Tituss Burgess: ‘Part of the comedy comes out of the tragedy’

It’s been hailed as one of the breakout comedies of last year, and ahead of its nominations at this year’s Emmy Awards, Netflix series The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is edging closer to the debut of its second season.

One of the characters at the heart of the series is first-time Emmy nominee, Tituss Burgess, who plays Titus Andromedon, the unemployed actor and roommate of Ellie Kemper.

The 36-year-old landed the role after series creator Tina Fey invited him to audition, after the pair had worked briefly together on NBC comedy 30 Rock.

Following his hosting role at the Casting Society of America’s 31st annual Artios Awards at the Hard Rock Café Burgess told Out.com if his on-screen character Titus were to suddenly land his dream Broadway role it would disrupt the comedy of the hit Netflix series.

“You never want a comedy about someone achieving a goal,” he said.

“You never want to give them their goal prematurely.  of it never happening. Maybe in the last season.

“But what’s interesting is to see how Titus ends up when he doesn’t achieve his dream. That’s what happens to most actors in New York City.”

A seasoned Broadway star, Burgess landed his big break on stage playing Sebastian the Crab in Disney’s Broadway production of The Little Mermaid, which played at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre from November 2007 to December 2008.

Burgess adds the role had followed on from an unsuccessful audition for The Lion King.

“I actually auditioned for The Lion King [in real life]”, he said.

“I thought I was gonna be Simba! I don’t know what I was thinking. I never had a conversation about why I didn’t get it.

After commencing principal photography in August last, and the second season of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is set to stream on April 15, 2016.