Conversations with the Cast of ‘Hello Tomorrow!’

​The first three episodes of the brand-new Apple TV+ series, Hello Tomorrow! are available to stream right now, and to celebrate the show’s arrival… we sat down with cast members Billy Crudup (Jack), Nicholas Podany (Joey), Haneefah Wood (Shirley), and Dewshane Williams (Herb) to discuss their work on this fascinating new series!

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Billy Crudup & Nicholas Podany

John Betancourt: What was it that attracted you to this particular project? 
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Billy Crudup: Well, when I read it, there was something very familiar about the sale. And I think it was because it sounded like my dad's voice. He was constantly optimistic about some BS product that he was pitching. But you could, you could hear the authenticity in his soul that he was bringing to all of it. And what he was really after was giving people hope, giving people something to dream about giving something to excite you for the day. Because if we can all get a little of that each day, maybe that'll get us through life. And so that was one of the primary things that I think I was drawn to, in addition to which the actual script itself was filled with all this iconography. And so much of the things that eventually made their way to fruition, were these like robots, and these little gadgets that they had, and they had them in the script. And I'd never seen a script that that was doing as much as it was to give you the entire world.

Nicholas Podany: I think, you know, when I got the role, and you know, I'd been auditioning for a while and there was definitely the sense that this was such an amazing world to inhabit. But what struck me so much about, you know, as we continued filming the season, and you know, the first four episodes and then you know, carrying on… is that you are bombarded by this world and all of the gadgets you can own, and buy, and all this stuff, that the commercialism… and then every now and then there are just these little slices of moments where it just hits you so hard as to what life is. The… the dullness, the emptiness, the yearning for purpose. And, and the writing that Amit and Lucas have concocted especially in a 50s kind of way with all these little idioms and catchy phrases. But sometimes it just hits… so… gut deep.

Billy Crudup: Yearning for purpose. That's a that's a fantastic phrase for so many of the feelings that these characters are managing.

John Betancourt: What would you say these characters are searching for in this show?

Nicholas Podany: I think Joey, when we first meet him, he is almost content, he has pushed aside the idea that, that there's more outside of, you know, the small-town suburbia he's living in, and he's living to support his mom. And he has a pretty clear sense of what's right and what's wrong, just in time for Jack to tell him that it's okay to dream. And that, in fact, it's encouraged, and you can change people's lives with dreams. And through all of that, while, finding this massive sense of purpose. I think it's so fascinating that in that journey of finding something that really could fulfill his life, he finds out how unfulfilling it is and how the only thing he wants is, you know, a dad, and we'll see how that goes. (Laughs)

Billy Crudup: It's a fascinating notion, that being content in your life as Americans, we somehow equate with giving up that… what… what a crazy mistake that is, like, if I if somebody said to me, are you content? I would sit back and say, yes, if I was satisfied if it was a glorious moment, you know, like, if there was a moment of respite from the chaos of life, yes, a moment of content should be joyous, something to be celebrated. And in fact, what we do is we think, “Oh, that means you're sitting on your laurels,” that means you're not going after, you're not hungry for life and the way that Americans are meant to be hungry for life, hungry, to change the world hungry, hungry to invent dreams for people to believe in. And so, I think with that kind of messaging, you can sometimes get lost. Because… life rarely lives up to its expectations. Except with this program! Except with Hello Tomorrow!

John Betancourt: I will agree with that! Wholeheartedly. Gentlemen, what are you both most proud of when it comes to your time on this show?

Billy Crudup: The authenticity of the creative collaborators, everybody put an earnest game, hardworking professional effort into every stitch of clothing, into every piece of fabric, into every feeling, and I just have enormous gratitude for the people that can stitch with components that that went to into creating this show.

Nicholas Podany: I'm really proud… that I did it! (Laughter from everyone) I did 10 episodes of a TV show. And that's very cool for me, because that's the first time I can say that. So yeah, I'm proud of that. And I think it's one that's gonna stick with people. If you stick with it. It'll stick with you. I think that's nice.

John Betancourt: I like that. A lot.

Billy Crudup: I like that a lot, too. “You stick with it. It will stick with you.” That’s the truth. That’s what happened to me watching it.

John Betancourt: There you go. There’s your slogan, put it on the poster.

Billy Crudup: That’s the one!

Nicholas Podany: Fifteen percent. (Laughter from everyone)

Haneefah Wood & Dewshane Williams

John Betancourt: Let’s talk a little bit about what was it that attracted you to this particular project? 
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Haneefah Wood: What attracted me to this project is that it's pretty kick ass. And it's a cool concept that I have not seen on television. And I think that the writing is spectacular. Our creators, Amit Bahlia and Lucas Jansen, what they have weaved together in a story with all these characters is pretty awesome. So that's what drew me and I, I think also the fact that it's a retro futuristic that we're back in the 50s. And it's kind of Jetson-like with the hover cars and the jetpacks and stuff like that, and the robots. I think that's wicked.

Dewshane Williams: Yeah, that's the same way I feel. I mean, when you as an actor, when you recognize that you have good writing on the page, it gives you a certain level of comfort, knowing that if you trust the writing, that, like everything will be there, everything will be on the page. So, it was relatively easy to step into this world, because so much was planned and thought out by the creators of the show.

Haneefah Wood: Who wouldn’t want to be in it?

John Betancourt: That’s very fair, it’s pretty awesome. Now, something I’m very curious about, is what everyone is searching for in this show since everyone seems so lost. What would you say your characters are searching for in this tale?

Dewshane Williams: Good question. I feel like he's searching for what it takes to become the best version of himself. Now at this stage, like, his family's priority, and also his work is priority, because then he could help provide for his family.

Haneefah Wood: I think Shirley is searching for a reason to exist. I think that her life has been so mundane prior to coming on board with Jack and helping to grow this business. And I think it gives her purpose. And then also, she gets introduced to her lover, Eddie, and that turns things around for her as well. So, she's feeling, feelings, that she hasn't felt in many, many years, which then in turn makes her feel alive again.

John Betancourt: Now this is a story that offers up such a unique perspective regarding hope. What do you audiences take away from this show’s thoughts on hope?

Haneefah Wood: As far as the message of hope, I think I want people to you know, that saying, like, “dare to dream?” Like, why not? Because some dreams become a reality. And why not this one? Why not the reality of living on the moon, right? So, dare to dream, dare to hope that things will be better than what they are for you right now in this space. So, I think it's super poignant. And I think that we do it all the time, right, whether or not we get that dream, I think there's something satisfying and exciting about dreaming by itself, because there's a possibility, or there's no possibility. It's kind of like… HMM… life is... HMM. But where there's possibility is like, maybe it might be a little juicy somewhere, you know?

Dewshane Williams: I hope that the audience gets to take away that, you know, the future is created by people who plan for it. And usually, they're the dreamers because they have to see something that's not there. So, hopefully, not only like the characters and the storylines inspire this hope in the audience, but like, who would have thought that I'd be in this position? You know, I'll tell you how, I dreamed. I hoped. I worked on it. I was dreaming. I wouldn't have known at 18 or like 17-year-old kid in art school. Exactly. That would be this project, but I was dreaming of a day when I could use my talents in a way that could challenge me. And that I could be working with like incredible actors and producers and just like having a great team around. That's what this is. I think that's a testament to what could happen if you dream and you kind of lean into it a bit.

John Betancourt: Yeah. Manifesting. I like that. Now, I want to back up just a little bit and go back to something Haneefah mentioned about the majesty of this world. Because, I’m curious, as an actor, what it was like to step into this incredible world.

Dewshane Williams: When I was younger, I played Harold Hill, in The Music Man. And the characters were similar in the sense that, you know, Harold Hill was selling. And Herb Porter is also selling. When I was reading the script, I was just so in awe of the writing, you can tell when you've seen enough scripts as an actor, you can tell when the writing hops off the page, and you can see what the writers are trying to convey very vividly. So, I just leaned into that. And I called my acting coach, and I said, “Okay, we got another one. Let's see what we can do with it.” And then I got the call back. And then I got to, like, meet Billy, and my acting coach is a fan of Billy. So, I'm like, “I gotta do this. I got to do this. I gotta make sure. I don't let down, Louis,” you know?

Haneefah Wood: Well, I think my favorite part is when I watched the show, then I was able to see all of the gadgets, all of the smoke and mirrors that we were doing, because when I'm on set, and there's the given circumstances, I just take it all in as it's real. And I'm in the moment. So, I'm not really pulled by any of that stuff. But watching it on TV, it was pretty spectacular. To see all the things that were going on behind me, right? While we were acting, there was a lot going on, or the fact that those hover cars were just regular cars that all of a sudden, while watching it, they're flying. So, I think it was the watching of it that was so spectacular for me, as opposed to being on set with it. Because I was just in the moment and really believe that this is what life was.

John Betancourt: Last question I have for you today. What are you each most proud of when it comes to your work on this show?

Haneefah Wood: I don't know. I feel like I'm gonna get emotional if I… what I'm most proud of because I am going to get emotional… is that I felt completely valued by this whole team of people. And I felt like I stepped up in a certain way that I haven't done in my career. And I had a lot of freakin’ fun with these people. And they really do feel like my family. Apple did a great job putting this together, and our creators on, Amit, and Lucas, they're like my brothers. Like, they don't feel like my bosses, they feel like my brothers and to experience something where you feel so high value. It's like nothing like it, especially in this world that we're working in. So, I'm just really grateful. I'm really grateful to this show.

Dewshane Williams: Aren’t you glad you kept dreaming?

Haneefah Wood: Oh my gosh, he’s so annoying. (Laughter from all.)

John Betancourt: Hammer it home. I love it.
Dewshane Williams: Um, people, it's always about people. And whenever you get the opportunity to work with people who care about what they're doing. There's something about it. It's just like magic almost in space… and Apple, and our creators were able to just give us everything that we needed. I just felt like Haneefah was saying like, I felt valued. I felt like I felt like “Okay, I'll give you I'll give you 108% Yeah. Just because you care.” Yeah. Yeah, that was beautiful for me.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.