Cover Story Dreaming Bigger Featured Film Interviews Women's Excellence Year In Review

Snowfall’s Angela Lewis Shares Her Journey In Acting, Rules For Success, And What To Expect In The Final Season Of The Show

May 27, 2022

Determined to be a movie star since the age of 3, Angela has cultivated a prosperous acting career that has landed her on the hit FX TV series Snowfall, available to stream on Hulu.

In Snowfall, Angela Lewis plays Aunt Louie Franklin, an astute character with a no-B.S. demeanor. She’s the wife of Jerome Franklin (Amin Joseph), who is the uncle of the main character Franklin Saint (Damson Idris), who is the biggest drug dealer in Los Angeles during the 1980s. As the show continues to shock over 4 million viewers, there is one more season to go that exemplifies Aunt Louie and Jerome stepping into a bigger spotlight.

We had the pleasure to photograph and speak with Angela Lewis about finding inspiration for acting, expectations while filming Snowfall, and words to live by.

Where are you from originally?

The Eastside of Detroit, MI.

What sparked your pursuit in acting?

3-year-old Angela wanted to be a movie star. I think that spark was fed by being in church and school plays/musicals, and dance class with annual recitals… being encouraged by my parents to follow my interests, which led to following my dreams, going to see the big musicals when they came to town at the Fox and the Masonic Temple, watching old movies with actors and actresses who looked like me like Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, Eartha Kitt, Diana Ross, and Diahann Carroll to name a few, and then just the totality of being loved, supported, and free to be who I was instinctually. I’m a belter, and no one ever told me to shut up. I dance in the grocery store, and no one ever told me to sit down. I would randomly give you a show, and no one ever told me to stop that. People would just pay attention and clap at the end. It’s a large part of who I am.

Top & Pants: Curated from Arcade Shops / Blazer: @rosamenbado from Wear the Future Showroom / Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

How was the process of landing the role of Aunt Louie in Snowfall?

Haha, I get this question a lot. People assume I got a hook-up of some sort. That, to me, is hilarious. I auditioned just like everyone else! Twice, in fact. The first time I auditioned, I didn’t get the part. Then, a year later, almost to the date, I got the same audition scene, and I, hesitantly, tried again. This time though, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, I was in a different space. I was also planning an international trip, so I wasn’t attached to any outcome. The day of my call back and chemistry read with Amin, was my birthday. So, I was loose and free and happy and ready to play and then get on out of there and go on with my life – celebrate Me! I think all of those things had an impact on the outcome.

What was one thing you did that exceeded your expectations when you started filming with Snowfall?

I didn’t know what to expect, honestly. I just remember gaining the ownership of a moment…of a space. Before then, I was always a costar or a guest star. As such, you come in, keep your head down, do your part, and try not to get in the way. For the first time, this was my playground, and these were my playmates! I remember realizing, “Oh, they want me, need me, to ask my questions, because if I’m not clear, the scene will go sideways!” That realization that I belong, that I was important to this thing, was very powerful.

It’s safe to say we’re on the edge of our seats in nearly every episode of Snowfall. What can we expect in the next and final season?

More of the same but times a thousand! No one is safe. We’ve been told since the beginning that things are not going to end happily. So, our final season is going to be wild. Lean into your emotions! Listen for the messages of truth. Ground yourself in the subtext. Enjoy the ride!!

How do you prefer receiving feedback?

Yea, a lot of people are into brutal honesty. I am not. You don’t have to kiss my a$$ (in fact I prefer that you don’t), but I don’t need people in my life who feel like they have to tear me down to get a message across. Give me real honesty, and let it come from a place of love. Love will inform your delivery. I prefer loving honesty.

What does success mean to you? What are your rules for success?

I find success in a lot of ways. Among them are: When I am prepared for the opportunity in front of me; When I am able to respond to/in a situation instead of reacting; When I dig deep and say no; When I move through fear and say yes; When I can feel myself in the flow; When I catch myself spiraling down a hole of negative thoughts, and I pull myself out and into reality; When I allow myself an unexpected moment with my daughter in the middle of a busy day; When I do something kind for someone, no strings attached; When my husband walks away from me looking like he knows he’s loved; When I take a deep breath, ground myself, and expand my awareness before entering into a space (especially a space where the stakes are high).

The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, what/who inspires you the most?

My daughter inspires me the most. I watch her and I want to be my best self so she can have an example of what it is to be aware, open, and loving, with healthy boundaries, and learn how to bounce back from mistakes, protect her joy, and not just survive, but thrive! She is a reminder to be more present and available to all the wonderfulness that is unfolding right in front of me. She reminds me to play, and that we, as a unit, are best friends, so we don’t fight. She is a reminder to communicate. She is a reminder to dig deeper. She inspires me to be fully me so that she can be fully her.

What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I’m super clumsy. I’ve twisted my ankles a million times. I walk better in heels than I do in flip-flops! My guess is because in heels, you have to be so much more aware of where and how you step. In flip flops, who cares, and Bam! Rolled ankle! I know. I’m a work in progress!! Lol

What is your favorite motto, quote, or words to live by?