ATHLEISURE MAG #65 MAY 2021 | For the Community with Nick Sagar

This month, our cover story features Nick Sagar, we chat about his career with the premiere of his show Run the World on STARZ which airs this month. We talk about how he got into the industry and a number of his creative talents from martial arts, breakdancing and soccer. He also shares how he approaches his craft and picks projects that allow him to showcase his varied abilities. We also talk about the power of family and how it not only cultivates him but allows him to stay grounded. In addition, we talk about the importance of giving back and using your platform to help those that were key to his success.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve been a fan of a number of the shows that you have been in over the years and we’ve been waiting for months for STARZ’s Run the World to premiere this month. Before we get into your career, in prep for this interview, we saw that you grew up as a breakdancer and that you also loved playing soccer which is quite interesting especially since that really hits the ethos of our intersectionality! What do you love about these creative outlets and do you still enjoy doing them?

NICK SAGAR: You know what? Growing up, my parents were very keen on being focused to push us to try whatever sports that we showed an interest in. They would support us and growing up in London, naturally, soccer – or football as we call it, was a natural thing. Me and my brother, we were just obsessed with it. It would be all day everyday. If we couldn’t play in the garden, we would ball up socks in the house and we used to drive my mom mad! But it was just that we slept, ate and drank, football! Dad used to play so it was easily passed down and we did that! I mean, probably my first 16 years of my life – I got up to playing semi-professional, but as you get a bit older, sometimes the motivation moves you and I wanted to try something different. And that’s what segued into breakdancing. But what I loved about both of them was that soccer had the team aspect as well as being able to improve on your individual skills, it was a team sport. You got to be able to be with your friends and every game was different. You know, I was thinking about it earlier – playing that sport, you’re forced to be present. Whatever was going on outside of that becomes irrelevant when you start playing and training. Being present and in the moment is really that gift of life. Not worrying about the past or the future, I think that bundled with all that stuff, I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much. And breakdancing came because my older brother is 10 years older than me and he would show me stuff! Sometimes it was stuff I wasn’t meant to see – haha! But it would be all the stuff from his era like DJing, hip-hop and breakdancing. He showed me a video when I was a kid and that was it! I fell in love with it and then from about 12 to about 17, I kind of stalled back on football and focused on breakdancing. And again, once you were training and doing the moves, that was all that mattered and you were present!

AM: So when did you realize that you wanted to be an actor and to follow that path?

NS: It’s funny. It’s like what I was saying earlier about my parents, pushing us to do many things. In school, we always had these drama classes and weekend classes in the local theater where I grew up and I just gravitated towards it. I did a lot of performances and showcases and I just found it that was something fun to do. A lot of my friends were allowed to play out in the neighborhood and my dad was kind of strict – he didn’t really let us out until about 12 or 13. So up until then, it was all social activities and acting classes and theater and that type of stuff. We always had an enjoyment for it and we would recreate stuff we saw on TV. The family, we were huge movie buffs so it was always kind of there, I just never knew it was a career path until I got older and I decided to give it a go.

AM: When you get a project that comes your way, what are you looking for when it comes to you ultimately deciding to accept that role?

NS: Um, it depends you know? Variety – I like the people involved – that’s a huge thing. But I do like variety. If I did something before, I will try to do something that’s not too similar straight after. I like to switch it up. One of the things that I fell in love with with acting is that it’s the ability to play so many different roles and to be able to walk in so many different shoes. It’s amazing in real life that some of those things transfer and you get to play into these people’s different walks of life. Being a huge movie buff from love and romance movies, comedies and dramas, thrillers, horrors – I just want to do a bit of them all! For me, it’s more the role, the script, the people involved – but I do like variety.

AM: Well, a number of our readers and ourselves included, we loved you in USA’s Queen of the South, Tyler Perry’s Have and Have Nots, Freeform’s Shadow Hunters – what is your process like when you’re preparing for your roles? To your point, they are so different. Do you have a set way that you go about it?

NS: Kind of! It varies for different roles. My main thing is to read the script several times over first. The second or third time, things usually start popping out as opposed to when you read it for the first time. Then I begin to delve into the world of the character. I look at what the director and the producer wanted originally in the audition and I try to take that into the character breakdown and then I use a lot of my imagination to create the rest because, I kind of trained in both using my own life’s circumstances and imagination and they both work for different types of roles. I like to use at the end of the day, imagination more because that’s why I got into it – to create. It’s kind of like an escape from your own life – not like I’m trying to run from my own life. Sometimes, we can get so pinned down in our own lives and concerned about our own things that sometimes don’t matter. The beautiful thing about acting – especially when using your imagination, you get to create this whole new world and you get to live in it!

AM: You just completed filming the third installment of Netflix’s The Princess Switch which has become quite the obsession and the talk around the team at Athleisure Mag as well. What can you tell us about it and when is it slated to drop?

NS: Well definitely expect a lot more switching shenanigans for sure!

AM: Ha – that show is crazy! It’s like wait, that’s Vanessa Hudgens again!

NS: Yeah, Vanessa is terrific. She really had to carry the lion share of all of the switching that she’s doing. I mean, in this new one, there’s even more shenanigans and the gang is back together. I don’t want to give away too much, but it’s a little different and it’s new things that arise. I’m trying not to give away too much, but it’s pretty fun!

AM: We assumed that’s what you were going to say – not too many spoilers to share!

NS: Haha this one is keeping it the same, but showing something a bit new for the third one. It comes around Thanksgiving of this year.

AM: We love podcasts and your character, Officer Ramirez in QCODE’s Borrasca, an audio fiction thriller was really good.

NS: Oh thank you!

AM:QCODE’s immersive approach to sound in their podcasts and stories are really well produced. How was it to prepare for that medium as opposed to when you’re doing something for film and TV?

NS: No I don’t think it changes it. It wasn’t something that I had done before, but I actually really enjoyed it because with film and TV, obviously, you have to worry about your look and appearance. It becomes an aspect because of the camera and having so many people in this huge unit because it’s on TV. The beauty of doing the podcast and just being in the recording studios is that it’s just you and your fellow actors and you’re less worried about your appearance and it’s focused on the internal work and it’s just funny that it ties into what you asked earlier about preparing for a role – the internal work is really where you plant the seed and then water it and let it grow from the internal and that becomes the role. Something about the podcast is that you don’t have to worry about any exteriors so you’re just watering that seed and enjoying the moment of being. You can get really lost in it and it’s really funny, I always wanted to do things like voice overs and animation – doing that made me realize that, “man I would love to just turn up in sweats and voice Bugs Bunny for a couple of weeks.”

AM: This month, Run the World premieres. What can you say about the show and about your character, Anderson Louis?

NS: I’m really excited about this one. I really am and I think that this show is definitely needed and is coming at the right time. I don’t think that there is anything quite like it at the minute. You know, it’s 4 strong Black women who are running the world. They’re living in NYC which is a wonderful place and it covers the trials and the tribulations of their life and running their own world which is career, relationships, community and how they navigate it. The beauty of it is that I think that people are really going to resonate with it just because we haven’t seen something like this – 4 strong Black leads and they’re crushing it. I do love all forms of drama and I just think that a lot of it has been focused on a lot of struggle up until now. So now it’s nice to see thriving love, healthy love, forms of toxic love – just life in general at this day and age and what it’s like for this generation. This generation right now, we’re all trying to balance our careers, love life, friendships, our community and still growing as a person. I think that this is really grounded in that and credit to the creators Leigh Davenport and Yvette Lee Bowser because they are just phenomenal and I’m really really excited about this.

Anderson, I’m interested to see how people take on him. I don’t want to give away too much, but he is Ella’s (Andrea Bordeaux) – at the star, he is her ex-boyfriend and he’s trying to navigate winning her back. They have been on and off for a very long time. They know each other so well and they have a deep deep connection. I think that the beauty about it is that I think that this generation – we’re trying to navigate love lives and careers. We want to grow and have something outside of our love which drives us. Often, the struggle comes with balance, especially with two people who work very different careers. We get to see a little bit of that with some of the stuff that goes on in the first season without giving away too much!

AM: As someone who is a Black Co-Founder of Athleisure Mag and seeing that show, thinking of a lot of my other girlfriends who are also killing it whether they are running their own businesses or just running massive departments, it’s so exciting – especially in this time, to see something like that that is so beautifully done. I was just drawn to it from the first 30 seconds of seeing the teasers for the past 7 months. So what drew you when you read that script to saying that without a doubt, you wanted to be in this?

NS: I just read the breakdown. I read the pilot and I was like, this is so so needed. Like I said, I am a fan of all forms of media, film, TV, drama and I just felt like this was needed. Something that shows a different point of view and something that is prevalent. Like you said yourself, there are people living this lifestyle and it hasn’t been represented as much as we would like. I think that we need more stuff like this to showcase what is possible and what is going on now. To bring in some fun, laughter, tears and love – it’s got an

incredible mix of everything and I’m not just saying this – the 4 ladies are fantastic. I remember doing Zoom read throughs because we had to navigate the whole shooting due to what was going on last year, but I remember reading on Zoom and watching them. Zoom is really hard because you’re not in the room and you can’t really pick up the energy and I remember cracking up – these ladies have it down. They are hilarious and so talented and yeah, when we got to watch the season, I was like, “this is incredible” and I’m excited for the journey.

AM: Definitely looking forward to this! In terms of entertainment, do you ever think about other areas that you want to tackle in terms of behind the camera?

NS: Yeah – absolutely. I love all things film, television. I studied media in both school and college. I went to university because I figured – I mean, I didn’t last very long because I picked the wrong courses – but I figured that I would go behind the camera to get in front of it. It worked out the other way around, but I do think that maybe one day in the future, being able to direct, produce and to dabble into creating some of my own stuff. So I’d really love to be able to get into that absolutely in the future.

AM: Are there other projects that you’re working on or shows that you’re able to share with us that we should keep an eye out for?

NS: At the minute, just the Run the World season. I’m taking a lot great meetings and opportunities, so I’m just waiting to hear back on a few of those. I’m kind of in a position right now, where I am incredibly fortunate and grateful that for the past 5 years, I have been able to work on some amazing projects. At the moment, I’m kind of looking for something more where I can really delve in and use some of those skills that I have been training on. Especially here with some martial arts, with Shadow Hunters, I was able to do somethings there, but I would love to do something that’s action based which would be so fun!

AM: You’re a certified fitness trainer, but how did you get into doing martial arts and why was that something that you wanted to be able to have within your routine?

NS: It’s a combination of things. You know as I said, my parents – my mom pushed us into karate. Like many things I did as a kid, we got really far and then I quit. But when I moved to Los Angeles at 21, my dad came with me and I was always interested – when I grew up, I was very close to my dad’s uncle’s older brother and we’d watch all the Kung Fu movies with Bruce Lee – they were constantly playing in the house and me and my older brother were constantly beating each other up to re-enact our favorite movies and we would drive our mom mad. When we moved, my dad pointed at this studio which was Taekwondo and he said that I should start there in case I got into any kind of action stuff. I went in, met my master and I just fell in love with it straight away. Once I started with that, I just kept going which was nice too! The audition process can be so stressful and you just dwell on it all the time, that gave me something that I could focus energy on that I could take on. I could take it as I wanted. I didn’t have to rely on someone to give me a job. If I wanted to train, I could go do it and that really gave me a wonderful balance. After studying and getting my black belt, I’ve kind of branched out into studying Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu. It’s just fun for me. I’m not trying to compete or anything.

AM: Was just going to ask that.

NS: Well, I’ve done small competitions in Taekwondo and maybe I’d mess around sparring in Muay Thai and maybe I’d try a competition one time but for me, mainly it’s for movies. I grew up watching Bruce and Jackie Chan and I know they were real fighters! Mine is just for the movie and TV outlet.

AM: What's a typical workout session like for you? Do you have go to moves that you would like to put in your routines – what is that like?

NS: It’s kind of varied. I like to wake up and see how I feel. I usually take 1 day off a week. I’d go to a gym which would be more weight training because I was really into that in college. Then the following day would be martial arts, but I really like to mix it up and keep throwing in different things – something I saw on Instagram or YouTube and I’d say, “that’s kind of cool – I want to try that.” Because you can run the risk of your workouts being stale so I just like to flip and alternate. So I do the gym and then martial arts the next day and then maybe – I used to when things were a bit more open, I’d do football or soccer and I was getting into rock climbing – I’m just a fan of sports in general! Growing up, I liked tennis, swimming – just fun physical activities.

AM: When you’re taking time for yourself and relaxing from your schedules, what would we find you doing?

NS: Good question – that varies too! I mean, mostly, I love movies and TV. I’m always catching up on new shows and new films. I have an excuse to enjoy it because you never know, I might get an opportunity in that – so I watch that. Other than that, I love spending time with my friends and family. I have a lot of friends and family that are back home so FaceTime and Zoom calls – watching stuff together. Just hanging out with people that I love! I think that the business is wonderful and I enjoy it, but I try not to make it the be all and end all of everything of my life. I try to make sure that family, friends, community and just other things go on as well. I love what I do, but it can be a bit consuming if you give it too much energy. I’m likely to have good people around me that give me that balance and keep me in check! I’m a huge fan of meditation, reading books and that just really helps me as well.

AM: You know, over the last year, the most insane year yet to navigate – a pandemic, fighting for social justice, the election – just all these different things and now with the vaccines being here and various forms of reopening’s that are happening, what are you looking forward to doing this year in terms of coming back into life?

NS: Just human connection! Being able to be around others. I know it’s always been something that was very important to me and I’m sure it is to many other people as well. Being able to freely be around family and friends and enjoying those moments. If anything this year that it has made me personally realize is how vital that is to us and as people sharing that experience. How much connection and communication is so huge and important – it’s a wonderful and beautiful thing. I’m just looking forward to seeing people with smiles on their face and doing what they love!

AM: You grew up in London and you also currently live in LA, what are your 3 favorite places you like to eat at in each city?

NS: Oooo that’s a good question! In London, it’s going to be my mama’s house!

AM: There we go!

NS: In LA, it’s going to be my aunties house! No joke! I like – I mean, I have to control myself sometimes. I have been known to dabble into fast food – in the past – I’m getting better at it. But growing up, especially in London, my friends who read this will laugh. There’s a place called Dixy Chicken – kind of like a Popeye’s Chicken sandwich – I’m talking about in the past though haha –

AM: Right, you’re just qualifying this answer haha –

NS: Yeah, it don’t qualify, it don’t qualify but you know, any Jamaican or Guyanese in any of those cities, that’s my go to. But mainly, it would be mom's and aunt's because there’s nothing like home cooked food when it is cooked with love.

AM: Your dad was a bespoke tailor and that you’re thinking about reinventing his suit line. Can you tell me about that?

NS: You know, these are some amazing questions – fantastic!

AM: It’s what we do!

NS: No it’s really good. Yeah, my dad. I have a funny story about him – he wouldn’t find it funny. But, he never got the support that he needed for his artistry and he was very much into fashion and sports. Very similar to us as children. So that’s why I think he pushed us so much. He had a factory where he used to create women’s leather and clothes in the late 80’s and 90’s. Then he had a market store which was big back in the 90’s and I think there was a crash back then, but I don’t really remember. He was always into fashion, creating and that stuff. It wasn’t until 2005 or 2006 that he had gone back to creating men’s suits which was based out of Hong Kong and he really does make great pieces, I’m not just saying it – but so much so that I wore his stuff to the Ill Manors movie that I did years ago. He fitted me, my brother and a friend and it looks amazing and I wore some stuff to Queen of the South as well from the line. He believed in me so I’m in the position now where I need these types of things and I have to say, "hey dad, I believe in you" and repay the favor. He just has really good talent. We have to wear so much of this stuff so why not keep it in the family? We’re working on it and getting it back out there, creating pieces again and hopefully in the future, our line will be something that is recognized by many. I’m very grateful to my parents. When they say it takes a village to raise a child, it’s very true! My aunties, my uncles, the neighborhood we grew up in, the teachers – there have been some fantastic people that have been in and out of my house. My family, they’re still there and are able to recognize things from when we were growing up. So I can say, I enjoyed this then, there’s no reason why I can’t enjoy it as an adult. That really gave me a great foundation. I had friends that were super talented, but they didn’t have those outlets or the ability to explore those opportunities. So when they got older, when you’re looking for something new or you want to try, they didn’t know that these things were in their realm. So I was lucky to have martial arts, or fashion or movies or whatever it may be. I’m very fortunate for my parents and the way that they brought us up. So grateful – shout out to moms and dads and uncles and aunties – and grandmas and grandpas.

AM: Even the faux ones that you call Uncle So and So, but you don’t know where they came from, but they were always there!

NS: Yeah yeah for real – so true! Some of my uncles I mean, Uncle Leroy, he loved martial arts and he was always pushing that. Uncle Harry was just a jokester. My Auntie – so many of them. Just wonderful, lucky and very grateful!

@NickDSagar PHOTOS COURTESY | PG 16 - 25 Tina Turbow | PG 26 - 31 STARZ/Run the World