Actor Luke Kirby on portraying comedy legend Lenny Bruce

Canadian actor Luke Kirby is up for an Emmy this weekend for his role in the comedy series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. He plays the late real-life comedy legend Lenny Bruce, who is often named alongside the likes of George Carlin, Richard Pryor or Eddie Murphy. The sharp, satirical comedian was famous for having been arrested a number of times for pushing the boundaries of obscenity laws. Bruce died in 1966 of a drug overdose.

Kirby joined q's Tom Power to talk about Bruce's legacy, the strange friendship he now feels for a comedy hero who died long before he was even born, and what his Emmy nomination means to him.

The third season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel premieres in December on Amazon Prime. You can also see Kirby on HBO's The Deuce.

Download our podcast or click 'Listen' above to hear the full conversation with Luke Kirby.

— Produced by ​Diane Eros