Delroy Lindo explains the crucial role of musical arts in setting up his career trajectory

Delroy Lindo has shared how classic blues music helped him step fully into character for his latest role.

During a conversation with Deadline, the actor spoke about preparing to play musician Delta Slim and how immersing himself in the genre shaped his performance.

Delroy Lindo replied, "It was just trying to immerse myself in the musicians from the region, Delta blues, and I always reference Son House, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Ike Turner. And I know Ike Turner is controversial, but he was a brilliant musician and very, very knowledgeable about the traditions that the music comes from."

Beyond simply listening, Lindo said he explored documentaries and stories about the musicians who defined the sound.

"And so I would, in addition to listening to the music, I was watching documentaries. But as far as the music is concerned, yeah, it helped me to stay focused and connected. And with a musician like Sunhouse, really interesting because he was navigating throughout his life the relationship between the sacred and the profane. And that just resonated for me."

He added that learning about the artists' personal histories deepened his understanding of the role.

"And then when I would hear a musician like Howlin’ Wolf talk about… There was one, there’s the expression of the music, just the way Howlin’ Wolf sounds and the content of his music, but then he would talk about his relationship, for instance, with Muddy Waters. So all of that was just enlightening for me, and it really helped me stay grounded in the world that Ryan had created."

"And through the reverence that I have for those musicians, hopefully it could help me infuse, to use Mike’s word, infuse what I was feeling and how I was responding to the music into my own work as Delta."