Created by John Singleton, Eric Amadio and Dave Andron, “Snowfall” is a crime drama television series. The show takes audiences back in time to 1983 Los Angeles and follows the lives of four main characters as they become entangled amid the growing crack epidemic. This includes power-hungry young drug dealer Franklin, Mexican wrestler and crime family member Gustavo, complex CIA agent Teddy, and Lucia, the niece of a Mexican crime boss.
“Chute de neige” describes in a complex way the impact of drugs on neighborhoods as well as the roles of the main actors involved in their acquisition and circulation. Additionally, it delves into the family dynamics of the protagonists as well as how their fates connect. Fans love the show for its realistic portrayal of the 80s and are curious to know if it’s a true story. Without further ado, here is the answer to everyone’s question.
Is the snow a true story?
‘Snowfall’ is partly based on a true story. He describes the massive increase in crack cocaine use in the United States in the late 1980s and 1990s, which led to an increase in crime and violence in cities and harsh criticism from law enforcement. During the June 2017 ATX Festival panel, the late creator John Singleton talked about drawing inspiration from the Franklin character from his youth. “It’s kind of like my formative years… It changed my life,” he said.
The famous African-American director grew up in the central south and attended school in Tarzana for a year. He used the comparison between his classmates and neighborhood children to develop the show’s concept. He added: “The ghetto kids smoked weed and my friends from middle school and high school took coke… But that was before crack so it was an interesting thing to see how the transition went. unfolded where this drug was accessible to people in the ‘hood.’ Additionally, he confessed that Franklin is secretly named after the fictional comic book character “Peanuts.”
Other than Franklin, the rest of the characters and their plots are heavily based on first-hand accounts and oral histories of people from that era. “There are people who have been through this thing. We had to bring people into the room who could talk about it. We brought in consultants who were deeply involved in every part,” Singleton explained. These personal stories have helped shed light on a lesser known part of the CIA’s involvement in the crack cocaine pandemic, which is not particularly well known.
In “Snowfall,” actor Carter Hudson’s character Teddy McDonald is a CIA agent who launches an off-the-books operation to fund the Nicaraguan Contras. Hudson spoke about his extensive preparation for the character, saying, “I didn’t know anything about it then when I found out I was terrified. Reading the books and watching documentaries, I think we should talk about it every day. That the CIA is operating illegally in the United States is shocking, appalling and terrifying… We don’t talk about it, and it is considered [an] almost fringe conspiracy theory at one point and it’s crazy.
In the Television Critics Association panel in January 2017, Singleton divulged the sources they consulted for authentic accounts. This includes Los Angeles Poet Laureate Luis J. Rodriguez, who was a former gang member and drug user in the 1960s and 1970s. Additionally, the CIA account was developed from information obtained from the same sources for the period spy drama television series “The Americans”.
Additionally, Singleton commented on the harsh realities of ’80s African-American neighborhoods in Los Angeles that form the heart of “Snowfall.” “All of a sudden, people who didn’t have money had access to capital. They didn’t care if they brought death to the neighborhood, but grandmothers and aunts would rally around a vital neighborhood figure and support them. Some of these people would go to jail for 15 to 20 years,” he said. Further remembering those dark times, he explained how the crack pandemic fueled people’s fears and forced them to implement more safety measures.
Several people have come forward claiming similarities between their lives and the show, such as Rick Ross, who was a notorious drug kingpin in Los Angeles in the 80s. In Lord Jamar’s podcast from March 2021, he has claimed that John Singleton drew inspiration from his story for the Franklin characters. Although there are parallels between his life and that of the character, his claims have never been confirmed as Singleton died in 2019.
Thus, we can conclude that “Snowfall” is a brilliant semi-fictional account of real-life experiences and incidents, brought to life by the efforts of the creators, cast members, and the many advisers who have joined us to share their stories. Rather than focusing on one real person in particular, it paints a picture of this entire period in general and emphasizes the impact of drugs, especially on minority communities.
Read more: Where is snowfall filmed?
