Theodore Perkins

**Teddy Perkins** is the titular main antagonist of the season 2 episode of *Atlanta* of the same name. He claims that he was the brother of the famous pianist Benny Hope and became his caretaker due to his photosensitive condition and being wheelchair-bound. He was portrayed by actor and director Donald Glover who also plays Earnest 'Earn' Marks.

## Biography

### Early Life

Born **Benny Hope**, at an early age showed his skill for songwriting and playing the piano. He soon began taking lessons from his father. Sadly Benny's father was verbally and physically abusive to him ( examples include: swatting Benny's hands with ruler if he messed up on a note.) He would practice for hours on a piano with colorfully painted keys. He would experience this abuse throughout his early childhood to teen years.

### Later years

As Benny grew up he became a prolific musician, selling records and various merchandise. He was even seen mingling with various other celebrities like Keith Jared, Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Nina Simone, Dionne Warwick, Chuck Berry, etc. While many things seemed to be going great for Benny, but he would still be haunted by the memories of abuse. He would also become diagnosed with rare skin condition that prevented him being exposed to bright lights.

As Benny got older he's features began to change and he secluded himself in his mansion. Benny Hope soon disappearing from the spotlight and became forgotten. He soon began to take care of his aging father, whom soon became wheelchair bound. Over time Benny's mental state began to change as he soon began to enact the same treatments to his father by making him practice the piano and even beating on him as he did to Benny. As a coping mechanism Benny created the identity of **Theodore 'Teddy' Perkins,** Benny's *brother* while he began to call his father Benny whom he dressed up in similar clothes as him. He also build a small shrine to his father in a closet, even having a mannequin wear one of he's father's suits. He would even lounge back and watch old recordings of his lessons, slipping further into isolation and insanity.

### Meeting Darius

When Darius learns that a multi-colored key piano was on sale, he decides to purchase it. Arriving at the mansion to pick it up, Darius is met by *Teddy.* Their conversations start off relatively normal with Teddy asking him if he was a music lover, but things get progressively darker when Teddy shows off a museum room dedicated to his abusive father. Darius becomes increasingly disturbed by Teddy's odd behavior. However, once he acquires the piano and tries to leave, he learns that Teddy had blocked Darius' truck forcing Darius to return to demand that Teddy move. Darius ends up meeting *Benny* in the basement who coerces him to get a shotgun on top of a chalkboard. Teddy learns about what Darius was intending and takes him hostage. He explains that he intends to kill him and make it appear to be a home invasion. Unfortunately for Teddy, Benny arrives with the shotgun and shoots Teddy before turning the gun on himself.

## Trivia

* Some outlets pointed out that the Teddy Perkins/Benny Hope character bears a striking resemblance to Michael Jackson. *Atlanta* writer Stefani Robinson commented that while it was "*undeniable that there are references to Michael Jackson and the idea of someone changing themselves within the industry*"
	+ In the show it was even mentioned he resembled Dominican-American former professional baseball right fielder, Sammy Sosa who exclaimed that he uses a bleaching cream before that softens and lightens his skin.
* During the 2018 Emmy Awards Teddy Perkins ( played by an actor in similar prosthetic makeup) appeared alongside the cast of Atlanta.
	+ With the stand-in true identity unknown, many online theorists believed it to be Michael Jackson in disguise, despite others telling them otherwise and disputing their claims.