Isaiah John and Gail Bean return to the “Snowfall” universe in the new spinoff “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga,” season one now streaming on FX on Hulu.
Gail Bean and Isaiah John (2026)
Host Lori Rosales interviews Gail Bean and Isaiah John, the lead stars of “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga.” They share insights into their characters, Wanda and Leon, and reflect on their journey from the original series to the new storyline set in the 90s. Additionally, the actors also reveal their personal hobbies and experiences working on a period piece that captures the essence of a different era.
PLEASE NOTE: This is an alternative version of the interview and differs slightly from the original TV broadcast. Host segments have been rearranged, and some promotional clips have been removed for this online version.
Mini-Biographies:
Born November 27, 1992, in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Gail Bean is an actor, writer, and executive producer. After studying accounting at Valdosta State University, she pivoted to acting and delivered a breakout performance in the 2015 Sundance hit film “Unexpected.” Bean achieved wider television recognition for her compelling portrayal of Wanda Bell in FX’s period drama “Snowfall” and subsequently joined the main cast of Starz’s “P-Valley” as the rebellious dancer Roulette. Her credits spans roles in hit series like “Insecure,” “Atlanta,” “Chicago P.D.,” “Paradise Lost,” and “Harlem,” alongside feature film appearances including “The Belko Experiment,” “Test Pattern,” and Netflix’s “The Piano Lesson”. Off screen, she leads community efforts through her youth mentorship non-profit, Dream Above the Influence.
Born on November 16, 1995, in Atlanta, Georgia, Isaiah John is an actor best known for his breakout role as Leon Simmons in the FX crime drama “Snowfall” and again on the spinoff “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga.” Developing a passion for performance at a young age, John began pursuing acting seriously in 2009 after appearing in a student film (“No Way Out”), later honing his craft through professional coaching while working behind the scenes as a production assistant and sound technician. He made early screen appearances in features like “Barbershop: The Next Cut” (2016) and the television movie “Downsized” (2017) before landing his career-defining starring role in “Snowfall.” His additional screen credits include the Quibi drama series “When the Streetlights Go On” and the Netflix original film “All Day and a Night.”
“The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” follows “Snowfall” characters Wanda Bell (Gail Bean) and Leon Simmons (Isaiah John) as they fight to reinvent themselves in ’90s Los Angeles, where the fallout from the crack epidemic is fueling a new game: the rise of West Coast rap. Wanda starts the series driven by the clear belief that West Coast rap has the power to reshape American culture. She will work to put together a ragtag group of geniuses and lead them to the realization of all their dreams. To do it, she must navigate the dangerous overlap of music and street politics, pulling in those closest to her including her cousins Lamar Kinsey (Asante Blackk) and James Kinsey (Peyton Alex Smith), and pursuing volatile local rapper Artillery (Simmie “Buddy” Sims III), who is already in a tangle with law enforcement. Her internship with former D-boy-turned-label-owner Darryl “DG” Grant (Brandon Mychal Smith) creates opportunities but also deepens tensions between Wanda and Leon, who has vowed to leave the streets for good and chase down his own atonement through his free legal clinic. As ambition, loyalty and survival collide, how much is everyone willing to risk in order to build something lasting in a world that threatens to pull them down? The series is executive produced by Malcolm Spellman, Thomas Schlamme, Dave Andron, Michael London, Trevor Engelson, Julie DeJoie and Paul Garnes. The series is produced by FX Productions.
Interview Credits:
- Recorded: September 8, 2026
- Host / Producer: Lori Rosales
- Editor: Richard R. Lee
- Special Thanks To: FX and Hulu