An interview with Khaby Lame, TikTok's most-followed creator

There is a person on top of the planet. He's the most followed TikTok creator on the planet, travels the globe to film videos with celebrities, and collaborated with brands like Mcdonald's. He is one of four global idols tapped for the McDonald's campaign for the World Cup.

It's correct. One of the top creators in the world is also a huge soccer fan and plans to attend the World Cup games in support of his native country. The man in a white Nike hoodie looks like he might be able to shoot a few goals.

There are framed photos of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly behind him, as well as framed photos of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The person is looking to make a career out of acting in movies. He doesn't have much to say. He has built a TikTok audience of more than 140 million people. How is he going to act if he doesn't speak?

"Mr. Bean doesn't say anything," he says, "or Charlie Chaplin."

He has to say about McDonald's and being a role model.

Hi Khaby! How's your day been?

I'm mostly resting. Today is an easy day. It's busy every other day. I'm making content around the film and making a character in it. I'm going to show you one. He plays a TikTok video of him morphing into Black Panther. We work with a creative agency that helps me create these types of videos.

You're doing this campaign with McDonald's. I have a strong childhood memory of going through their drive thru in Los Angeles, smelling the pancakes and hashbrowns, and eating them out of a little plastic container in the back seat. Do you have a childhood memory of McDonald's like that?

When I was a little boy, my brothers and I were on our way from Torino to Guadalajara, and we knew there was a Mac there, and we hoped to stop at it. We kept going most of the time.

Another time, there was a long line of cars at a Mcdonald's drive-through and we took a shopping cart through it, trying to get through as many people as possible. We were served despite people being angry. When I was younger, I applied for a job at Mcdonald's after working as a waiter. It would be great to work for them.

What is your daily life like now and how does your family feel about your success.? 

Is it possible to make a plane fly? I like to travel and I love it. The family is happy for me. My brother travels every now and then.

How old is your brother?

Counting on his fingers, twenty-four! It's difficult for me to remember because I have many brothers. There are three small brothers and one large brother. Please don't ask their ages.

I won't! You're dubbing Black Panther and have recently collaborated with Snoop Dogg, Future, and more. Is there anyone that you've been nervous to collaborate with?

I generally don't mind. I was a bit nervous when I met the two athletes. My dream was to become an athlete and be better than Bolt. I stopped training after running the 100 meters and the marathon because I had to help my family.

When you became the no. 1 most-followed creator on TikTok, it was a big deal for a lot of reasons. It's almost always white creators on top, so it's so nice to see a creator of color. Do you feel like you're a role model for young Black men?

I believe so. I want to influence not only people of color, but everyone.

In terms of how you want to influence people, I saw that you had posted a video of actors that you admired. Is that your goal, to become an actor?

I've always wanted to become an actor. Will Smith was my hero since I was a child. I am learning English and studying acting. I want to be an actor and make people laugh.

When it comes to your role models, you recently posted a TikTok of Will Smith and Johnny Depp captioned "My dream in my mind 🙏🏾 to become like them!" Recently those two men have been in the public eye. Do you look up to them as actors or people?

They are only looked at as actors. It's as talents. Mistakes happen in life. I consider them to be my favorite people. This is what I want to be. Mistakes can be made in life. Everyone should be forgiven if they make a mistake.

Can you tell me a little bit about the kind of content that you consume? Do you listen to K-pop at all? A really fantastic K-pop girl group, Itzy, is part of this campaign with you.

I like to watch movies, listen to music, and watch Japanese animation. I can get inspiration from everything. I don't like K-Pop. I will listen to itzy's entire album.

You want to act, and you're also working with Hugo Boss. Is your dream project  an acting role or more fashion based? And can you give me a hint about what you're working on now? 

No, that's not true. I have some projects that I can't tell you anything about. I'm interested in both projects. Continue to follow me.