Gail Bean discusses her prep for "The Drop: A Snowfall Saga," premiering Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT on FX & Hulu, meeting women involved with rap & gangs.

Gail Bean, seen at the 2024 premiere of "The Piano Lesson," stars in "The Drop: A Snowfall Saga." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI UPI Wanda (Gail Bean) talks to rap artist Artillery (Simmie Sims III) in "The Drop: A Snowfall Saga," premiering Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT on FX and Hulu. Photo courtesy of FX UPI Gail Bean and Asante Blackk star in "The Drop: A Snowfall Saga," premiering Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT on FX and Hulu. Photo courtesy of FX UPI Gail Bean and Isaiah John return in "The Drop: A Snowfall Saga," premiering Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT on FX and Hulu. Photo courtesy of FX UPI From left, Gail Bean, Peyton Alex Smith and Asante Blackk star in "The Drop: A Snowfall Saga," premiering Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 9 p.m. EDT on FX and Hulu. Photo courtesy of FX UPI

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The Drop: A Snowfall Saga, premiering Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT on FX and Hulu, follows Snowfall character Wanda Bell into 1990 in Los Angeles. Gail Bean returns as Wanda, now seeking opportunities in the emerging rap music industry.

Though she played Wanda for six seasons of Snowfall, Bean did additional research for the spinoff. In a recent Zoom interview with UPI, Bean, 33, said she interviewed Shante Broadus and Bonnie Williams-Taylor.

Broadus is the wife of Snoop Dogg and Williams-Taylor the widow of Crips co-founder Stanley Tookie Williams. The Crips and Bloods rivalry plays out in The Drop.

"Aunt Bonnie, her husband was someone who created gang life here in L.A., she saw it from that side," Bean said. "Shante Broadus, Snoop Dogg's wife, music, she saw it from that side when it was starting, the rise of West Coast rap, gangsta rap."

...

Bean said those interviews informed details down to the language spoken in The Drop such as "the whole 'you straight?' instead of asking 'you all right? You cool?'" and some of the wardrobe Wanda wore. LA Gear and Nike Huarache and Cortez sneakers and gold nugget jewelry were among Bean's suggestions.

In Snowfall, Wanda was addicted to crack in the '80s as Franklin Saint (Damson Idris) rose and fell in the drug world. Surviving the streets may have prepared her for dealing with record labels and rap artists.

"She's finding out that the music industry might be tougher than the streets," Bean said. "It's worse than the streets because now you have people who are professionals at gangsta."

Bean said Wanda knows how to talk her way out of any situation.

"She knows how to be lovable," Bean said. "She knows how to make a friend in the room and she's dedicated. Wanda is not going to give up. She's never heard a no. She's always heard a 'not right now.'"

At the end of Snowfall, Wanda and her boyfriend, Leon (Isaiah John) married in Ghana. The spinoff series meant both characters returning to L.A., where people still remember Wanda as an addict.

"While in Ghana, she was in a place where nobody knew her past," Bean said, adding that being reminded of her addiction was like "you're climbing up a ladder, somebody is literally pouring sand on you as you're trying to climb up the ladder."

As the lead of The Drop, Bean's workload has increased since Snowfall. She still aims to memorize all her lines before arriving on set each day, but now see it as a daily schedule setting the tone for the entire cast and crew.

...

"Before I go to sleep at night, I go home, I study," Bean said. "As the No. 1, as being in every scene, people are looking to me to see what's the environment? What are we doing? How are we doing this? How are we approaching this?"

The late John Singleton created Snowfall with Eric Amadio and Dave Andron. He died at 51 in 2019 before Season 3 wrapped.

Malcolm Spellman created The Drop and Bean recognized a new perspective on the history of Los Angeles. Bean felt Singleton inspired the generation making The Drop.

"Rest in peace, John," Bean said. "His influence in how me and Isaiah approach the work, how other characters and crew members show up because they were fans of Snowfall, how our showrunner admires John Singleton."