Snowfall cast strives to honor John Singleton’s legacy

Snowfall was in the midst of filming its third season when John Singleton tragically passed away last week. It will be tough, but the cast is pushing forward to honor Singleton’s legacy.

The FX cocaine-fueled series Snowfall would not exist without John Singleton. He is created with being the co-creator, director and executive producer. John Singleton was so much more, to the film industry and the world at large. Snowfall filming will continue, as the cast and crew strive to do justice to Singleton’s vision.

John Singleton introduced large swaths of America to the inner city with his film Boyz ‘n the Hood. The FX drama Snowfall was a deeper look into a world most are too scared to venture into in real life.

Snowfall has shown how crack use, known as ‘base’ in South America, became an epidemic in South Central Los Angeles and spread. The pain and creeping destruction of crack addition were made palatable for television consumption, helping many to become informed and find empathy towards a human once considered a lost cause.

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Singleton was hospitalized on April 17 as a result of suffering a stroke. Filming continued, but his absence was surely felt. Now, the cast must deal with a greater absence.

Snowfall executive producer Trevor Engelson tried to explain Singleton’s absence to Deadline:

"“Everybody is sad but everybody also is moving forward because that’s what John would’ve wanted…It felt like the actors were hearing what John would’ve said, ‘Use that real-life emotion in your performance.’…He was in the writers room, he was on set, he put his stamp on everything.”"

Singleton was preparing to give others more control of his creation. Due to a scheduling conflict, Singleton was going to allow someone else to direct the season’s finale. When that conflict was not longer a reality, Singleton stuck by his decision.

Sunu Gonera had directed several other mid-season episodes. Now Gonera must shoulder the added pressure of being Singleton’s hand picked choice to end the third season, which will air this summer.

John Singleton will be missed.