When TheWrap first spoke to Lamorne Morris following his Emmy nomination for “Fargo,” the actor admitted he was still feeling shocked by the recognition.
“I feel very blessed to have this happen, but I’m still in a little bit in shock,” Morris said of his nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Anthology Series. Part of the reason for that surprise is that his role in “Fargo” is such a departure for an actor primarily known for his comedic work.
Though Morris said his role as state trooper Witt Farr was challenging both physically and vocally, his biggest challenge had to do with the overall shift this series required. “Honestly, the hardest part was temperature, meaning not that it’s cold there, but it was cold,” Morris said, alluding to the FX set in Calgary. “Temperature meaning tone and figuring out what exactly the director is trying to accomplish in certain scenes and moments when they cast you, someone who sometimes can be known as a very silly individual.”
Witt is certainly a departure for the actor who is best known for his roles in Fox’s “New Girl,” Hulu’s “Woke” and in the action-comedy “Game Night.” The character may be a cop like Winston Bishop, but he has a very different arc. Though he starts the season somewhat timid and overwhelmed, by its end, he gives everything to help the woman who saved his life, Dot Lyon (Juno Temple). As Sheriff Roy Tillman (Jon Hamm) represents the power-hungry dark side of the law, Witt and Indira Olmstead (Richa Moorjani) embody its more morally hopeful side.
“Fargo” has always had its comedic moments, but Morris’ character isn’t heavily relied upon as a source of levity. Instead, the limited series leans on his dramatic chops as he becomes one of the beating hearts of Year 5.
“When you get the call, you’re like, ‘I’m curious to see what about my past performances makes [Noah Hawley] feel like I could pull this character off,’” Morris explained. “As an actor, you want to push yourself, you want to continue to do new things and create new characters. You never know what’s going to happen with that character. The unknown of it all was also a difficult part.”
Though “Fargo” was a notable shift for the actor, Morris said that his dedicated “New Girl” fans were “excited” about his turn in the Emmy-winning show. Mostly, fans had fun joking about this being Morris’ second major role as a cop.
“Once they watched the show, they were pleasantly surprised, and a lot of them are going to continue down this journey. I’m super grateful to the fans, past and present,” he said.
Plus, now that Morris has proven he really can do both, he’s hoping to pursue more dramatic roles in the future.
“I mean, that’s the plan. That’s always something we talked about as a team is continuing to flex those muscles,” Morris said. “The dramatic stuff is definitely in my wheelhouse. It’s just that when you’re known for a particular television show or a movie or a thing, the opportunities don’t necessarily happen the way you think they should.”
“Fargo” Season 5 is available to stream on Hulu.
