Atlanta: Benny Hope Actor Confirms Donald Glover Was Teddy Perkins

The “Teddy Perkins” episode of Atlanta has been a humungous topic since it aired on FX. There were so many unique aspects and layers to the episode that people can’t help but dissect it. For instance, the Perkins’ episode ran for 41 minutes straight with no commercials and was the first Darius-centric Atlanta installment. It actually felt like a movie rather than a television episode.

And then there’s all the topics touched upon and the sheer strangeness that surrounds the entire 41-minute runtime. The biggest mystery, though, is Teddy Perkins himself. Obviously, he is a Michael Jackson spin-off of sorts, but is that actually Donald Glover playing him?

Personally, I noticed about halfway through “Teddy Perkins” that Teddy Perkins was Donald Glover. Others who I’ve spoken with didn’t notice at all.

So, was I wrong?

After all, Perkins is credited as himself in the show’s final credits.

Surprise! (Get it?) Glover was, in fact, the white-faced Teddy Perkins. The actor who portrayed Benny Hope (Derrick J. Haywood) — the famous musician that Teddy Perkins was caring for — acknowledged to Vulture that Glover was completely immersed in the Perkins role.

“This guy was in character the whole time, it was just amazing the commitment he brought. We were calling him Teddy, he acted as Teddy – there was no Donald on set whatsoever,” Haywood said. “Initially, I had no idea that Teddy Perkins was actually played by Donald Glover. Not only did Glover play Teddy, he transformed into Teddy on set.” -Derrick J. Haywood speaking with Vulture.

What a performance by Glover. He’s truly one of the best artists and creators of our time.

The “Teddy Perkins” episode, which was the sixth installment of the second season, received the second-highest TV rating of the season. Only “Alligator Man”, the season premiere, received a higher television rating.