Sometimes people’s careers take off in ways we don’t quite anticipate–like Andre Royo’s decision to narrate a children’s story after the mega-success of The Wire.
Royo was best known for his portrayal of Bubbles on the HBO series. In a decidedly adult move, Royo acted as the recovering drug addict/informant Bubbles for several seasons. Royo’s character was integral to the plot of the series, as his inside track on the streets and history of Baltimore aided the police investigation. Bubbles himself was a kind and caring man, looking to avoid his old self-destructive patterns and move forward with his life.
And now you can see Andre Royo shift gears as he narrates The Lonely Giant by Nick Cave. The story is one of familiar childhood niceties, and can be heard via Noisey. But the leap from The Wire to a children’s book may make more sense, as The Lonely Giant is part of a larger series in Stories for Ways & Means. The collection has stories by Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Laura Marling, and numerous others, using the art of Will Barras, Kai & Sunny, and more to bring their words to life. The collection is child-friendly, but perhaps if the child is over 17 years old, as the stories feature strange and controversial scenes and pictures.
Andre reads Nick Cave’s story specifically, putting the highly-acclaimed musician’s words to life. Nick Cave himself is an illustrious Renaissance man, who is known for his work as a musician, author, singer-songwriter, screenwriter, and occasional actor. Even with his story on the way, Cave still continues to tour and record new music, further establishing his well-rounded career. He recently released a new album with his band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, which also announced winter tour for 2017.
The physical book of Stories for Ways & Means will also be joined by additional animations of the stories, which brings in other notable collaborators such as Danny DeVito, Nick Offerman, and Zach Galifianakis. Proceeds from Stories for Ways & Means will be attributed to two non-profits, Room to Read and Pencils for Promise, which helps builds schools in extremely poor regions of the world.
You can preorder the collection here, as well as hear Royo’s rendition of The Lonely Giant below: