Come Jan.14, all of your superstitions will be challenged in Archive 81, the new podcast-adapted series. You’ll be entranced by the story of a young media archivist, Dan (Mamoudou Athie), who’s hired to restore a mysterious collection of video tapes that were in a ’90s apartment fire. And while we love a good sinister twist to our unsolved mysteries, the show is really brought to its feet by Athie, whose character is at once frightened and capable. Trust me, after watching Athie once, you won’t be able to get enough. So we are making your life a little easier, and guiding you to all the titles on Netflix where you can find him in all his glory. 

Unicorn Store  An early high-profile movie for Athie was 2019’s Unicorn Store, which also happened to be Brie Larson’s directorial debut. The film follows failed artist Kit (Larson) as she attempts to live out her childhood dream of owning a unicorn. Enter Virgil (Athie), a hardworking hardware store employee who Kit hires to build a unicorn stable (unbeknownst to him, of course). Athie was praised for the realism and logic he brought to the film.

The Get Down In 2016, Athie had a recurring role in the highly acclaimed series The Get Down. From legendary director Baz Luhrmann, The Get Down follows a group of teens — The Get Down Boys — in the 1970s in the Bronx, when disco was transitioning to hip-hop. Athie plays real-life hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash, who’s a mentor to the teens. Praised for his portrayal of Flash, Athie is credited with introducing a whole new generation to the work of this living icon.

Uncorked  In 2020’s Uncorked, Athie took on the role of Elijah, a young man working two jobs — at his family’s BBQ restaurant and at a local winery. Elijah expects to take up the family business, but his true passion lies in the wine industry. He begins to pursue his dream of becoming a master sommelier. Athie was acclaimed for his leading role in this intriguing drama about following your heart despite what the world expects from you.