Alexander tells PEOPLE about the joys of working with Morgan, who is "so funny," on the new series 'The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins'
Scott Gries/NBC
NEED TO KNOW
- In The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, Erika Alexander plays Tracy Morgan’s ex-wife-slash-manager
- Alexander, 56, tells PEOPLE about the joys of working with Morgan, 57, again, decades after they met on 30 Years to Life in 2001, and highlights his generosity as a leader and a comedian on set
- “The most beautiful thing about Tracy is his vulnerability,” Alexander says. “That’s why he’s so funny —because he’s not afraid to be vulnerable”
Tracy Morgan is as wonderful to be around as you'd think.
The comedian, 57, returns to NBC on Feb. 23 in The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, a new comedy series from Tina Fey and 30 Rock's Robert Carlock, that sees him team up with Erika Alexander and Daniel Radcliffe.
Morgan plays a disgraced former football player looking to rehabilitate his public image by making a documentary about himself, by way of famous director Arthur Tobin (Radcliffe), in the series, and Alexander plays his ex-wife-slash-manager, Monica.
"Tracy's one of the most generous people you'll ever meet," Alexander, 56, tells PEOPLE of working with the SNL alum. "He's generous with his time, with his money, with his philanthropy [and] he's very generous with his comedy on set."
She praises Morgan for being "generous as a leader to Jalyn Hall and Precious Way," who play their onscreen son, Carmelo, and Reggie's new girlfriend Brina, respectively.
"I find that somebody that has remained that way through a life — and we've seen him only as a performer, he's been performing since he was a teenager — is almost near impossible," Alexander explains.
Morgan's generosity is "something that's unique in this business," the Living Single star continues. "Because the most beautiful thing about Tracy is his vulnerability. That's why he's so funny —because he's not afraid to be vulnerable."
Scott Gries/NBC
She also praises Radcliffe, 36, who she describes as "the gift [that] keeps giving."
"Talk about a generous person — and funny!" she says. "And he also chose this opportunity with Tracy and Tina, Sam, and Robert to come out, make his [comedy] debut like that. It's huge."
The love is mutual between Alexander and Morgan, who first met on 30 Years to Life in 2001. "There's a reason why I chose her [to be in the show], because we did a movie a long time ago," Morgan tells PEOPLE. "[And then] she did a movie that made me go, 'Wow, I want to work with her again.' "
"Isn't that nice?" Alexander says. "I had to wait 30 years, though. What took you so long?"
Scott Gries/NBC
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Just as Alexander raves about working with Morgan, so, too, does Radcliffe. "I always say, the thing about Tracy — what he brings as an actor is it is unteachable and unlearnable," the Harry Potter star told PEOPLE.
"He just has a natural comedy, charisma in his bones. There are line readings he has access to that 99% of actors just cannot say," Radcliffe said. "Every day, he's going to say five of the craziest things you've ever heard, but also be incredibly kind and generous and funny."
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins premieres Monday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
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