Clint Eastwood’s legal thriller “Juror #2,” now streaming on Max, has plenty of twists and turns. But the biggest surprise to many might be the dramatic turn by cast member Cedric Yarbrough, an actor best known for comedies like “Reno 911!” and 2017’s “The House” with Will Ferrell. Minnesotans with long memories, though, will remember that the Burnsville native tackled plenty of serious roles while cutting his teeth on the Twin Cities theater scene in the 1990s.
Yarbrough, 51, who also appeared as Toucan Sam in Jerry Seinfeld’s “Unfrosted” last year, spoke by Zoom on Monday from his Los Angeles home, right after rehearsing for a guest appearance on the CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood.”
Q: How are you doing? Are you safe?
A: I’m elated that my neighborhood has been spared. The fire that was in Runyon Canyon was the closest one to me. That one got snuffed out really quickly, but the impact is really real. The city is a little lost right now.
A lot of people have misconstrued ideas of what L.A. is. A lot of the rich were impacted, that’s for sure, but there’s also a lot of people affected who work in production, like costume designers and script supervisors, hardworking folks that came out here to make their dreams come true. A lot of people’s dreams have gone up in smoke.
Q: Is it weird working on a sitcom right now or is it kind of a relief?
A: Both. We definitely need the yuks. It’s also really nice to be around good-natured people who ask how you are and get real answers.
Q: I didn’t expect to see you in “Juror #2,” especially since you’re playing the kind of heavy Lee J. Cobb did in “12 Angry Men.” What’s been the reaction?