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PHOTO BY BENJO ARWAS

Googling Russell Hornsby will show you a prolific and well-rounded career, and we got to pick the star’s brain about getting to film in Atlanta—one of the country’s most bustling metropolitan cities.

You definitely saw his earlier stints during the golden days of Grey’s Anatomy and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Fast-forward a couple of decades, and Russell Hornsby (@russoulhornsby) is maintaining momentum in the new Hulu original Mike, and a significant role in Starz’s BMF, which is filmed in Atlanta. Hornsby depicts Charles Flenory, the father of the Flenory brothers, in the true story-inspired series about Detroit’s Black Mafia in the ’80s. “There’s no place like home,” says Hornsby.

“I think Atlanta represents that for BMF.” As he hones his inspiring character, he wants the audience to take away from the show a man who loves his family and sometimes has some fun despite the circumstances.

Speaking of fun, Hornsby seeks out entertainment in Atlanta’s wellness industry. From Pilates and cryotherapy to infrared saunas and sunny walks through Piedmont Park, there is no shortage of curing amenities to accommodate the Californian. Although he has his comforts, he has also broken out of that zone to explore nature.

“I’ve been to Stone Mountain, which is cool, even though it may represent something different, but it’s still sort of fascinating to have been up there and seen that.” In addition to quality food, entertainment and music, “I learned very quickly that there is Atlanta and then there’s Georgia,” says Hornsby, who has enjoyed “a city with a lot of culture, that Southern hospitality, that Southern charm, it’s infectious.” From cuisine to culture to backyard barbecues, Hornsby is fitting in just nicely.