Richard Nevels Talks Fatherhood, Insecure, Hallelujah, and an Upcoming Project

Richard Nevels is no stranger to the film industry. As a child, he developed a passion for entertainment, but to escape the street life of South Central, LA – that tends to be predestined for young black men, Nevels joined the United States Navy. After leaving the military, he set out to follow his dreams – despite anyone else’s doubts. In a recent interview, we discussed his journey to stardom, his roles in Insecure, Hallelujah, and his upcoming project.

KH: First and foremost, tell me a bit about yourself?

Richard: I’m from South Central LA, born and raised. I went to the military to escape, you know, the street life. Once I left the military in 2009, I did some contract work overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq. From there, I came back and jumped off into the film and TV industry.

KH: Many may not know that you enlisted in the Navy — what led you to transition into acting?

Richard: It was always something that I wanted to do. As a kid, I was always mesmerized by film and television. I thought to myself; I can do this one day. Coming from the military, of course, a lot of people thought it’s crazy and said there’s no way you’re going to go and become an actor. Of course, a lot of people thought that it was insane, but like I said, I saw the actors that I’d looked up to, and I knew their humble beginnings. I knew where a lot of them came from, and I said, why not me?

KH: You grew up with a love of film and television — were there any titles or actors that deeply influenced you?

Richard: Jamie Foxx was a huge influence. Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Laurence Fishburne, Forest Whitaker, Denzel. Even Leonardo DiCaprio, believe it or not.

KH: Starting on social media and gaining viral success and Hollywood recognition. What do you feel contributed most to your success?

Richard: Relatability. I always try to incorporate relatable aspects within my content. When people can relate to it, they’re more prone to share it. Another huge part was All Def Digital, who helped me launch my social media platform. Recognition from Kendrick Lamar led to All Def getting wind of me, which led to even more success.

KH: You landed a role in HBO’s, Insecure as Curtis Carter, a.k.a. Molly’s little brother! The show had such a significant impact and contributed to black culture. What was it like being a part of arguably one of the best shows of its time?

Richard: First, shout out to the entire cast and crew. It’s been such a blessing. It is a part of black culture—but not just black culture. I’ve been talking to people of many different backgrounds, and they just appreciate the show. I think it normalized, being normal.

It catered to the everyday millennials without the gun violence, drugs, and police corruption. Some of us are just living normal lives, and I think Insecure was great at capturing those moments. I think it will be a forever beloved series for years to come like Martin.

KH: Since wrapping the show, have you been able to keep in contact with any of the cast members?

Richard: Of course, of course. I keep in contact with many of the cast and crew. They’re like my extended family. As I said, I was extremely blessed to be on the show, not for what it has done for my career. I’m as thankful, if not more, for the people it brought into my life. Those are some real genuine, good people, and I’m just thankful.

KH: Is there anything specifically that you learned or were able to experience while on the set of Insecure that you will take with you throughout the rest of your career?

Richard: Yeah. Originality. I think what Insecure empowered many of us who were able to be a part of that amazing cast was that we can go into the room and be ourselves. You know, we can say this is me. This is what you get, and you may or may not like it, but I’m okay with giving you me.

KH: You recently starred in the short film, Hallelujah, which made its debut in early 2022 at the Sundance Film Festival. It has since received great reviews and even won an award at The Riverrun International Film Festival. What drew you into participating in this project in particular?

Richard: So, a good friend of mine put me on to this amazing writer/director, Victor Gabriel. He [Richard’s friend] was saying, “Vic has this amazing script. It’s a short feature.” I had to audition. I appreciate him making me audition because that shows that he’s seeking the best possible role for this. So I went ahead to audition, and they brought me on. I got to work with a great producer, a great brother, Duran Jones. My castmate was Bruce Lemon, another phenomenal actor. Bruce Lemon he’s one to watch for

It was Bruce, from Watts. Me, being from LA. Victor, from Compton. I said, this is some homegrown cooking right here and I want to be one of the chefs in the kitchen! So, we got on board and the success it had just amazed us. We knew it was good, but we didn’t know it was this good.

KH: What can you tell us about the message behind the short film?

Richard: Victor likes to call it a “traumedy.” It shows the trauma within the black communities based in Compton. It shows that there may be bad times. In everyone’s lives, there are bad times, but there are also good times and humor. There’s love; there’s compassion, there’s empathy.

KH: Are there any current projects that you’re working on?

Richard: Yes. I am in the up-and-coming reboot of White Men Can’t Jump, which will be a Hulu Original. As far as when fans can expect to see it –as soon as they put out an announcement, I will be sure to spread the word.

KH: Do you have any closing remarks for our readers?

Richard: Be kind, spread love, and live life to the best of your ability; we’re all out here trying.