André De Shields plays Purple Presley with Mr. Primm in season 3, episode 7 of the award-winning Apple TV+ Daytime Emmy Award-winning kids and family series “Helpsters,” premiering globally on May 27.
The third season also features appearances by Bradley Cooper, James Monroe Iglehart, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Christian Borle, Judy Gold, Jordan Carlos, Shakina Nayfack, Yasha Jackson, Krysta Rodriguez, Michael Cruz Kayne, Glo Tavarez, Jerah Milligan, Alex Song-Xia, Jo Firestone and Tessa Claire Hersh, and music from Grammy Award nominee Japanese Breakfast, Teddy Swims, Blanco Brown and Claud.
“Helpsters” is a live-action pre-school series from the makers of “Sesame Street,” featuring Cody and the Helpsters, a team of vibrant monsters who love to solve problems. Whether it’s planning a day at the beach, inventing a new machine, or learning how to line-dance, the Helpsters can figure anything out – because everything starts with a plan.
Emmy Award winner and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal winner Tim McKeon (“Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends: Destination Imagination,” “Odd Squad”) is the creator of “Helpsters.” He and Kay Wilson Stallings, Sesame Workshop’s executive vice president of Creative and Production, serve as executive producers. Eileen Braun is the series’ showrunner.
In a career spanning more than half a century, André De Shields has acquired a number of sobriquets, among them–“Broadway Deity,” “Professional Charmer” and “Papa Dré.” A showstopper at age 76, André was the triple-crown winner of the 2019 award season, garnering Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Grammy Awards for his universally praised role as Hermes, Messenger to the Gods, in Hadestown. De Shields has also distinguished himself as director, philanthropist and educator. His defining theatrical performances include roles in the original Broadway productions of The Full Monty (Tony Award nomination), Play On! (Tony Award nomination), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Emmy Award) and the titular role in The Wiz. Currently, De Shields is experiencing growing pains as he prepares for his next adventure as Actor/Activist, eradicating the inauthentic while elevating the inexplicable. Ubuntu! www.andredeshields.com
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.
To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with over 244 wins and more than 961 award nominations and counting, including this year’s Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang 