Chad L. Coleman is best known by fan-favorite single names: Cutty on “The Wire,” Tyreese on “The Walking Dead.” Now he can add Mingo, from the “Roots” remake that starts airing Monday on History, A&E and Lifetime simultaneously. The 49-year-old actor tells ELISABETH VINCENTELLI that on the weekend, it’s all about espresso and a show.
I’ve been in Brooklyn since 1997. Now I live in Fort Greene, right by Barclays Center and the Atlantic Terminal. I like a Haitian restaurant called La Caye that’s right across the street from BAM. It’s a cool place to get a great meal, hang out with your friends, then go next door and dance — I don’t make a big production of my dancing, though.
In the morning I go to Primrose, an amazing cafe in the bottom of a brownstone. I have to have my espresso with almond milk, my bagel and lox. I chat with folks — the icebreaker is that they know me as an actor, otherwise they wouldn’t talk to me!
I love listening to jazz and going to great vegan spots. I’m not into labels, I just do what I want to experience. If I want to eat beef, I eat beef. If I want vegan food, I go to Blossom or the Candle Cafe.
On Sunday I relax, go to Prospect Park, then I try to catch an evening performance — I read the paper and watch “On Stage” on NY1 to see what’s going on. Before that I have dinner at Nios, the restaurant in the Muse hotel. I love theater. The last show I saw was “American Psycho.” I thought it was interesting, but needed more of a story — it felt like a social commentary from a columnist’s perspective.