RICKY WHITTLE: ECLIPSING THE NEGATIVES [IN PRINT]

INTERVIEW BY IRVIN RIVERA

WORDS BY CLARA SEELY-KATZ

One constant thing that we usually take for granted is choice. From the moment we wake up to the moment we hit the sack, we make choices. Do I go to work? Do I make coffee? Do I workout? Do I respond to that one email? Do I walk my dog? Do I reach out to my mom? Each second presents a myriad of choices in front of us. Our choices shape us as much as it affects the universe around us. We all have to make choices to move forward and function but sometimes, the most obvious choices are the hardest to make. Choosing to be genuinely kind and positive requires your conscious effort to act on your choice.

PHOTOGRAPHER: IRVIN RIVERA, FASHION STYLING: ERIC OWES, GROOMING: CAMILLE ARIANE @ EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS USING CAMILLE ARIANE BROWS, GRAPHICS DESIGNER: PHIL LIMPRASERTWONG, PHOTO PRODUCER: LOUISE BARRETTO

Ricky Whittle, the leading man of American Gods, and the star of this Collector’s Issue is proof that you could choose to do good and leave a positive influence in the world if you want to. After the Starz cancellation of American Gods, Ricky chose hope. Like most fans of the book and the show, he’s positive that the story will continue to live somewhere. Gods don’t die unless they’re forgotten.

Using the right word is a choice. Doing what is morally right is a choice. Consciously exerting the effort to use your social media channels and influence your audience positively is a choice. Uplifting strangers by sending them positive messages is a choice.

Throughout the pandemic and beyond, Ricky has been entertaining and spreading positivity through his social media channels. Obviously his fans love him for it. A simple message like wishing someone a good day makes a huge difference. Ricky’s positive demeanor just emanates out of him in person. It’s the complete opposite of his brooding, intimidating Shadow Moon character from American Gods. He possesses this infectious energy that makes everyone on set laugh. He laughs a lot, dances, and makes everyone comfortable, which is quite rare for most celebrities. Right off the bat, you can just tell that he is a genuinely, nice person.

In this issue we explore the theme of choices. As you read through Ricky Whittle’s interview, you’ll see how we could also read through ourselves. What choices did I make today that made a difference? Did I make someone’s day better or worse? Would you choose to spread love today or go online and spread hate? These conversations remind me a lot of the book “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson on making daily choices that gives you that slight edge in life.

For the most part, making a choice is not that complicated but we usually make it more complex than what it is. We hope Ricky’s story and positivity inspires you. The world needs more people who consciously choose to do the right thing

Ricky, how was 2020 for you? How were we able to cope during that crazy period?

I was one of the few that were fortunate enough to be able to quarantine. I believed the best way forward for me was not to be a part of the problem. I was able to stay home, obviously big love to all the frontline workers, nurses, and doctors who had to go through so much. I feel that Corona was a massive shadow in 2020, and many people thought it wasn't real unless it was personal. That's society. Unless it personally happens to you, you don't believe it exists. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of people. So, as I said, I took it very seriously. I stayed at home. But I wanted to come out better than I went in, so while I was in quarantine, I maintained my training so that physically and mentally, I was focused on something. I'd keep working out every day, I took up Spanish, I was painting, I bought a keyboard, I was learning piano, and I was learning sign language as well. I picked up many different skills that I wanted to learn and never had the time constantly. If there was anything that Corona and the pandemic gave me was, it was time.

You know, it’s something that we take for granted in the world of technology, texts, and tweets; we forgot about the importance of human connection. Now we live in a world where you can't hug your friends and kiss each other on the cheek and just shake a stranger's hand, and because of this, I reach out to my friends and family more. I am looking forward to in-person conversations and just seeing people a lot more.

I love that you were able to use your time, and it's inspiring to others. People also see your positivity because you've been posting a lot of positive messages on social media.

I'm always positive. Yes.

Let's dive a little bit into American Gods, right? How do you think your character Shadow Moon's development was throughout all the seasons of the show?

Starz struggled with the budget this year, and I understand that many shows struggled to continue during the pandemic, and American Gods is possibly one of the most expensive shows on TV. But we're excited and passionate about it. Neil Gaiman, Charles Eglee, myself, and Fremantle are excited to kind of finish the book. And so, for me, the end is when you are going to finally see the Shadow that I've been planning for the last five years, which I'm excited about because I've read the book [Neil Gaiman’s 2001 novel of the same name].  

So there's a journey for Shadow Moon, but I couldn't just give you the full character that will be appearing in a season four or a final movie, whatever we decide to, whatever direction we decide to go. I had to break that character down and star in season one, with a Shadow that was broken and vulnerable and empty, because he just lost everything in his world that he held dear. His wife, his best friend, he had no one else, no father, no friends. And so it's been fun building that character. In season two, he wanted answers, and none of the gods would give him answers, so the frustration built. Then in season three, he turned his back on all the gods because he realized that he did have a father, his father was Odin, and he could have helped him at any time.

Shadow didn't have a good life, he had a terrible life, full of loss, but he eventually found love and happiness and friends; Shadow started to evolve and develop. Later, with the passing of his father, he finally moves into the destiny that he's been pushing against for so long. He realizes his power and place in this puzzle. We will finally see him, Shadow, become a complete superhero soon. Shadow will become full Avenger. Like Superman, just learning to fly and it's getting exciting. So hopefully, we get to finish the story sooner than later.