Good morning.

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Today’s introduction is by Brooks Barnes, our Hollywood reporter based in Los Angeles.

Reginald Nelson moved to Los Angeles in 2004 to become a star.

Yes, his dream was a cliché. But he figured he had a better shot than most people. He had studied theater at Howard University with Taraji P. Henson, whose career was then taking off. While performing in Chicago, Mr. Nelson had become acquainted with David Schwimmer, the “Friends” alum and a founder of that city’s Lookingglass Theatre Company.

Instead, Mr. Nelson ended up on Skid Row.

“I was having a hard time getting attention in auditions,” Mr. Nelson said. “Then my mom got sick, and I was embarrassed to ask for help with the bills.” He added, “I slept on park benches and finally found the Union Rescue Mission, where I got some health care myself. By that point, I was clinically depressed.”

That was 2014. Ready for the plot twist?

In May, while still living at the mission, Mr. Nelson, 44, got a call on his cellphone from a former Howard classmate, Neil Lewis. They had not been in touch for years, but Mr. Lewis, who had found some traction as an actor, had unbelievable news. Remember that scripted podcast they created in 2010? BET wanted to buy it as source material for a possible TV series.