It's not uncommon for actors to undergo physical transformations for an upcoming role, and Michael got a little taste of that while portraying young Colin Kaepernick. During his appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Michael recalled the moment he told the show's co-creator, Ava DuVernay, that he wanted to fully commit to capturing Kaepernick's physical appearance for the role.
"Ava gave me so much liberty to experiment with the character. It was one of the first times I really had that opportunity, and so I really ran with it and probably pulled more than I could chew," he told Barrymore. "I remember telling her, 'Hey Ava, I'm going to fast for a month before we shoot so that I can look really skinny and I'll look real young. I'll shrink my shoulders down. Then, as we keep going, I'll eat more, and I'll start working out so I get bigger!'"