anybody can do it!

YARA SHAHIDI, MARSAI MARTIN, MILES BROWN, MARCUS SCRIBNERDo you have favorite shows that you and your family watch together?
My family so far we have been watching a lot of sports, like basketball, we’ll watch the college championships.  We will watch cartoons, like SPONGE BOB.  I always like TOM & JERRY, just different cartoons, and that’s one of my favorite themes of shows, comedies, and we also like MODERN FAMILY.  That’s one of me and my dad’s favorite shows.  We just love comedy shows, and the cartoons on Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, and the shows on ABC!

Do you have anything else coming up besides BLACK-ISH that we can look forward to?
I did do a short film recently called TWO BELLMEN. Shout out to JW Marriott and Substance Over Hype! I’m also doing, with my TV twin sister, Marsai, an animated TV series on Disney, Jr. called Goldie & Bear! We play Jack & Jill which is really crazy because on BLACK-ISH I play Jack!  Every part I play is Jack!  Also, I want to do music with my dad, have a rap album!  Because my dad, he does rapping, and also I want to be a professional basketball player.  Play in college, and also, I want to go into the NBA!  So yeah!

I wish you nothing but success – I love the show, I love what you’re doing!
Thank you!  SEASON 2 HOPEFULLY SEASON 2!

BLACK-ISH airs Wednesday nights at 9:30/8:30c with all new episodes through the end of the season!