Quincy Isaiah knew a storm was coming his way.

The actor, who made his acting debut as Magic Johnson on HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, took preemptive measures and went to therapy before production began on the series.

“I knew being on HBO with Adam McKay and playing Magic, a lot of eyeballs were going to be on me,” he told The Hollywood Reporter‘s Drama Actor Roundtable, “so it was like, ‘OK, get everything out now and then come back and just be smart about the way you’re going to move through the world.'”

Isaiah appeared on the roundtable with esteemed peers Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Oscar Isaac, Tom Hilddleston and Brian Cox, who praised the young actor for taking such initiative. 

“That’s very smart,” Keaton said, while Jackson marveled “I didn’t even know that kind of s–t was available. When it happened, it just happened.”