Wesley Snipes (INTERVIEW)
Wesley
Snipes
"The
Player” Interview
with
Kam Williams
Wesley
Snipes is perhaps best known for his role as Blade, the human with
vampire genes based on the title character from the comic book
trilogy of the same name. The veteran thespian has an impressive
pedigree and a resume' with movies which have grossed over $415
million combined at the box office.
A
master in the martial arts, Wesley was born in Orlando and got his
big career break in 1986 when he landed a role in opposite Goldie
Hawn in Wildcats. He subsequently appeared in an episode of the hit
TV-series Miami Vice, and a year later was cast by Martin Scorsese in
Michael Jackson's music video "Bad."
Larger
roles quickly followed, including co-starring turns in such films as
Passenger 57, Demolition Man, Money Train, The Fan, Rising Sun, New
Jack City, White Men Can't Jump and To Wong Foo, Thanks for
Everything! Julie Newmar. Among his additional TV credits are outings
on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, America's Dream and The Bernie
Mac Show.
Wesley
has won a couple of NAACP Image Awards (for New Jack City and
America's Dream). And on August 21, 1998, he had his star added to
the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Here,
Wesley talks about his recurring role as Mr. Johnson on The Player,
the new NBC drama airing Thursdays at 10 pm ET/PT. (Check local
listings)
Kam
Williams: Hey,
thanks for another interview. I appreciate having the opportunity.
Wesley
Snipes:
Good
morning. Good morning, Kam. I appreciate what you do, too.
KW:
What interested you in The Player?
WS:
Well,
first of all, the interesting opportunity to get into the television
game, and to work with some talented people behind the scenes,
producers who have a track record of success, particularly in a genre
that I'm attracted to. And then they sent me one of the better action
scripts that I'd read in a long time in which I get to play a cool
boss of bosses.
KW:
Yeah,
it looks like it has feature film quality action sequences.
WS:
It's a heck of an undertaking,
but that's definitely our goal. Where we may not have a lot of
quantity, we at least have high quality. and some great, great plot
twists. some of the things they have planned this season are really
exciting for me as a film actor.
KW:
Tell me
a little about Mr. Johnson, the pit boss?
WS:
He's
the kind of friend you'd love to have. He's the guy with the best
connections, the best hook-ups, the best arrangements. He always has
the box seats and the courtside seats... He knows where the body's
at, but keeps his mouth shut, and can help you get rid of it, if
needed.
KW:
Is
there a consistent message that each episode is trying to convey?
WS:
Each
episode would be a stand-alone event that has some carryover from
episode to episode. The underlying message about the various
characters--who they are and what their hidden agendas are--will play
out over time. But the actual game, the actual wager, will stand
alone from week to week.
KW:
How do
you enjoy shooting in Vegas?
WS:
The
idea of being around these individual who have $10 million a night
credit lines is very exciting. Watching this show, we can all live
vicariously and get a sense of what that lifestyle is like.
KW:
Have
you collaborated with any of your fellow cast members before?
WS:
No,
this is my first time working with them.
KW:
Harriet Pakula-Teweles asks: With so many classic films being redone,
is there a remake you'd like to star in?
WS:
[Laughs]
We had a pretty good idea of doing not exactly a remake but an
evolution of The Sting. It would be fun to do something like that
with Woody [Harrelson].
KW:
The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who
you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?
WS:
[LOL] I'd say I'm much more laid back and easygoing at home, and
maybe even funnier. People think of me as a pretty serious guy, but
my family knows me to be fairly whimsical.
KW:
The Uduak Oduok question: Who is your favorite clothes designer?
WS:
For
some reason, the guys and ladies who have Cole in their name seem to
resonate with me: Cole Haan... Kenneth Cole... For some reason, a
Cole always seems to show up.
KW:
The Anthony Mackie question: Is
there
anything that you promised yourself you’d do if you became famous,
that you still haven’t done yet?
WS:
IHmm....
Yes, I promised myself I would take a world tour of all of the
world's best roller coasters,and I still haven't done that.
KW:
The
Judyth Piazza question: Is there a key quality you believe all
successful people share?
WS:
Yes, two: discipline and determination.
KW:
What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your
footsteps?
WS:
[Shouts]
Don't do it! Save yourself![Chuckles] Live a healthy, normal life.
However, if you want to have an exceptional life and want to be an
exceptional man doing exceptional things, being in show business is a
good way to start. But if you want a normal life, no, no, no, don't
even touch this business. Leave this thing alone.
KW:
The
Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?
WS:
I As a
great contributor to humanity through my art.
KW:
AALBC.com
founder Troy Johnson asks: What was the last book you read?
WS:
Good
question. I can't remember, because I've been too bogged down with
scripts to read anything else lately. The last script I read was a
crime thriller.
KW:
The
Pastor Alex Kendrick question: When do you feel the most content?
WS:
Hearing
my children's laughter and after a great workout.
KW:
The Anthony Anderson question: If you could have a superpower, which
one would you choose?
WS:
I'm
going to go with anything that would allow you to control the
elements.
KW:
Like
Storm from the X-Men.
WS:
Yeah, like the warrior side of
Storm.
KW:
Attorney
Bernadette Beekman asks: Do you have a favorite charity?
WS:
Do I have a favorite charity?
No.
KW:
The Rudy Lewis question: Who’s at the top of your hero list?
WS:
Who’s at the top of my hero
list? Man! How far do we want to go back? To job? You talk about a
cat who went through the fire and came through it on the other side.
I admire all the trailblazers on the community and entertainment
level who opened doors and cleared pathways but never got any
recompense or recognition for making great sacrifices. Trailblazers
rarely get any recognition until after they're die, unfortunately.
Things kinda work that way.
KW:
Is
there anything you wish people would note about you?
WS:
That I live by the Golden Rule,
treating others in the way that I'd like to be treated. And that I'm
divinely inspired and in this for spiritual reasons. The money's
always gonna come.
KW:
Was
there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood?
WS:
Oh yeah, I was baptized in
Canaan Baptist Church in Harlem. From there, I went to Mount Zion
Baptist Church down in Orlando, Florida. And then I came to New York.
That's where the brothers on the corner grabbed me and started
teaching me mathematics and pre-mathematics. That was a trip in
itself. [Laughs] Can you imagine studying supreme mathematics and
pre-mathematics while you're studying classical acting and
Aristophanes and Shakespeare with a predominantly-white theater
group? It was a very interesting combination. [Laughs some more]
KW:
What's
the craziest thing you've ever done?
WS:
Get
into the movie business. [LOL]
KW:
Lastly,
what’s in your wallet?
WS:
[Laughs]
A whole bunch of misinformation just in case I lose it.
To
see a trailer for The Player, visit:
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