Exclusive: Omar Miller Talks ‘The Unicorn’ Season 2

Premiering tonight on CBS is Season 2 of the comedy series ‘The Unicorn,’ starring Walton Goggins, Rob Corddry, Omar Miller, Ruby Jay, Michaela Watkins, Maya Lynne Robinson, and Mackenzie Moss.

THE UNICORN is a single-camera comedy about a tight-knit group of best friends and family who help Wade (Walton Goggins) embrace his “new normal” in the wake of the loss of his wife. As a sometimes ill-equipped but always devoted single parent to his two adolescent daughters, he is taking the major step of dating again. To Wade’s amazement, he’s a hot commodity with women, and his friends explain that he’s the perfect single guy – a “unicorn”: employed, attractive, and with a proven track record of commitment. With his daughters and best friends rooting him on and hoping he’ll find happiness again, Wade and his healing heart are ready to try life… and love… again.

For Miller, who recently starred on HBO’s “Ballers” with Dwayne Johnson, the California native always seems to land work on the big and small screen for 20 years. He also voices Raphael in Nickelodeon’s Emmy-nominated “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” In addition to Phillip Noyce’s upcoming thriller “Above Suspicion,” he has also appeared in the likes of “8 Mile,” “Shall We Dance,” and “Transformers.” He’s the creator and host of the audio/video sports-oriented podcast, O-ZONE - Oznpod.com.  

BlackFilmandTV.com caught up with Miller as he talked about his character Ben in The Unicorn, what to expect in the second season and the secret to staying employed in this business for 20 years.

For those who haven't seen his show, let's let's go back a bit. How did this role come about for you?

Omar Miller: I was trying to figure out what I was going to do when it looked like Ballers was coming to an end. This came across my desk with the lead being a really good friend of mine that I worked with Spike Lee's war epic Miracle At St. Anna and I spoke with him about it. He said he was doing this show, and was trying to make some noise on network television to do something different than what you've seen on TV. I took a look at it and I said, "I'm with you." It's a story about a man that's picking up the pieces of his life after losing his wife. He now has to raise two teenage daughters alone. Then we choose our friend circles. This show was about putting those pieces together and how it takes a village not only to raise children, but sane adults as well.

Now, in between the time that we shot the first season, and now COVID-19 happened, a quarter million Americans have lost their lives. Thus, the exponential amount of loved ones and whatnot, that are dealing with grief and loss as well. The show now has even an extra relevance and importance in society if you ask me. We deal with that grief, and loss and recovery with comedy. So far, so good. It seems like it's really catching on, people really enjoy it. You can catch up with season one on Netflix. That seems to really broaden our base. I'm really pumped up about season two because what we've been doing so far is a lot of fun.

What's the role you play and how has your character grown from season one to season two?

Omar Miller: I play Ben and the best friend of Wade, who is the Unicorn What's happened between Season One and Season Two for Ben, is really interesting, because he's actually begun to do better at his work. And so trying to juggle success, the version of his middle class success that he has, with his family, has come with certain prices to pay on things that he misses or things that he's trying to bring his wife along with. And we actually just got done shooting a fun episode about Ben and we working together, where we explore the dynamic of working with your friends, and how that isn't always a good thing. I think character wise, Ben is moving more and more into middle age, where he's taking care of his four kids and his wife and exploring more and more of what life is about.

From CSI Miami, to Ballers and now this show, with other projects in between, what’s the secret to staying in the game?

Omar Miller: It's about relevancy and staying power. As the artists, you making conscious choices on what it is that you're willing to affiliate yourself with. I've been really blessed over the last two decades, to be in projects that people care about, and that are made with and by high quality professionals. What happens in that is when you work with people that are successful, and they like you and you like them, those people get more opportunities, which which usually leads to more opportunities for you. There's a success circle set that seems to take place that I've been able to get swept up into and I'm riding that wave. There’s a lot of talented people who don't get to work a lot, some of which is by their own doing by being difficult and others by just by happenstance or that kind of cookie crumbles. So for me, I wear my knees out thanking God for these opportunities, because like you said, I have been working steady for almost two decades now. It's a real honor to be able to represent in film and television for this amount of time.

How's working with this cast? I know Rob Corddry is coming over from Ballers as well. Was it a situation where you said, “They’re hiring. Come on over?”

Omar Miller: It was the other way around, to be honest. He got on first and told me they're hiring. Since since Walton and I knew each other, and Rob and I knew each other, there was a much shorter learning curve when it came to what we needed to do. As far as the cast, it was just a matter of setting a rhythm, and finding the tone of the show. If you watch the show, our tone is very unique in comparison to what else is on TV. In that we're in a really good spot. It's a fun show. But we hit serious dramatic notes at times, but primarily, we keep it light. You should usually walk away from the end of the episode of The Unicorn feeling good, feeling light, and wanting more. And also having some introspection about life and society and what it all means.

What goes into the projects you say yes to?

Omar Miller: When it comes to making a decision, for me, it has to do with what it is that I'm representing. If my face is on the project, I have a contract with the audience that I've built over 20 years that they can count on me for a certain level of quality. If I don't feel like the project is going to rise to that level, I won't be part of it. That's a big piece of it, the relevancy and the currency of the project. The representation of what it is that we're trying to say. As artists, those things really factor in because I like sleeping well at night, and I'd like my work to contribute to that, as opposed to making me feel like I went out.

You’ve got an episode coming up with you’re at the center of it. How does that make you feel, when you’re on most pages of the script?

Omar Miller: I think it all is a responsibility. So if the writers and the producers trust me to be the center of the storyline, I'm going to do my very best to be prepared and to deliver. That all happens at lab. I have to study and research and come up with different angles on how to portray the message, then when I get to set I can play, I can have a good time. The Unicorn is dynamic in the sense that we have so much talent in the cast. We have an embarrassment of riches, if you will. So that whoever is the center of the story can carry the story. When it's your turn, you step up and you fill in. They do a good job of spreading it around. Every season so far, there's been at least a couple episodes where each character is the center of the story. Last season for me, it was when there was an episode called ‘Three Men Out' when we were at the bar. It's about a middle aged man wondering if he still has it. He has to go through some soul searching to recognize that what he does have he wants to keep it on. That was last season and one of my favorite episodes. This season, there's a story that says I'm at the center of the episode where we're dealing with the climate of race, equality and social justice that's happening all over the world right now. So that's a great deal of responsibility and I take it as such.

What advice do you tell actors on how to get into the game and how to stay in the game?

Omar Miller: What's different between now and 2020 is when I started, as far as film and television goes, you have the power now to create your own project. I tell people all the time is to make stuff. Back then, when I was getting started, the goal was was to get Hollywood to notice you, and to get accepted. If I was getting started now, the goal would be to make my own stuff that I think is dope. Then Hollywood will find you. They're looking for your voice. Look at the situation like Issa Rae. She made her own thing on YouTube. Next thing you know, she's got a big deal. Overall, producing, writing. This is the new world. It actually empowers the artists, so don't be afraid, be persistent but you always got to work. Even if that work is not being paid for right now, eventually, when it breaks, they're going to pay you backpay for all that work that you put in for free. That's how it goes. As long as you can keep your head down and keep your nose to the grindstone. it'll pay off.