The Bishop’s Betrayal Explained by Darrell Britt-Gibson

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for “In God We Trust,” the Season 3 finale of “Euphoria,” streaming now on HBO Max.

“For Bishop it’s always chess.”

That’s an apt metaphor from Darrell Britt-Gibson as he describes his character’s fatal betrayal of his boss Alamo Brown (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) in the bloody series finale of “Euphoria.”

In the climax of Sam Levinson’s HBO drama, Alamo kills Rue (Zendaya), an employee who has been secretly working as a DEA informant, by giving her painkillers laced with fentanyl. Ali (Colman Domingo), her mentor and sobriety sponsor, goes to Alamo’s strip club to avenge Rue’s death, and the two engage in an old-fashioned duel.

Alamo breaks cowboy rules, points his gun at Ali before the designated time and tries to shoot, but the gun doesn’t fire. It is revealed that Bishop, Alamo’s mysterious and monotone right-hand man, removed the bullets, essentially sentencing Alamo to death. Ali kills the sex and drug trafficking magnate with three shotguns to the chest.

It’s a bold move by Bishop, a suave henchman who hints at the twist earlier in the episode — once, when he tells Maddy about his poodle, “I like surprising people,” and again when he stares at the snake sitting in the strip club. Britt-Gibson says Variety the morning after the finale, it turns out that Bishop’s betrayal is not just a power move, but that it is rooted in Alamo’s treatment of Rue.

“Bishop didn’t agree with much of what Alamo did, but it was a job for him,” he says. “I think what Alamo did to Rue was the last straw for Bishop.”

Did you see the final last night?

I did. I got the chance to watch it in Brooklyn with a room full of fans, and it was incredible. There’s nothing like watching something that has this impact and this kind of feeling, with a group of people who are completely invested in the show. It was an incredible moment.

What was it like seeing live reactions from the fans?

It was surreal because I knew what was happening and I had an expectation of how a group of people would collectively react to it. My expectation was exceeded because there is no way to account for every single emotion that will be felt. This is how I wish everyone could have experienced it. I wish the whole world could have watched it at the same time.

The way you play Bishop is fascinating. How was it described to you or written on the page, and what did you bring to it?

It wasn’t really described to me in any way, and that’s the beauty of it. Sam saw an audition of mine for another role, and he wanted to describe to Bishop what I brought to it. Sam is so great in that regard: he’s a “best idea wins” type of creator. I had the idea of ​​a character who moves more like a samurai in a world of cowboys. Someone you can’t really understand until it’s time to understand him.

I had ideas about these beads and the way he moved, and Sam said, “I love it, let’s do that.” Early on in the process he saw my auditions and wanted to build the character around what I was presenting. He then went on to write this beautifully complicated, nuanced and layered character.

Did you originally audition for Alamo?

Yeah, and I was too young for it, but he said, “I need this guy on my show.”

I read that Marshawn Lynch also auditioned for that role.

He did. I think the whole crew did, Asante [Blackk, who plays Kidd] also. Sam just knows. He is one of those creators who sees something and knows what he wants to do with it.

Colman Domingo, in conversation with Varietysaid he wonders if Bishop is on the autism spectrum. Does that appeal to you?

Yes, that happened. I don’t think black people can play that enough. I don’t like the way people on the spectrum are talked about. There are many people in my life and my family who are on the spectrum, and they are the most beautiful, deep, soulful people. I thought, “If I get to do this and play him like this, I want to be able to do it justice and make it thoughtful and layered.” That was something I inherently thought about. I wanted to give it that care.

What is Bishop’s relationship to animals? Obviously he kills Laurie’s bird, but he also has a pet poodle named Snowflake.

He loves animals. In that scene at the poker table, when Alamo says, “Bishop killed that bird,” Bishop says, “I didn’t want to, but I had to.” And Bishop doesn’t know how to lie. So when Laurie says to him, “Do you like animals?” he looks at her and says, “I love them.” This is the truth. Killing Paladin was a job he had to do, but he didn’t want to do that at all. He is probably more connected to animals than to people.

Why does the show introduce Snowflake in the final episode?

I think it ties into the idea that Bishop is like an onion: every time you see him, a new layer is peeled off. It’s like, “Wait, what? Does he have a dog now?”

Why does Bishop betray Alamo?

Bishop didn’t agree with much of what Alamo did, but it was a job for him. I think what Alamo did to Rue was the last straw for Bishop. He also has that conversation with Maddy in the car. Rue was a bridge too far, and he said, “I promise I won’t let you get to Maddy.”

That’s interesting because it seems like Bishop doesn’t really care about Rue, at least not in the way he acts towards her.

There are a million different ways to look at it, from a character perspective. It plays like he doesn’t care, but if you look deep enough, there are moments where Bishop is like a big brother who is hard on her. You know those figures in your life who say, “Don’t hang out with those people. They’re not good people. You shouldn’t be here.” The way Sam wrote it is up to interpretation. He gives it the space to show it, however people want to see it.

Do you think Bishop’s betrayal is spontaneous, or has he been waiting for a chance to dethrone him for a while?

He waited. He’s so calculated. It’s chess. It’s always chess for Bishop.

Hence the name.

Precisely.

I have to ask about the multi-colored coat Bishop wears in the finale. It reminded me of the story of Joseph, and how the coat of many colors is a Biblical symbol of betrayal and being chosen by God. Is that something you discussed on set?

No, no. That’s just Natasha [Newman-Thomas]our incredible costume designer. Every episode I had these incredible jackets, and when I walked into the trailer for the finale, I was like, “Oh Natasha, this drove you crazy.” Bishop had worn a lot of solid colors, and in the final episode he wears this patchwork jacket with cracked colors. It represents the multi-dimensionality of the character and the idea of ​​the color starting to shine through.

There is a lot of religious symbolism in the show. I wondered how Bishop flashes his rosary at Kidd, signaling him to put down his weapon. What’s the story behind that?

Some people noticed, some didn’t, but I wear those beads in every scene of the show. It was something I brought to Sam. I personally have prayer beads and I thought it would be fascinating to have this character living in this dark world [of crime] but wears these prayer beads.

I also talked to Adewale about the finale, and he said that Alamo might be afraid of Bishop because he really seems to enjoy killing. What do you think?

Yes, but also no. I don’t think Bishop really enjoys killing. It’s like what we talked about before. That scene where he’s about to saw the bouncer to pieces [with a chainsaw] and he asked, “How are you today?” he says, “I’ve been better.” That’s a very specific thing to say, as opposed to “I’m good” or “I’m great.” Having to kill this man is not something he wants to do, but he is detached from emotions. He looks like a psychopath, but he isn’t. That’s why I love the character so much.

Was there anything you shot that didn’t make the final cut?

I can’t remember everything, but it wasn’t like there was a murder that no one saw. None of that. But there were little bits of dialogue. He speaks of the beads in a scene in Laurie’s house. I think Wayne [Toby Wallace] looks at the beads and says, “What are they, something Muslim?” And Bishop looks at him and says, “It’s my thing.”

Where do you think Bisschop comes from? How did he end up at Alamo?

Sam told me the idea for Bishop’s backstory, which is so incredible, but I don’t even want to say it. I want to let the world form its own opinion.

This interview has been edited and condensed.