When I started watching Mayor of Kingstown I was immediately fascinated by Tobi Bamtefa’s character Bunny, and the way he wields his power on the show. As one of the town’s power holders and crime bosses, he’s an intimidating figure who many fear, however, he almost never leaves his front yard. He’s always sitting in a lawn chair, running his business and ruling his kingdom without leaving the borders set by his fence. So, when I got the chance to talk with the actor behind Bunny, I had to ask him about his character’s choice not to leave his lawn chair.
While Season 2 has taken Bunny outside the confines of his yard, as Mayor of Kingstown ups the ante for its episodes on the 2023 TV schedule, it’s clear the allegiance Bamtefa’s character has to his people and his home. On that note, the actor broke down his character’s philosophy as to why he doesn't want to leave his lawn chair, saying:
I mean, in Season 1, the justification I came up with was twofold. Number one, he is, I guess, he is the one you go [to]. I guess he has the keys to the city in that sense. So if anything, he would be the person who would have a target on his back constantly. So yeah, protection and survival is paramount within this world in which the threats are very real. You know, we're not dealing with, it's not office politics, it's real life and death situations. But there's also there is something about being present, there is something about being present, that is, I guess securing for this world.
Bamtefa’s explanation makes complete sense. With what we’ve seen so far in Season 2 of Kingstown, the danger is ever-present. Between Aidan Gillen’s big bad Milo escaping from prison, Iris deciding to go back to him, and Kyle reaching a breaking point after his partner was killed, this world is a dangerous and deadly place – and I haven’t even mentioned what Bunny or Mike have been through.
The actor behind Bunny continued to talk about why his character doesn't want to leave his chair, saying it’s not just a personal choice for protection, it’s more than that. He’s there to serve his customers and protect his family.
You know, this is his domain. It's his right here. And if you want to come into that, you need to come correct. If you're not I'm saying. Outside of that, maybe you can probably still move that way. You probably could he has the duty, he has the clout to do that. But this right here is the castle. You know, where he is where he stands, is the castle. So because he, like I said, he has the personality for it. That was my reasoning. And also, like I said, being present in security, your family knows you're there, or the people you're tied to you know, you're there. Your customers know you're there, your team, your crew, your gang. They all know you're there, you're here, you're present, you're on the frontlines with them. You know, and that means that it commands respect, you know?
Bunny certainly does command respect and is easily one of the most powerful characters on the show. Due to this, I’ve always been interested in his connection to his family, and the choice to hang out in his front yard and never really leave. Although things changed in Season 2, as Bunny is now in jail trying to restructure the hierarchy of power within Kingstown’s prison system.
As new episodes continue to drop of Mayor of Kingstown, and Hugh Dillon and Taylor Sheridan start to brainstorm Season 3, it will be interesting to see what happens to Bunny in prison, and if he makes it back to his home and his lawn chair.
New episodes of Mayor of Kingstown premiere every Sunday, to watch them all you need is a Paramount+ subscription.
