Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Tituss Burgess on His Netflix Alter Ego: 'I Couldn't Be Less Like That Man!'
Tituss Burgess made a splash on Broadway in The Little Mermaid and Guys and Dolls, but in the new Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, his character—the divine, attention-grabbing musical theater hopeful Titus Andromedon—isn’t as #blessed. The comedy follows the titular Kimmy (Ellie Kemper), who reinvents her life in New York after escaping from a doomsday cult. Burgess reunites with co-creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, following his turn on 30 Rock as D’Fwan. The Great White Way alum chatted with Broadway.com about his new role (which was created with him in mind), brushes with stardom and—of course—Pinot Noir.
After working with Tina and Robert on 30 Rock, how did your role on Kimmy come about?
I guess I had little to do with it and everything to do with it. The fact that Tina and Robert were even thinking about me in the interim blows my mind. But I was just as shocked as everyone else when she told me that she had written something with me in mind.
You and Titus share the same name (minus an "S") and there's even a Little Mermaid shoutout. Did you have a hand in creating him?
I’d like to say that it was a blank canvas and I went in and filled it with my brilliance, but that's just not true. Tina and Robert are some of the most thorough people I’ve ever met. Very little is improvised. Every subject and predicate has been thought through fervently. The only thing that I do is make him three-dimensional.
So where does Tituss Burgess end and Titus Andromedon begin?
I couldn’t be less like that man! I am such an introvert. I would much rather have you over to the house, cook you dinner and let’s sing. [Titus] seizes every opportunity to make it about himself. He manages to do it with charm, and I think that he can’t help himself. Which, in the weirdest way, is his most redeeming quality.
Be honest…is [guest star] James Monroe Iglehart your nemesis in real life?
He’s a good friend of mine! That’s ridiculous! [Laughs.]
You share the screen with so many other Broadway vets. Did that affect the vibe of working on this project?
Other than the love that we share, it was just like a reunion. You see someone you haven’t seen in a while, and often you won’t get to see them until you’re working together. It didn’t really alter the energy—it may have even enhanced it.
Have there been any memorable reactions that you’ve encountered from friends or fans?
I live in Harlem, and yesterday I was running to the 99-cent store to get some paper towels. I walk out of my door, and these two young men are sitting on my doorstep. I walk away, and one of them goes,“Do you know who that is? We were just talking about his show,” and I thought, This is so bizarre!
Kimmy has gotten insane buzz in a short period of time—why do you think people are so obsessed with it?
It’s for reals funny. But when Tina told me it was about a girl who was in a cult for fifteen years, it couldn’t get much darker than that! And it makes sense that people exist in a world where we tackle race and the plight of a gay man and how he deals with aging and his size and being polarized. That’s why Tina and Robert are so celebrated—they do things that everyone else wishes they could do or say and make it digestible and palatable.
I have a few questions I’d love to ask Titus Andromedon. What’s his musical theater dream role?
Titus definitely wants to play Effie in Dreamgirls. And he totally thinks it’s possible. [Laughs.]
Broadway crush?
Oh, that Ramin Karimloo dude from Les Miserables. He’s hot! That’s what Titus likes.
What should the next NBC live broadcast musical be?
Well, The Wiz is obviously a brilliant idea. But Titus Andromedon thinks it should be Sparkle.
Speaking of Sparkle, I know you [Burgess, not Andromedon] are working on a Whitney Houston-based musical…
I am! I cannot tell you what it is yet, but [Jersey Boys book writer] Rick Elice has agreed to write the book, so that’s exciting.
And finally, what’s Titus’ favorite wine?
Pinot Noir. Duh!