Frank Fountain: The DaimlerChrysler Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: A “Frank” Chat with a Captain of Industry

W. Frank Fountain is the President of the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, the automobile company’s philanthropic organization. On January 1, 2004, he was also named Senior Vice President, External Affairs and Public Policy (Auburn Hills) of the Chrysler Group. In that capacity, Mr. Fountain is responsible for maintaining and coordinating DaimlerChrysler’s interface with state and local governments across the country.
His other areas of responsibility include Community Relations and National Education Programs. Since joining Chrysler in 1973 as an Investment Analyst, Fountain has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility in Chrysler’s Corporate Controller’s Office, the Treasurer’s Office and Chrysler’s Government Affairs Office in Washington, D.C.
Born in Brewton, Alabama on July 17, 1944, Frank, Jr. was the eldest of Willie Frank and Janie Fountain's seven children. The Fountain family operated a small farm in the town of Tunnel Springs which is where he learned the value of what he refers to as 'working hard and working smart.'
Mr. Fountain holds a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Hampton University, an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, and an honorary doctorate of public service degree from Central Michigan University. Prior to embarking on his illustrious professional career, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Bengal, India, applying the lessons he had learned on his family's farm to aid in the improvement of agricultural techniques.


KW: Hi Frank. Thanks for the time. I don’t know whether you’re aware that you’re speaking with a fellow Wharton alumnus.
FF: Great!
KW: Given your being such an important pillar of the community in Detroit, first off, I have to ask you about your embattled Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick. Do you think he should step down?
FF: Well, Kam, our focus for quite a long time now has been on the economic revitalization of the city. Mayor Kilpatrick’s administration played a significant role in that, as did [his predecessor] Mayor Archer’s administration, along with the business community. I expect that effort to continue. We have good momentum that has been the result of very hard work by all. And we hope that the issues surrounding Mayor Kilpatrick will be resolved. In the meantime, we are focused on continuing the progress that has been contributing to the revitalization of the city.
KW: What did you think when Senator McCain while campaigning in Michigan said that things were going to get worse there before they get better.
FF: Well, Detroit is a tough town. We’ve been through many difficult economic cycles before. What we’re experiencing now, with the housing slump, the sub-prime mortgage crisis and the escalating price of oil, are all issues beyond our control. But we’ve survived many downturns before, and I think the smart money is guessing that we will survive this one.
KW: Many political pundits are suggesting that if Michigan’s Democratic delegates aren’t seated at the convention, the state will definitely go for McCain in November. Do you agree?
FF: No, I think the people of Michigan knew what we were getting into when we voted to change the primary date. So, it’s only fair if the Democratic National Committee is going to enforce what it made clear at the outset. I think we should take our medicine and live with it.
KW: What role did your service in the Peace Corps play in shaping you?
FF: Kam, it had an immense impact on my life. I grew up a poor farm boy in Southwest Alabama who had some sense that the world was bigger and wider than just my little neck of the woods. Being inspired by Dr. Ralph Bunche, the first black person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, I decided to start a career in the foreign service, and I felt that the Peace Corps was the way to do it. I think my life has been richer because of that volunteer effort. It was not well understood at the time by my family and friends, but I would recommend that kind of service to anyone today. Whether international or domestic, there’s no greater reward that one can receive than contributing their blood, sweat and time to their fellow human beings.
KW: What did you do while over there in India?
FF: I was in West Bengal teaching farmers how to grow high-yielding varieties of rice.
KW: Have you been back since the Subcontinent’s economic boom of the last ten years or so?
FF: I have not, Kam, but I have remained involved with the organization and just last week I was informed that on June 19th I am going to be presented the Director’s Award, the American Peace Corps’s highest honor.
KW: Congratulations! You recently presented Spike Lee with Chrysler’s Sixth Annual Behind the Lens Award for excellence in the entertainment industry. Why Spike?
FF: He is one of today’s most prolific and respected artists. He has helped launched the careers of many, including household names like Halle Berry, Samuel L. Jackson and Denzel Washington. Spike has had a major and very positive impact on the film industry and for over 20 years he’s been willing to address issues and stories others have shied away from. So, he was a natural selection for this year’s award.
KW: He’s not too controversial a character for a Fortune 500 corporation?
FF: Well, Spike has certainly been synonymous with thoughtfulness. He’s been provocative, and an activist. We believe that, sometimes, it’s important to make change in society. So, as a good corporate citizen interested in everyone having an opportunity to display and show their talents, we felt Spike Lee deserved this award.
KW: What sort of reception did you receive as a black man upon entering the corporate world after you graduated from Wharton with an MBA in 1973? That must have been a very tough time to try to integrate the white-collar business world.
FF: There certainly weren’t many blacks in corporate America at the time. But as you know very well, Wharton prepares you to go into the corporate world and lead, not just get a job, but to lead. I understood that very well. I’ve never been just a follower. And even though there weren’t any great African-American mentors to hitch my wagon to, I made my way. Whether or not people are standing at the door with welcoming arms, what’s important is that you get in and demonstrate your abilities and earn your rightful recognition and place. That’s what I’ve done at Chrysler, and it’s been a very long and rewarding career.
KW: What was the last book you read?
FF: I must say that I buy books regularly, I have quite a collection, and I’ve started many books, but I can’t remember the last one I got all the way through.
KW: Is there a question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
FF: [Laughs] That’s a great question, but no.
KW: You were on Detroit’s School Board for a number of years. What do you see as the remedy for the low African-American graduation rate we’re witnessing all over the country nowadays?
FF: Kam, I wish I had the answer for that. The answer isn’t just with the kids. It’s also with teachers, the principals, and the parents. And beyond that, it’s with the culture to a certain extent. Most of our young people are being born to single parents. Those statistics are absolutely startling. If you can’t read by the time you’re six years-old, the chances of being able to complete school successfully is very small, and the likelihood of ending up in prison is very great. So, I don’t think it’s poverty per se. If you put a kid in a very caring environment with caring and concerned teachers, he or she is going to learn and have a great chance of breaking out of the cycle. Unfortunately, most of our educational system is a bureaucracy. And the problem isn’t just limited to Detroit. We find it in Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, DC, Los Angeles and elsewhere. In most of these cities, the destinies of black kids are in the hands of black folks. We can no longer point the finger. We may be short of resources in some of our school districts, but we’re not so short as to be unable to teach. There is nothing more important or vital to the black community than making sure that all of our kids get an education. Nothing. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to run, Kam.
KW: Thanks, Frank, for a great chat.
FF: Same here, and I’d be happy to talk to you anytime in the future.
KW: Yeah, we’ll have to do it again.

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Named by Detroit Crain’s as one of the most connected business leaders in Detroit, Frank has given back to the community as a member of many business and professional organizations and by serving on numerous boards of directors, including:

Detroit Public Schools Board of Education (4/99 - 2/03)
Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce – Vice Chair
Museum of African American History
Hudson - Webber Foundation
Michigan Manufacturers Association
Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan
WTVS – Channel 56 (Public Television)
Music Hall
The Wharton School Board of Overseers
Hampton University Board of Trustees - Chair
Metro Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau
Citizens Research Council of Michigan - Chair
International Visitors Council of Metro Detroit
The Detroit Investment Fund
New Detroit – Vice Chair
Dennis W. Archer Foundation
Economic Club of Detroit
Corporate Council on Africa – Vice Chair
Detroit Metro Sports Commission
Africare
Focus Hope Advisory Board
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC) – Past Chair
Mackinac Center for Public Policy Advisory Board
Joint Center for Political & Economic Studies – Vice Chair
Business Council of Alabama

Vivica A. Fox: The Cover/Three Can Play That Game Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: A Fox Named Vivica
Born in South Bend, Indiana on July 30, 1964, Vivica Anjanetta Fox is of both Native and African-American heritage. After graduating from Arlington High School in Indianapolis, she moved to California to attend Golden West College just south of Los Angeles. Since earning an associate’s degree in Social Sciences, she’s embarked on an enviable showbiz career which began with bit roles on such daytime soap operas as Days of Our Lives, the Young and the Restless and Generations.
The 5’7” fashion plate parlayed that success into appearances on sitcoms like The Fresh Prince, Family Matters, Who’s the Boss and Martin. Next, she made the jump to the big screen, landing her big break opposite Will Smith in Independence Day in 1996. She subsequently co-starred in Booty Call, Batman & Robin, Soul Food, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Two Can Play That Game, Kill Bill 1, and Kickin’ It Old Skool.
The beguiling vixen has been picked as one of People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (1997), one of the 10 Sexiest Women by Black Men Magazine (2001), and one of the 40 Hottest Hotties over 40 by VH1 (2005). Here, she talks about her two latest pictures, The Cover, a drama about brothers on the down-low, coming to DVD on 5/13, and Three Can Play That Game, a sequel to her hit battle-of-the-sexes comedy which was released on DVD earlier this year.

KW: What interested you in making Cover, a movie about brothers on the down-low?
VF: I think it’s something that’s been a little taboo in the African-American community. And also, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to work with [director] Bill Duke.and some of the other actors who got involved with the project.
KW: Do you think you’d be as supportive of your best friend in real-life as your character was of Aunjanue Ellis’ in this picture?
VF: I try to be a supportive and real friend who would look out for her and tell her the truth.
KW: What do you think a young black woman should learn to do from this film to prevent this from happening to her?
VF: I definitely hope that she would always be inquisitive. If your womanly instinct tells you something ain’t right, girl, check it out. Sometimes, we have a tendency to trust, especially if you’ve been with a man a long time. But you might just want to follow your instincts to make sure that everything is alright.
KW: Especially given the high HIV+ rate among married African-American females.
VF: Yeah, Bill gave me that incredible stat. So, I say, practice safe sex, and look out for yourself first at all times.
KW: Well, Mr. Duke deserves some praise for tackling a taboo subject in making a movie that was long overdue.
VF: It was enlightening and eye opening, wasn’t it?
KW: Yep.
VF: And scary, but it made you think. That’s why we’re hoping that the word of mouth will spread on this and that people will want to check it out. It has really good acting as well as being very informative.
KW: Have you become aware of anyone being on the down-low in your personal circles?
VF: I have a lot of friends who are in the fashion and entertainment industries, in general. One of the reasons why I like having what I call my gay boyfriends is because they can warn you and keep you in the loop.
KW: Why did Three Can Play That Game go straight to video?
VF: I was disappointed because it was totally funny and really good, and had a built-in audience. But as one of the film’s producers, I was glad that I got the sequel done, and got to employ some African-American actors that I hadn’t had a chance to work with.
KW: What would say are the elements of success?
VF: Dedication, persistence and professionalism.
KW: The Columbus Short question. Are you happy?
VF: Yeah, I’m in a good space in my life right now.
KW: The “Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan question. Where in L.A. do you live?
VF: I live in The Valley.
KW: Thanks for the time, Vivica.
VF: You are so welcome, and spread the word.

Zoë Saldana: The Blackout/Vantage Point Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Zooming in on Zoë

Zoë Yadira Zaldaña Nazario was born in New Jersey on June 19, 1978, but raised in Queens till her father died in a car accident when she was ten. At that point, her immigrant mother moved the family back to the Dominican Republic where Zoe enrolled in an elite ballet academy.
She returned to America for her junior year of high school, which is when she developed an interest in acting, although she also had to take a part-time job at Burger King. After making a well-received screen debut in a Center Stage, a ballet-driven ensemble drama, Zoe landed lead roles opposite the likes of Kirsten Dunst in Get Over It, Britney Spears in Crossroads, Nick Cannon in Drumline, Tom Hanks in The Terminal, Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean and Bernie Mac in Guess Who.
Here, the rising young star shares her thoughts about Blackout, Vantage Point and some of her upcoming films.

KW: Hey, Zoë, thanks so much for the time.
ZS: Of course, absolutely!
KW: What interested you in Blackout and in playing Claudine?
ZS: Well, as a New Yorker, I’d been there during the blackout. So, when I read Jerry’s [writer/director Jerry LaMothe] script, I just felt like it was pretty much right on with all the things that had happened. And it felt like a grounded script where the characters were very real and tangible. The story between Claudine and James itself, about two people trying to make it work after being left traumatized by 9/11, and experiencing setbacks, seemed so normal to me. So, it felt really good.
KW: What was it like for you during the actual Blackout of 2003?
ZS: I was caught with my entire family in the City [Manhattan], and the girls and I were going to go on like a spa day, and all of a sudden everything just turned off. We were uptown, at like 55th and Park, and we had to walk from there all the way to Forest Hills. It was kinda crazy.
KW: What do you see as the basic idea behind Blackout?
ZS: It was inspired by real events that happened, so it’s designed to show how people deal with pressure in different ways. How some people just break, some take advantage of other human beings, and others are helpful and become completely sympathetic to the less fortunate.
KW: Would you consider Center Stage as your breakout film?
ZS: Well, it was my first movie. It gave me a taste of what it was I could be doing in this business. And I really saw myself doing it, and I kinda liked it.
KW: How did so many great roles immediately start coming to you one after the other in blockbusters like Drumline, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Terminal and Guess Who?
ZS: I think it’s a combination of having a good team behind you, fighting for you, and continuing working on your craft. I like to study, even when I’m not preparing for a role. I think it’s very important. It just keeps you on your toes.
KW: I think even some of your smaller movies, like Premium have been great. I thought that was a charming little love story.
ZS: I’m glad you liked it.
KW: How did you enjoy making Vantage Point surrounded by such a stellar cast?
ZS: What do you think? I was blown away by [director] Pete Travis and by the opportunity to work with all these amazing actors, primarily Forest [Whitaker], William Hurt, Dennis Quaid and Sigourney Weaver. But I was so looking forward to working with this director after seeing a film he did called Omagh. I was so impressed with his touch, how he’s able to make things feel so real without altering anything.
KW: Yes, I loved Omagh, a very moving Irish film about the aftermath of an IRA bombing. I gave it four stars. I see that you’ll be playing Lieutenant Uhura in the next Star Trek movie. Did you discuss the role with Nichelle Nichols, the actress who originated the role?
ZS: Yes, I did meet her, and I was so humbled to have met such an icon. She’s an amazing woman and a strong human being. That was very interesting, as was working with Leonard Nimoy [the original Mr. Spock]. I felt like the entire cast and myself were honored to be filling in the shoes of the original [Starship] Enterprise [cast]. We really hope we don’t disappoint.
KW: Given all the loyal Trekkies, I’d guess that you’ve got a guaranteed hit on your hands. What about The Skeptic which you made with Tom Arnold?
ZS: Oh, yes, that was fun. I made that almost three years ago. I kinda wish for the movie to come out, but we’re still keeping our fingers crossed.
KW: You’ve worked with Spielberg in the past, and now you’re working with another Oscar-winning director, James Cameron, in Avatar. Are you in the process of filming that one now?
ZS: We actually filmed it all last year, and yes, we’re going to come back and do some pick up shots later on this Spring. But it’s going marvelously. He such an amazing director. It’s been a great experience.
KW: Do you still make your home in New York or have you moved to Los Angeles?
ZS: I live in L.A. now.
KW: Where in L.A. do you live?
ZS: [Giggles] I’d rather not say.
KW: Nosy Jimmy Bayan, “Realtor to the Stars” wants to know just the general neighborhood.
ZS: I’m a very private person. You know that. I live in an area where there are too many New Yorkers, and I’m so happy about that.
KW: Can you still go to the mall or the movie theater like a regular person?
ZS: Of course I can.
KW: The Columbus Short question: Would you describe yourself as happy?
ZS: Yeah. I like that question.
KW: Well, thanks again for the interview. I’ve loved your work thusfar, and I’m eager to see what’s in store.
ZS: Thank you so much. Have a good day.

Justice Smith: The American Gladiators Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Gladiator Justice

Jesse “Justice” Smith can be caught kicking butt and taking names on the revitalized, classic reality series “American Gladiators.” One of the show’s most feared competitors ever, he looms at 6’8” tall while weighing-in at almost 300 lbs with 22” biceps.
Justice is the only Gladiator to use his or her real name on the program which airs Mondays at 8 PM (ET/PT) on NBC. As with the original, the spectacular features such familiar events as The Joust, The Wall, Hang Tough and the Eliminator, although adding splashy twists, special effects, water skills and some state-of the-art technology.
Justice will also be seen in a supporting role in two independent features in 2008. One is The Mannsfield 12, a story about a dozen black inmates who go into business with their warden by bringing drugs and contraband into their prison. The second, Beyond the Ring, is based on the true story of Andre Lima, a Brazilian fighter on a mission to save his daughter’s life. Justice plays Zulu, the reigning Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champion.
When not acting or gladiating, Justice enters MMA contests in the Super Heavyweight division. A black belt in Tae Kwon Do, which he has been studying for the last 15 years, he is known for his trademark move, the “Flying Knees.” While he loves MMA, he doesn’t want to fight for a living. What he loves about it is the focus and passion it brings to his life in a mental and fitness capacity.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Justice was an Army brat raised in Columbia, South Carolina until the age of ten when his father was transferred to Germany. It was also around this time when he first saw Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Conan the Barbarian. He asked his mother for weights for Christmas and the rest is muscle beach history.
After the family returned to Columbia, Justice became one of the nation’s most highly-recruited college basketball prospects. But tragedy struck before he committed, when his cousin, Rodney, died taking a gangsta’s bullet meant for him. Shell-shocked, he was unable to focus on his budding basketball career or anything else for a long time.

On the home front, Justice loves to spend quality time with his wife Daisey, his 7 year old son, also named Justice, their French Bulldog, Bruno, 6 fish and 4 frogs. He also loves to fish and to ride his mountain bike. Because he loves to donate his time to any causes that help kids, it’s no surprise that high on his agenda is to give back to the community.

KW: Hi Justice, thanks for the interview.
JS: Hey What’s up bro!
KW: What interested you in doing American Gladiators?
JS: The money and fame. Ha-ha! Just kidding! It was a show that I watched as a kid, and I wanted to be a part of it.
KW: What type of diet and exercise regimen do you have to follow to stay in this great shape?
JS: I really don’t follow a strict diet, I just watch my fat intake and stay away from fried foods.
KW: How much wear and tear does the weekly tapings take out on your body?
JS: Well, me being a superhero, it does not do too much wear and tear on my body, ha-ha! Naw, sometimes I will get my fingers jammed or twist my ankle, but other than that I keep it moving.
KW: Do you enjoy this better than acting?
JS: They both are different, challenge-wise. The competitive side of me is really enjoying it, but there are two different sides to me. The acting is more of a challenge for me because it is something that I have to develop, whereas being a Gladiator comes more natural, and I love the physical challenge. But ultimately, acting and being a Gladiator are definitely two different animals.
KW: Have you ever gotten hurt while filming the show?
JS: I have gotten hurt, but pretty much I do the hurting! [LOL]
KW: Are you surprised by the show’s popularity?
JS: Definitely, I am. I was not thinking about the show’s success when I started, I was only thinking about the honor to be a part of it. I am still stunned by the fact that people will tune in every week to watch me compete. I am still shocked when people come up to me and tell me that I am their favorite.
KW: Have you ever watched the Japanese television show, Ninja Warrior?
JS: Yes I have.
KW: Would you consider tackling the Ninja warrior obstacle course?
JS: Yes! But it would be a piece of cake for an American Gladiator.
KW: Were you a fan of the original American Gladiators?
JS: Yes.
KW: Who was your favorite gladiator?
JS: Gemini
KW: I read about how at 6’8’ your had some promise as a basketball phenom while in college, but that you lost interest when your cousin was shot and killed while saving your life in an ambush Tell me about the incident.
JS: Well, my cousin was my best friend and we were very close and I looked up to him. I admired everything about him. I think about him everyday, and he is one of the reasons that I do what I do. He saved my life.
KW: Is the perpetrator behind bars?
JS: He did 18 months and was freed on good behavior because he had a family member in the judicial system in Columbia, South Carolina.
KW: How long were you traumatized by the tragedy?
JS: At least 10 years, being haunted by nightmares. I was unable to watch any type of violent programming.
KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?
JS: Very happy.

KW: “Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan wants to know where in L.A. you live.
JS: I live in Torrance, CA
KW: Bookworm Troy Johnson is curious about the last book you read.
JS: Don’t’ Start the Revolution Without Me! written by Jesse Ventura
KW: I got this question from Tasha Smith: Are you ever afraid?
JS: Sometimes…what am I afraid of? [Laughs]
KW: Is there a question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
JS: What motto do you live by?
KW: Okay, what motto d you live by?
JS: “Freedom or death!” and the truth shall set you free.
KW: What do you do to unwind?
JS: Watch movies, play video games, meditate, research online.
KW: Who are you supporting for President?
JS: Barack Obama.
KW: When did you know you know you wanted to be in showbiz?
JS: Ever since I was a kid. Everything that I am doing now is what I wanted to do as a kid.
KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
JS: Stay focused and stay determined. Don’t look to anyone else to be your determination, have self determination; it will take you very far.
KW: Do you have a website?
JS: Yes, www.themanjustice.com, but it’s under construction.
KW: Do you answer your fan mail?
JS: I haven’t seen any fan mail yet. Please send some!
KW: How do you want to be remembered?
JS: I want to be remembered as someone like Mohammad Ali. He was not just a fighter he was a freedom fighter.
KW: Thanks again for the interview, and best of luck with all your endeavors.
JS: Thank you.

Leelee Sobieski: The 88 Minutes Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Leelee’s Back!

Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta Sobieski was born in NYC on June 10, 1983 to American writer Elizabeth Salomon, and French painter Jean Sobieski. Soon after being discovered by a casting director in her grammar school cafeteria, she got her start at the age of ten in the made for TV movie Reunion. After a well-received outing in the feature film Jungle 2 Jungle, Leelee was catapulted to superstardom as a teenager on the strength of memorable performances in such blockbusters as Deep Impact, Never Been Kissed, A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries and Eyes Wide Shut.
In 2000, she landed a Golden Globe nomination for her critically-acclaimed work in the title role as Joan of Arc. And she subsequently starred in Here on Earth, My First Mister, Joy Ride and Glass House before taking a break from showbiz to attend Brown University.
The brainy beauty bears a striking resemblance to Helen Hunt, which explains why the two were pitted against each other on the claymation TV series Celebrity Deathmatch. Leelee has recently returned to acting in grand style, landing lead roles opposite Jason Statham in In the Name of the King, Nicolas Cage in The Wicker Man, and now Al Pacino in 88 Minutes.
Here, she talks about life, career and her latest film.

KW: Hey, Leelee, thanks for the interview.
LS: Sure, how’re you doing?
KW: I don’t know if you remember that I’m friends with Peter and Janet who helped me get my first time interview with you.
LS: Yes, I know.
KW: At the time, you were a very rebellious teenager, probably a junior in high school. And you kept repeatedly challenging me with, “Ask me anything! Ask me anything!” But your being so young, I wasn’t going to cross any lines.
LS: Oh, really? Maybe I’m conservative now. We’ll have to see.
KW: You know, my son is a freshman at Princeton, and he lives in the same dorm as your brother, Robert. I heard you were on campus last week to see him perform in a play.
LS: Yeah.
KW: I also heard that you’re a big fan of Nina Simone. Is that true?
LS: I am. I even named my dog Nina Azie Simone Sobieski.


KW: What are some of your favorite songs of hers?
LS: Here Comes the Sun… Sugar in My Bowl… Mosquito's Tweeter… Pretty much every single one of her songs I find so touching. I just heard a Nina Simone rendition of I Get Along without You Very Well, which is one of my favorite tunes by Chet Baker. I didn’t know how I’d feel about her version, even though I love Nina Simone unconditionally, since I liked Chet’s so much. But then I fell in love with Nina’s, as well. It’s beautiful.
KW: Sounds like you’re heavily into jazz.
LS: I do like jazz.
KW: Too bad you weren’t in town long enough too see the Princeton Jazz Band’s joint concert with Juilliard. Your friend, piano prodigy Julia Brav, was tremendous, and the group even played one of her original compositions.
LS: I would love to have heard that.
KW: How did you enjoy Brown University?
LS: I loved it. I had a wonderful time when I was there.
KW: I graduated from Brown in ’75, but I doubt that any of the professors I studied English with are still there.
LS: I thought you went to Princeton. Did you have any classes with Forrest Gander?
KW: No, he wasn’t there yet. Let me ask you about the movie. How’d you enjoy making 88 Minutes?
LS: I had a great time. I play an interesting character, so I was kind of focused on that.
KW: Did you model your character, Lauren, after anyone?
LS: No, I didn’t model her after anybody. I just went to strange places in my brain.
KW: And how was it working with Al Pacino?
LS: It was a great honor. I don’t know who wouldn’t want to work with Pacino.
KW: It’s a twisty mystery. What would you liken it to?
LS: I wouldn’t liken it to anything? I don’t know. What would you liken it to?
KW: I agree. It’s unique and tough to pigeonhole.
KW: What type of audience do you think the picture will find?
LS: It’s a suspense popcorn movie. I think you should like go with your friends, and have fun.
KW: Last year, when I saw you in In a Dark Place, it sort of took my breath away, because you definitely made the jump from girl to woman with all the nudity in that picture. And now I see that you’re playing a dominatrix in Walk All Over Me.
LS: I’m actually more of a girl in this than I was in in In a Dark Place. I’m just really innocent. I’m not good at being a dominatrix. It’s more goofy with kind of fun sexy bits in it, but they’re not serious or at all risqué.
KW: From just reading a capsule, it sounded risqué.
LS: There’s no nudity in it, really, except for a male tush, I think. The only reason it’s rated R is because of a few curse words. Otherwise, it could be PG-13.
KW: I see that the movie you made with Jason Statham, In the name of the King, just came out on video this week. How did you enjoy doing that one?
LS: Oh, I had a great time making that. Afterall, I was playing a princess with magic powers.
KW: Do you have any plans to make another film in France, since you’re fluent in the language, and enjoyed so much success over there with A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries.
LS: Yeah, I would love to. It just hasn’t happened at the exact moment, but I definitely want to do more work in France, for sure.
KW: What movies do you have on the horizon?
LS: Night Train is with Danny Glover and Steve Zahn. It’s going to be creepy with a Hitchcock kind of vibe. I think it’s going to be really cool, but I haven’t even done the ADR [Additional Dialogue Recording] for that one yet. And I got a call from my director [Julie Davis] last night on Finding Bliss which is a romantic comedy that I just finished. She told me that she saw the first rough cut of the film, and that it looked so great. So, I’m super excited about that.
KW: Sounds good. Bookworm Troy Johnson wants to know: What was the last book you read?
LS: What was the last book I read? I read a script only yesterday, but I can’t even remember the title. I’m just awful with names. This is my problem. I think the title of the last book I read was Miss Lonelyhearts, but I’m not sure.
KW: Is there a question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
LS: A question that nobody asks me… No, there are all different types of reporters, and they usually ask fairly good questions. There are some questions that get repeated a lot, but I’m asked really good things most of the time. I feel like I’m perceived as being much more serious than I am. I’m more of a goofball. I’m sillier, not sillier in a bad way, but sillier in a good way. I think that when I do interviews, I always try to be cautious about what I’m saying, because I’m so silly that my words can be spun around so easily and sound totally the wrong way when I really just mean something harmless. So, I think I’m cautious when I’m doing interviews, which makes me seem much more serious, but that’s just because I’m being careful.
KW: That triggers my memory. The last time I interviewed, you were writing poetry and I published one of your poems along with the interview. Are you still writing poetry?
LS: Not as much. I’ve just been focusing on my work lately, work and life. And I’ve started painting again, and that’s been really wonderful. I’d stopped for a little while.
KW: Oils or acrylic?
LS: In acrylic.
KW: What style?
LS: Totally abstract, kind of like Kandinsky, maybe.
KW: Interesting. Did you see the documentary, The Cool School, about the L.A. school of modern artists who emerged in the Fifties. It’s great. It just came out a couple of weeks ago.
LS: No I didn’t. I’ll go check that out.
KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?
LS: Yes. That’s a great question. I think that happiness is a very strange thing. And we really feel that we have a right to this happiness. But I feel like it’s constantly fluctuating, and that you can make yourself happy. I think it’s an outlook. Having a positive attitude probably sounds like a corny thing to say, but a positive attitude really helps, and respecting your job really helps, and having the support of your family and friends really helps.
KW: Is working on a movie set a lot easier for you as an adult than it was for you as a child actress, especially if the real you was a little goofy, and not so serious?
LS: I’m still not very serious on the set. I mean, I can be very serious, but I can also be very silly on the set, because I work really well when people around me are relaxed. Sometimes, there has to be a certain amount of tension to carry a film, but it’s important to me that the crew that’s working around me feels happy. And for that to happen, I need them to feel appreciated. Sometimes, that just involves being like one of the kids and hanging out and laughing with the crew. It depends on the character I’m playing. Last time, I did this romantic comedy, and I need this upbeat energy, and I kind of kept that energy going all day long. Then I would get home and be serous and crash. But on set, I was super light and goofy.
KW: Are you living more in L.A. or in New York now?
LS: I’m back and forth.
KW: Are you willing to say where in L.A. you live?
LS: Sure, I live in the Hollywood Hills?
KW: I’m asking on behalf of “Realtor to the Stars,” Jimmy Bayan.
LS: Is he a good realtor?
KW: Absolutely! Do you need one? The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?
LS: Yes, all the time. But “afraid” is such a big word. I feel like fear sometimes comes from caring. When you care about something so much, then you’re afraid to fail, to not do well, to not do your best. But all that just comes from caring. Do I get scared of things that go “Boo!” in the night, too? Yeah, I like scream so loud. When I go to a horror film, I’m the one that screams so loud that everybody jumps. I think they should pay me to sit in the theater, because I either make the movie seem five times scarier or five times funnier, one or the other, because my screams are so ridiculous. So, I get scared like that easily.
KW: It reminds me of when I saw The Producers starring Nathan Lane. The guy sitting behind me had such a booming, infectious laugh that he had me laughing all through. I ended up giving it four stars and putting it on my Top Ten List because it came out in December. Meanwhile, the rest of the critics were calling it a big flop.
LS: [Laughs] That’s so funny. That really affects you so, so much. I find that, unless they’re drunk, people generally don’t laugh out loud, because your laugh can sound pretty silly or strange if you really just let it go. Yet when you hear somebody else laugh, you automatically feel really warm and good, and so I’ve liberated my laugh. [Laughs] It’s really loud and annoying, but I do it all the time. Laughter and smiling… those things are important. One of my best girlfriends is a clown, and she goes all over the place, to Africa and Mexico, and just tries to bring people joy, and it’s really beautiful.
KW: Laughter is very healing.
LS: Yeah, it puts the center of your body in your heart. If you’re having a bad day, and you feel like your head is leaning far ahead of your body because your brain feels so heavy or so full, if you kind of readjust and move your center down a little tiny bit, and switch it to in your chest and move your shoulders back and put it in your heart, that changes your disposition.
KW: That sounds pretty spiritual. Are you into meditation or something?
LS: Not really. I’m a modern meditator. I meditate with really loud hip-hop on an elliptical machine.
KW: Well, I appreciate the time, Leelee. I know you’re very busy.
LS: Yeah, I’m in a crazy situation right now. I’m at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. My premiere is in a few hours, so I’m kind of stressed, actually.
KW: I didn’t realize that. Sorry for holding you so long. I’ll let you go.
LS: No, no, no, that’s fine. You know, the keys to the hotel rooms here have Al Pacino and the 88 Minutes poster on them. So, when you put your key into the door, they have Al’s face on it.
KW: My niece, Adrienne Augustus, is a TV reporter for CBS in Las Vegas. She might be covering the premiere. Tell her I said hi.
LS: I will. Adrienne Augustus. How could I forget that name?
KW: Thanks again and good luck tonight!
LS: Thank you so much.

Jeffrey Wright: The Blackout Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Wright on Time

Jeffrey Wright was born on December 7, 1965 in Washington, DC where he was raised by his mother, an attorney, with the help of her sister, a nurse, following the untimely death of his father when he was still a baby. After attending a prep school, Jeffrey enrolled at Amherst College, discovering his love for the stage on his way to completing work for a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
Next, he earned a scholarship to NYU’s prestigious film school, but dropped out after only two months to pursue a professional acting career. In 1994, the gifted thespian won a Tony Award for his spellbinding performance as “Belize” in Tony Kushner’s award-winning Broadway play “Angels in America.”
A couple of years later, Wright would enjoy his breakout role on the big screen as the title character in Basquiat. The versatile scene-stealer has since made innumerable memorable appearances, mostly as a second banana in such flicks as Shaft, Ali, Syriana, The Manchrian Candidate, Casino Royale, Lackawanna Blues and The Invasion.
As for his private life, Jeffrey is married to Carmen Ejogo, the Scottish-Nigerian actress he met on the set of Boycott, where they played Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. The couple lives I Brooklyn which is where they are raising their two children. Here, he takes about his latest film, Blackout, recently released on DVD, a drama revisiting the chaos and looting which erupted in East Flatbush during the Great Blackout of 2003. .

KW: Jeffrey, thanks so much for the time.
JW: Thank you.
KW: Well, there are a million things I’d like to talk to you about. Let me start by asking you what interested you in Blackout?
JW: It was a film about my neighborhood, essentially. I live a bike ride away from Flatbush in Brooklyn. So, it was an opportunity to tell a story that was close to home. It was also an opportunity for me to experience the blackout, since I was out of the country when it actually went down. And I had heard nothing about this side of the New York story. Where I was, it was all reported as Chianti and Kumbaya. So, that things had gone down was news to me. In fact, when [director] Jerry LaMothe first approached me about the project, I went online to see what I could dig up, and couldn’t find any references to it. But going over to the neighborhood and talking to the folks about it, I learned that it had been a very different story for them than had been presented through the mainstream media. So, this particular story represented in many ways how the lives and experiences of certain sectors of the American population go unnoticed. And it allowed us, as actors, to shed light on a story that might otherwise remain in the darkness.
KW: The picture shows how an already disadvantaged community’s troubles can be further amplified by a disaster.
JW: Sure… sure… I’ll tell you, I’ve rarely been on a film set that melted so organically into the location in which it was being shot. Folks who happened to be walking down the street ended up in the movie. While we were shooting in the barber shop, guys came in and got haircuts. I even offered to cut a few, but didn’t get any takers. [Laughs] So there was an authenticity about it that was really special. But at the same time, what I came to understand as well is that there’s a volatility in that particular section of Brooklyn which would only, as you say, require an incident like the blackout to really spark something.
KW: I think of you in the same light as the equally-underrated Christian Bale, as two of the best actors never nominated for an Oscar. Whenever I watch you at work, you’re always quite extraordinary.
JW: Well, thank you. Some of it’s okay.
KW: When did you develop an interest in acting?
JW: It wasn’t until my senior year of college that I really seriously pursued it, and I’ve been trying to escape the business ever since. [Chuckles]
KW: Why did you leave NYU after only a couple of months.
JW: I had an opportunity to do a Lorraine Hansberry play, so I took it. But I also left because I felt that I would better serve my craft by actually getting out and working, and digging my skills out of the boards of the stage, rather than within the safety of the classroom.
KW: Do you prefer working on the stage? Obviously, making movies pay a lot more.
JW: Yeah, that’s an attraction of film work, but the stage is satisfying in a different way. It’s harder work, but most importantly, you have more control over the final output on the stage, because there’s no one filtering what you do for the audience. There’s a certain freedom and fulfillment in directly communicating with the audience that you don’t find in film work. But they each have their own challenges, and I derive enjoyment from both. But, yes, I think I have a preference for the stage.
KW: You’ve played a lot of famous figures: Basquiat, Bobby Seale, Martin Luther King, Sidney Bechet, and you’ll be portraying a couple more soon in Colin Powell and Muddy Waters. How do you feel about being tapped to do so many icons?
JW: Basquiat was iconic in certain circles, but relatively unknown in larger circles. What was exciting about playing him was that it could be an invitation to a larger audience to his work. So, that was compelling to me. In the case of Dr. King, it was an opportunity to do a piece about an icon, yes, but about an icon whose legacy was being lost on younger folks. It was a chance to remind those who weren’t alive at the time about his work and his life.
KW: Why haven’t you relocated to Los Angeles?
JW: Why haven’t I? Hmmm… It’s a nice place to visit. [Laughs] I grew up in a one industry town, Washington, DC. Los Angeles is a one-industry town, too, but the industry is a little too narrow. Also, I have kids now, and Brooklyn, in my opinion, is a far superior community to raise them in than L.A., just in terms of their being overshadowed by movies and things like that. And there’s a lot more to the world than spotlights.
KW: Is there a question you always wished a journalist would ask you?
JW: That’s a good question, but no.
KW: Are you happy?
JW: That’s a good one, too. I used to say that “happy” was like “lucky,” kind of imaginary. But now that I’m married and have children, I find that happiness is a real space. And I have to say that I am happy, although I’m probably pulled in too many different directions sometimes, and more stressed than I should be about things. But I’m blessed with a beautiful family, and that’s all I can ask for.
KW: It must be very challenging for an actor and an actress to be married.
JW: Yes, a lot of drama.
KW: Thanks again for the interview, Jeffrey. I’m looking forward to your landing that Oscar nomination in the near future.
JW: Well, Kam, thank you very much. I appreciate it.

Angela Bassett: The Meet the Browns Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Angela Gets Her Groove Back

Born in New York City, but raised by her single-mom, Betty, along with her sister, D’nette, in St. Petersburg, Florida, Angela Evelyn Bassett studied acting at Yale University, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in African-American Studies and a Master’s in Theater. She began her professional career on stage, performing both on and off-Broadway in productions of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Colored People’s Time,” “Henry IV, Part I,” “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” “Antigone,” “Pericles” and “Black Girl.”

Angela later landed what might be described as her breakout role as Reva Devereaux in John Singleton’s BOYZ N THE HOOD, and she received additional critical acclaim for her moving performance as matriarch Katherine Jackson in the ABC mini-series “The Jacksons: An American Family.” Nominated for an Oscar in 1994 for her unforgettable portrayal of Tina Turner in WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT, Angela is also a thirteen -time NAACP Image Award-nominee, winning for that picture along with THE ROSA PARKS STORY, SUNSHINE STATE, THE SCORE, HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK, MUSIC OF THE HEART, WAITING TO EXHALE, RUBY’S BUCKET OF BLOOD and MALCOLM X..

The embodiment of dignity, pride and grace, she invariably electrifies audiences via her emotionally-charged characterizations. Away from the set, with her husband, actor Courtney B. Vance, she co-wrote FRIENDS: A LOVE STORY, a best-seller published on Valentine’s Day last year. The inspirational autobiography chronicles the real-life love story of Bassett and Vance, who were friends for many years before marrying.

In 2006, the couple became parents, celebrated the arrival of twins, daughter Bronwyn Golden and son Slater Josiah. Here, Angela talks about life, career and her new movie, Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns, where she stars opposite former NBA star Rick Fox.


KW: Hi Angela, this is an honor. Thanks for the time.
AB: Sure.
KW: How was it being directed by Tyler Perry?
AB: It was great, even though there were some long, hot days in Atlanta. [Chuckles] But, they weren’t long enough.
KW: How about working with Rick Fox?
AB: It was absolutely delightful. He was a joy to work with.
KW: Even though you’re such an accomplished actress, and he didn’t have nearly the same amount of experience?
AB: That’s true enough, but he has life experience, and he certainly brought all of himself to the moment. He wasn’t afraid of hard work, and he was open and emotionally available. So, he won me over as a co-star.
KW: Where did you channel your character from? Have you ever known a single-mom at the end of her rope like Brenda?
AB: Oh, absolutely! My mom raised my sister and me single-handedly in Florida. So, day-to-day, I saw the struggles of doing it on your own without help, and how tired that makes you, and the dreams and aspirations you have for your children.
I know that she pushed us in regard to getting our education, finding advocates in our principals and teachers at school.
KW: And she was quite successful, given your graduating from Yale.
AB: Yeah, it was a wonderful victory and accomplishment for her, especially since she wasn’t able to go to college herself. Education was something stressed almost to my chagrin growing up, at times. Since we were toddlers, she stressed, “You’re going to college! You’re going to college! You’re going to college!” So, it was a happy moment for her.
KW: I can remember how my mother always made me finish my homework before I was allowed to go out to play.
AB: Yeah, all that extra-curricular stuff came to a screeching halt, if your grades weren’t up to par. And par was at least Bs or better. If you wanted to keep your good thing going, then you took care of your job, and that was getting those grades together.
KW: What sort of message do you want people to get from Meet the Browns?
AB: To persevere and keep on moving forward. Just put one foot in front of the other, whatever the obstacles may be. Hold out for hope, because you will turn a corner and find a situation that’s a whole lot better.
KW: Is there any question that no one has ever asked that you wished someone would ask you?
AB: Oh no, no question’s been off-limits. [Laughs] I can’t say I’ve ever thought to myself, “Oh, I wished they’d ask me this or that.”
KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?
AB: Ecstatic!
KW: “Are you ever afraid?” I got that question from Tasha Smith.
AB: Oh really? Am I ever afraid? Oh, yeah, absolutely. I’m human, so...
KW: Who are you supporting for president?
AB: Barack Obama.
KW: Jimmy Bayan, “Realtor to the Stars,” wants to know where in L.A. you live.
AB: Hancock Park.
KW: Congrats on your many NAACP Image Awards. You might not know that I’m on the nominating committee.
AB: Oh, are you? I wondered who voted. Where are you based?
KW: I’m in Princeton, New Jersey. You have quite an impressive body of work. Which of your roles has been the most satisfying?
AB: I love all my “children” but I would have to say What’s Love, because it was the most challenging and the most fulfilling, because it resonated with so many people, and because it has stood the test of viewing again and again. It was the role that pushed me and pulled me more than any other.
KW: You’ve been everyone from Tina to Katherine Jackson to Betty Shabazz to Rosa Parks in bio-pics. Do you enjoy playing real-life icons?
AB: Yeah, I absolutely do, and I’m always humbled and I’m grateful for each opportunity.
KW: Have you ever gotten any feedback from a person you’ve portrayed?
AB: Yes, Tina was very, very pleased. I got very positive feedback from her.
KW: How about Rosa Parks?
AB: I was able to meet her, but she was elderly at the time, and had other priorities in her life. I also got positive feedback from Katherine and her children, and from Betty Shabazz and her family.
KW: Do you have any plans to work with your husband soon?
AB: We did a play a couple of years ago, His Girl Friday. And we’re always holding that out as a possibility.
KW: I hope to be able to catch you and Courtney again up on the screen. Well, thanks for the time, Angela, and good luck with Meet the Browns.
AB: Thank you so very much.

Keith Robinson: The Canterbury’s Law Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Keith on Call

Born Kentucky, but raised in Georgia, Keith Robinson is a dynamic and multi-talented actor/singer/songwriter who can be seen on the new FOX drama premiering in April called “Canterbury’s Law.” The show is a courtroom drama starring Julianna Margulies as an iconoclastic defense attorney who's willing to bend the law in order to protect the wrongfully accused. Keith plays Chester Grant, a congressman's son who’s embarrassed by his privileged upbringing and has turned his back on politics. The show premieres on FOX in April 2008.
Keith is probably best known for the role of C.C. White in the screen adaptation of Dreamgirls. Keith also performed “Patience,” an Oscar-nominated song from the film with Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce’ and Anika Noni Rose Patience at last year’s Academy Awards. Earlier, he played Bill Cosby in the 2004 hit film Fat Albert.
On television, he met with success in recurring roles on the NBC drama “American Dreams” and FX's critically-acclaimed Iraq war series, “Over There.” He won a 2006 Camie (Character and Morality in Entertainment) Award for his stellar work in “The Reading Room,” an original Hallmark movie starring James Earl Jones.
Youngsters might recognize him as the Green Ranger of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. And most recently, Keith enjoyed a supporting role in the new holiday classic film This Christmas for Sony Screen Gems.
When not on the set, Keith can be fund in the recording studio working on his first solo album, Utopia, which will be released sometime this Summer. The passionate crooner is very excited to be bringing his unique brand of R&B to his fans.

KW: Hi Keith, thanks for the time.
KR: Thank you, thanks for having me.
KW: What interested you in Canterbury’s Law?
KR: It was an edgy law drama that had a unique spin on how they solved the cases.
KW: You play the son of a congressman on the series. Tell me a little about your character.
KR: His name is Chester Grant. He’s a young, focused hotshot lawyer who’s eager to make his mark, somewhat like a young Johnny Cochran. His father is a well-off, crooked politician and they bump heads a lot.
KW: How did you prepare for the role?
KR: I did some reading and watched a lot of episodes of “Matlock” and law shows.
KW: How is working on a TV series different from working on a movie?
KR: A movie is a more creative process. You are not as pressed for time. On a TV series you have more time deadlines and it can be routine, a good routine, but routine.
KW: Your breakout role, I suppose, was as the Green Power Ranger. Do little kids come up to you on the street because of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers?
KR: Little kids do come up to me, but I do not consider that to be my breakout role. I would consider my breakout role to be Dreamgirls.
KW: So are you recognized more as C.C. White from Dreamgirls or as the Green Ranger?
KR: Definitely CC. White.
KW: Were you at all intimidated being surrounded by such a star-studded cast in Dreamgirls, since it included Jennifer, Beyoncé’, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Danny Glover, Loretta Devine, Jaleel ‘Urkel’ White and others?
KR: No. I felt like I was just as qualified. I was honored, but not intimidated.
KW: I know that your debut CD is going to drop this summer. How would you describe the music?
KR: Classic soul with a fuze of hip-hop.
KW: Where can fans go to hear a sample of your singing?
KR: To iTunes, where they can download the single “Red Eye.” Or they can visit my MySpace page at HYPERLINK "http://www.myspace.com/Keithrobinsonofficial" \t "_blank" www.myspace.com/Keithrobinsonofficial
KW: Which do you enjoy more, singing or acting?
KR: I love them both equally.
KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?
KR: Yes, overall.

KW: The “Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan question: Where in L.A. do you live?
KR: I live in The Valley, Chino.
KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?
KR: I just finished Sidney Poitier’s autobiography, The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography.
KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?
KR: Yeah.
KW: Is there a question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
KR: What do you want to be remembered for?
KW: When did you know you know you wanted to be in showbiz?
KR: I think when I was 8 years old. I did a play where I played a rhino and I really dug it. It was on from there.
KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
KR: Never stop believing in yourself, and don’t let anyone discourage you.
KW: Do you answer your fan mail?
KR: Yes, as much as I can.
KW: Thanks again for the interview, Keith, and best of luck with all your endeavors.
KR: Thank you.

Thandie Newton: The Run, Fatboy, Run Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Sweet as Thandie

Born in London on November 6, 1972, Thandiwe Newton spent some of her formative years in Zambia with her Zimbabwean mother, Nyasha, and her British father, Nick. However, political unrest would prompt the family to relocate to England where Thandiwe would attend the University of Cambridge.
After a back injury curtailed her plans for a career in dance, she dropped the “w” from her name when she turned her attention to acting. In 1991, the regal beauty made her screen debut in Flirting, an Australian film featuring another then unknown, Nicole Kidman.
Thandie has since proven herself to be one of the most talented thespians around, delivering very memorable performances in such pictures as Crash, Beloved, Besieged, Jefferson in Paris, Mission: Impossible II and The Pursuit of Happyness. Recently, the versatile actress has even mastered comedy, first as the object of Eddie Murphy’s affection in the $100 million hit Norbit, and now as a pregnant woman left at the altar by Simon Pegg’s character in Run, Fatboy, Run.
As for her private life, Thandie has been married for ten years to writer/director Ol Parker. The couple lives in London where they are raising their two daughters, Ripley, 7, and Nico, 3. Here, she weighs in on everything from family life to her new movie to colorblind casting to the candidacy of Barack Obama.

KW: Hi Thandie, I’m honored to have this opportunity to speak with you.
TN: Really? That’s so lovely.
KW: Absolutely!
TN: Nice. Is Kam short for something?
KW: Funny you should ask. Yes, Kamau, it’s an African name.
TN: Cool!
KW: I was given the name when I was a jazz musician back in the Seventies. We were getting ready to record an album and the leader of the group didn’t want any slave names on the record cover.
TN: Wow!
KW: Over the years, people sort of Anglicized it by dropping the “au” off.
TN: How amazing! “Kam” is gorgeous. I love it. My name, Thandie, is an abbreviation, too, of Thandiwe.
KW: I knew that. And that it means “beloved.” Ironically, Beloved might have been your breakout role.
TN: Yes, I think it probably was.
KW: I also thought you were terrific in your next picture, Besieged.
TN: I loved that film.
KW: Why did you decide to make your second comedy in a row with Run, Fatboy, Run?
TN: Well, I made Norbit, but I still felt that I hadn’t really been involved in a comedy in terms of having the experience of just witnessing comedians at work. Norbit just felt a little claustrophobic. It didn’t have the kind of freedom or camaraderie that I thought a comedy should have. And I was keen to work in England, as I always have been, because my children go to school there. Plus, I’ve been a fan of Simon Pegg’s for a number of years. I love the work that he’s done with Nick Frost, like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. And I just got a sense of [director] David Schwimmer as a really well-rounded, decent guy from when he did a play with a friend of mine, Saffron Burrows. I like working with first-time directors because it’s often a risk well worth taking. And I loved the material. So, it was fun!
KW: One of the things I love about this film is that it’s hard to pigeonhole.
TN: I feel the same way. It’s not a romantic comedy. It’s not a straight drama. It feels much more true to life than a formulaic comedy. But I also think that Simon has great timing and a unique kind of humor, reminiscent of Peter Sellers or Jack Lemmon. He reminds me of those old school comedians whose brands of humor were much more authentically a part of their personality, not anything generic. Simon’s is a combination of physical, creative and intelligent. His other gift is that he can move from a strongly comedic moment to one of complete earnestness which draws you in much more. Ordinarily, comedy is a detachment from feeling where you turn something into a joke instead of express how you really feel. That kind of protects you from being the one with an opinion, if you know what I mean.
KW: Right.
TN: But Simon can get right into earnest emotion very easily, so the comedy almost allows for the sentiments to go deeper. I think he’s unique in that respect. In England, it’s been a while since we’ve found someone who could cross over and be an international success in movies. And I just think Simon’s it.
KW: I think you’re obviously “it” too. I felt that your performance in Crash was pivotal, and providing that Oscar-winning Best Picture with its most riveting and social significant moment by far. That’s why I said you deserved an Oscar for it.
TN: Well, there were a large number of very strong performances that year. I don’t know, ever since Beloved was snubbed by the industry, and not taken seriously in that respect, I don’t feel impassioned with either joy or sadness by getting or not getting accolades. It’s not part of the way that I value myself.
KW: I also think that many of the challenging, iconoclastic characters that you’ve played, in films like Beloved and Besieged and Crash, aren’t the types of roles ordinarily recognized by the Oscars.
TN: The thing about all of those roles, and The Pursuit of Happyness, as well, is that they make people uncomfortable, because it goes right to the marrow of the truth. That is not a popular place to be. With Beloved, it wasn’t popular to take the lid off denial. But I like to put myself in that area of discomfort, because that’s what truly reveals the essence of what we really are, those areas that you’d rather ignore and get away from. They’re the ones that I just want to stare at as long as I can. So, I don’t mind, even though the Oscar has become the absolute benchmark for filmmaking talent. I think we can sort of promote ourselves as individuals. If we feel privileged to witness a great performance, then that in itself is enough to feel validated.
KW: I agree. Plus, the job that you do as a mother is far more important than acting.
TN: It is and it isn’t though, Kam, because the truth is that if you want to be a movie star, you’ve got to work at it. But I’ve found that in order to ensure longevity, it’s better to avoid the highs and lows of success. It’s sort of like surfing where if you stay in the middle of a wave, you’re going to stick around longer. But if you get into the dizzying heights, you’ve got to maintain, and that’s a tough thing to do. I‘ve got two kids, so I’m quite happy to stay on in the middle, burning my light a bit brighter here and there. But I love what I do.
KW: The Tao teaches that both the very heights and the very bottom are to be avoided.
TN: I think that’s true, but I’ll get the old Oscar for all of us one day.
KW: I’m sure. Given that you have a parent from Africa, and one who’s white, I’d love to hear what you think of Barack Obama’s candidacy.
TN: I think that it’s wonderful for America to have these rich choices in whom they vote for. It feels like there’s evolution happening right in front of us. And I don’t think it’s just about America but an international vote for life to have these exciting choices available. Once a pick has been made, what’s important is to commit to the changes that these people actually want to put in place. I think that how Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama or anyone else is going to benefit the country is far more complex than the color of their skin or their gender. So, in a way, it’s been a distraction from what’s truly necessary which is to get in there and make real changes.
KW: I’ve read that you were born in England, and also that you were born in Africa. Which is correct?
TN: I was born in London during a brief trip back from Africa which is where we all lived at the time.
KW: How do you think growing up in Africa and England, and having both a black and a white parent has shaped you?
TN: Oh, God, that would be an hour-long answer to your question. It provided challenges which have made me who I am…It provided great wealth in terms of having this great-colored skin, and looking exotic, and different. However, it also made for a very lonely disposition as a child, at times. Being an outsider has its good and its bad. There’s a ying and yang to all of it. Having to negotiate that kind of winding road has made me much more inquisitive about psychology, and interested in investigating myself and the parameters that people set up around themselves and others. It’s a privilege, in a way, to have had to question my identity. By virtue of being unconventional, I was exploring that from a very young age. And I feel glad about that. But by the same token, if I hadn’t had the strength of character and some real pluses, like getting involved in the arts, for example, where differences can be celebrated, I could have been a very depressed, a very closeted, and a very unhappy person. But I see these challenges and negative experiences as gifts, at least I do now, anyway. [Laughs] So, I’ve been showered with gifts, and I’m glad of that. Life is about being uncomfortable and about how we deal with those areas of discomfort. I’m sorry I’m not answering your question, but it’s such a gigantic question, and one that I can’t answer briefly.
KW: No, this was an excellent answer, given our time constraints. Another thing I really liked about Run, Fatboy, Run was its colorblind casting.
TN: I love that not one journalist has questioned my son in the movie looking so light. In real life, I have one blonde child, and one dark-haired child. One of my daughters is olive-skinned, like me, and my other is very pale-skinned. Their faces are similar, but they have different coloring. 30 or 40 years ago, it would have been noted, and someone would’ve complained, saying, “She couldn’t have a kid that color.” So, I do love that the casting hasn’t been questioned in England [where it opened last September] and I’m interested in seeing how it is accepted in the United States. I wonder whether black audiences will want to see the movie.
KW: I certainly hope so, not only because it’s very funny, but to support colorblind casting and the idea that you can have you and Simon Pegg paired in a romantic comedy without skin color having to be the theme. So, I’m asking all my readers to support it.
TN: You do it, Kam!
KW: Bookworm Troy Johnson was wondering what’s the last book you read?
TN: Oh my Lord! What was the last book I read? Oh, it was a book by my friend, Justine Picardie, called Daphne. It’s about Daphne du Maurier and the Bronte family.
KW: Lastly. are you ever afraid?
TN: No.
KW: Well, thanks again for the interview, Thandie, and best of luck in the future.
TN: Thanks you so much. Take care, bye!

Rick Fox: The Meet the Browns Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Rick Fox: Fair and Balanced

Ulrich Alexander Fox was born in Toronto on July 24, 1969 but raised in the Bahamas by his Italian-Canadian mother and father from the Caribbean. At the age of 13, Rick decided to pursue his passion for basketball, and moved to Indiana, since the Hoosier State is so closely associated with the sport.
After high school, he went on to play for four years at North Carolina under the tutelage of the legendary Dean Smith. That apprenticeship served Fox well, as he ended up being the first round draft pick of the Boston Celtics in the 1991 pro draft. The 6’7” forward went on to spend 13 seasons in the NBA, enjoying a storybook career which included a trio of championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers.
And his private life proved to be just as much of a fairytale, when he eloped with former Miss America Vanessa Williams in 1999. Although the union would not last, it did at least produce an adorable daughter, Sasha who is now 7, and an enduring friendship.
So, between sharing custody and Rick’s enjoying a recurring role as her character’s bodyguard on her hit TV-show, Ugly Betty, the couple has remained on good terms. He also has a son, Kyle, with his college sweetheart, Kari Hillsman.
Since retiring from the NBA in 2004, Fox has turned his attention to acting full-time, appearing in such television series as Love, Inc., One Tree Hill and Dirt, where he played a homosexual on the down-low. Now, on the big screen, he’s landed a breakout lead role opposite Angela Bassett in Meet the Browns, Tyler Perry’s new movie.
Here, Rick reflects on his new movie, the NBA, the NCAAs, Vanessa, fatherhood, Obama and being bi-racial.

KW: Rick, thanks for the privilege of a few minutes with you.
RF: No, my pleasure, man.
KW: What was it like working with Tyler Perry, my pick as the best black director of 2007?
RF: Being a writer/director, Tyler is very hands-on, and very graciously allowed me to play a character he could have played himself. I’m grateful that he entrusted me with the role, and gave me a big opportunity in the process. And having watched his work, and now actually having worked with him during the process of shooting this movie, personally, I don’t think there’s a more dedicated person when it comes to storytelling and having his message delivered to his audience. He’s obviously been tirelessly working for a number of years on the stage, as well as in movies and on TV, and I love his humble approach of consistently challenging himself and wanting to get better as a director.
KW: What would you say is the message of Meet the Browns?
RF: I think that with all of Tyler’s movies, there’s definitely a sense of faith and hope that there’s something greater than ourselves that is out there in terms of support. This particular one deals with a single mother who’s facing a lot of challenges in her life, and who has maybe lost hope that there’s any support out there for her. She finds it in the South in her family that she didn’t even know, along with a man who’s trying to move through his own personal struggles. And on the love relationship side of this, they both step out of their fears of beginning again to each other. So, I think it’s just a message of faith and hope that, regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in, there’s still more out there for you, as long as you continue to push through.
KW: Landing the lead role of Harry is really a breakout opportunity for you. Were you at all awed by the challenge of acting opposite Angela Bassett?
RF: Oh, totally. [Chuckles] There’s definitely a long line of deserving and more talented individuals who are waiting to work with a talent such as Angela. But having taken my hands off the wheel a long time ago, and not thinking I’m controlling this path in life, I was blessed to be in this situation. I was definitely in awe for a period of time, but it’s like getting thrown into the deep end of the ocean. Eventually, you have to start swimming. [Laughs]
KW: So, how was it working with her?
RF: She really was like a life preserver out there for me. She was not only gracious and open, but teaching and sharing.
KW: I like how Tyler is so gifted at creating characters who resonate as recognizably real.
RF: Yeah, Angela and I experienced our characters that way as we continued talking to Tyler and worked through his vision of them and the message that he wanted to bring. There was a certain truth and realism that we wanted to have evolve out of the story. And it was easy to find as we went along, because his voice just rang through so passionately and so clearly.
KW: I have to talk a little about basketball with you, given the Lakers’ resurgence and that Carolina is the favorite to win the NCAA Tournament. I wonder how many people know that as a teenager you played basketball in Indiana. Were you named the state’s Mr. Basketball while in high school?
RF: I was close, runner-up, but I did learn how to play the game there.
KW: Well, you certainly led a charmed life after that, playing at Carolina, being drafted by the Celtics, and then winning three championships Lakers. What was that like?
RF: Honestly, I couldn’t have scripted it any better. To have come from a small island in the Bahamas and to experience all of this is definitely a plan greater than my own imagination. I’ve learned to just accept the blessings and thank God for them, even here where I find myself working with Tyler after he nearly ran me over by accident with his car on Sunset Boulevard. I’d never met him before that incident and shortly thereafter we’re discussing a role in one of his movies. Serendipity seems to be a theme in my life in a lot of ways.
KW: And you married Miss America, too. I interviewed Vanessa for the first time last year and I was just so impressed with how grounded, sane and intelligent she was.
RF: Well, I’d have to say that I definitely have to credit being married to Vanessa with any growth I’ve had in the course of my life. We’re still close friends, sharing and having conversations about our lives and raising our daughter together. She’s been very influential in helping me grow as a friend and former husband. I appreciate and value that so much because, like I said, she’s been a huge reason why I’ve made great strides.
KW: Will your character, Dwayne, remain on her TV-show Ugly Betty long-term?
RF: We’ll have to see. I know I’m still there, alive and kicking for now.
KW: Who are you picking in the NCAA tournament? I’m just about to fill out my brackets and could use a little help. Let me guess, your alma mater, Carolina?
RF: [Laughs] Yeah, what was that, a stab in the dark?
KW: And who do you like to win the NBA championship? Let me guess, the Lakers, even though they lost to Houston which is on a helluva roll.
RF: Well, I’d like for them to get healthier, that’s for sure. And then they’d have a really good chance of creating that Eighties and early Nineties run that their fans got quite used to enjoying, including the Celtics-Lakers rivalry.
KW: “Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan was curious about where in L.A. you live.
RF: I live in Westwood, in UCLA country.
KW: And bookworm Troy Johnson was wondering: What was the last book you read?
RF: I’m reading a great one right now by John Truby called The Anatomy of Story. But the last one I finished was A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.
KW: The Columbus Short question: Would you describe yourself as happy?
RF: Am I happy? I’m very happy, yeah.
KW: Is there a question nobody asks you, that you wish somebody would?
RF: Wow, I love that question. That’s a good one. I think I’d regret throwing out an answer to that one without giving it some thought. That’s a powerful question, man.
KW: I’ll ask you that next time. Who are you supporting for president?
RF: Being Bahamian, and having lived here all my life, I’d have to say that I recognize the historical ramifications of a Democratic change, whether it’s a woman or a black man. Personally, I would like to see Obama win, but I don’t think we would lose as long as either of those Democrats wins.
KW: Since you have a black father and a white mother, do you think you might have a special insight into Obama?
RF: Yeah, though I haven’t read his book, I definitely connected with the way he was raised, like I have with a lot of friends who are bi-racial and looking for a way to effect change in general. I’ve known some who’ve felt that the hope for the future of the world rests with the views of kids who’ve grown up in bi-racial marriages. There’s a tolerance that you see in folks who’ve experienced both sides, in some cases many sides, and come from multicultural backgrounds. Their perspective is not so polarizing in a black and white way.
KW: How do you deal with the fact that you have both a black and white background, yet when you walk down the street, people see you as only black?
RF: That doesn’t bother me. I have a comfort zone in whatever setting I’m in. People might perceive it as being naïve, but even when I was the only black kid in high school, I never saw myself as anything but a human being trying to get an education. In the NBA, it was interesting watching the reactions of fans or coaches when my dad would come to visit me. They’d be shocked because he was dark-skinned. Then, they’d see my mom who was as white as the beaches in the Bahamas. It was always intriguing to watch the reactions. My teammates were much more comfortable than some of my coaches when my mother showed up. The different reactions gave me an insight about how various people viewed the world. But, personally, I found myself in the middle and was always comfortable, regardless.
KW: Because you were just you, and your parents are you parents, I suppose.
RF: Yeah, it’s like how Eckhart Tolle discusses in that book, A New Earth. He talks about how people lose the experience of taking-in a human, a bird, a flower or a tree because they’re living on the superficial level of labels. Instead of really stopping to take-in a person fully, they take in the label. I think that what I was blessed with by being raised in a bi-racial family is that I took in people and things as I experienced them as opposed to saying that’s a black man, that’s a white man or that’s an Asian man.
KW: I thought it was pretty moving after the South Carolina primary when the Obama supporters started chanting “Race doesn’t matter!”
RF: There can’t help but be more and more change, because more and more people have grown up around an interracial relationship. From that standpoint, it’s no longer such a rarity in this society, where most people, just a generation before wouldn’t even consider entering one, out of fear.
KW: What’s up next for you?
RF: Spending quality time with my son and my daughter during Spring Break is my focus right now.
KW: Well, Rick, thanks again for the time, and hope to speak to you again soon.
RF: Wonderful. Thank you.

Djimon Hounsou: The Never Back Down Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Djimon Announces Plans to Pop the Question

Born in Cotonou, Benin on April 24, 1964, Djimon Gaston Hounsou emigrated from West Africa to Paris at the age of 13 to Paris with his brother Edmund. Homeless, the strikingly-handsome 6’4” hunk led a hand-to-mouth existence, till he was discovered by French fashion designer Thierry Mugler who hired him as a runway model.
After spending time strutting up catwalks all across Europe, Djimon made his way to Hollywood to take a shot at showbiz. He first found work in music videos, appearing in everything from Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu4NcgQZucE) to Madonna’s “Express Yourself” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMt53HYkfY8). His big break came in 1997 when Steven Spielberg cast him in Amistad as Cinque, the lion-hearted, slave revolt leader.
Djimon subsequently received critical acclaim for his work with Russell Crowe in Gladiator and then opposite Kate Hudson in The Four Feathers before landing Academy Award nominations for In America ad Blood Diamond. The versatile thespian has also appeared in Eragon, Biker Boyz, Tomb Raider 2, Constantine, Beauty Shop and The Island.
Last year, Djimon returned to modeling, showing off his hot chocolate bod in Calvin Klein’s international underwear campaign. Apparently, someone does get between him and his Calvins, however, since for the first time in his career, Hounsou has been landing in the tabloids, all because he’s been romantically linked to Kimora Lee Simmons, President of Baby Fat Fashions and ex-wife of hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. Despite rumors that Kimora might be pregnant with little Djimon, Jr., the couple were not yet ready to make an announcement at the recent premiere of Djimon’s new picture, Never Back Down.

KW: Hey, Djimon, thanks for the time.
DH: Absolutely, thank you. How you been?
KW: Great. I don’t know if you remember the first time we spoke, but my son knew where Benin was, and you told him he was a very bright boy.
DH: Oh, yeah, that’s right. How’s he doing?

KW: He’s doing very well, thanks. He’s a freshman at Princeton University.
DH: See, he is very smart.
KW: Thanks. What interested you in playing this character, Jean Roqua, in Never Back Down?
DH: If anything, my love of the sport. That was my special attraction to the story. Beyond that, the challenge of portraying Roqua who had some demons that he needed to face and deal with. Plus, I liked his relationship with the young men and women coming of age who were having a hard time dealing with their own issues and trying to overcome them.
KW: I was really pleasantly surprised by this film. Going in, I was expecting it to be just a remake of The Karate Kid, but it really stands on its own. Plus, as usual, you bring a certain presence to the film that elevates the whole production.
DH: Well, like I said, started with my love of mixed martial arts. I was hoping that I would come across a venue with that as a theme. Then, the producers sat down with me and convinced me that it would be a great story.
KW: So, was your love of martial arts as a fan or as a participant?
DH: Well, it was mostly as a fan that I was drawn to the project, but I’d also taken classes. So, I already had a great affinity for the sport.
KW: What did you have to do in preparation for the role?
DH: A lot of training, obviously. There was so much that I had to learn about the sport. One of the things that came in handy was the fact that I had studied kung fu and boxing for so many years while growing up in France. When I came to America, I didn’t really pursue them as heavily, but I definitely continued to appreciate a whole new aspect of the sport, which was mixed martial arts.
KW: I knew you’d been a model in France, but I never knew you studied martial arts?
DH: Yes, I did. Even while modeling, I was still practicing kung fu, and boxing, as sports.
KW: Was there anyone that you based Jean Roqua on?
DH: There’s a certain spirituality that comes as a result of practicing the sport for a long time. What I was looking for was certainly someone with the right demeanor. So, I watched Royce Gracie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY6OYSbGRQQ) and the Gracie family. The Gracies were known to be the best in Jiu-Jitsu, especially in mixed martial arts. That name resonates with anybody who knows about mixed martial arts. Royce is the man, because of his understanding of the forces of nature, the spirituality, and the mental discipline that comes as a result of needing to survive this training.
KW: What sort of diet, exercise regimen and spiritual path do you follow?
DH: Meditation, mostly. The work that we do, you really need to keep yourself centered while you’re in the process of it. It’s very difficult.
KW: I can imagine, especially because you’re always on the road, living in trailers for long stretches at a time, and not always having access to the healthiest of food.
DH: Yeah, plus you’re going back and forth between movie sets, and having whole new groups of people that you’re dealing with on a daily basis. It may seem glamorous, but it’s really hard to remain centered when you’re hopping from place to place. It’s very challenging.
KW: I see you’ve recently returned to modeling for Calvin Klein.
DH: [Chuckles] Why not? If anything, Calvin Klein is the iconic company in terms of fashion. They do have iconic images for their campaigns. They shot it so beautifully.
KW: When is your next film, Push, coming out?
DH: I actually just wrapped Push. But that has so many special effects, that I think there will be quite a bit of time before it’s released.
KW: You and Kimora looked like quite the loving couple at the Never Back Down premiere. Are you planning to pop the question any time soon?
DH: Uh, well, you know, she’s the best candidate. So, eventually, yeah.
KW: Congratulations! Would you describe yourself as happy?
DH: Yes, very fulfilled.
KW: I call that the Columbus Short question, because he told me that no interviewer ever asks him that.
DH: Yes, no one does, actually. Yes, I am happy, and I have many reasons to be extra-happy nowadays. Life is calm, and the career is good and taking its course. And things are moving, things are moving ahead.
KW: Is there any question that nobody ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
DH: [Laughs] Yeah, I remember that question. You’ve asked me that before. You’ve caught me off-guard again.
KW: What message do you want people to come away with from Never Back Down?
DH: That we all have our issues, that no one gets away from facing their own issues, so that we can advance. Nothing is given lightly, and everything has a repercussion, as you’re evolving. And, if anything, the sport itself is a great training, not only physically, but the mental discipline that it requires. The gym can serve as an excellent place where kids, and young men and women can really empty their issues right on the floor. It’s amazing the spirituality that you get as a result of practicing and enjoying the sport. That’s another plus.
KW: Well, thanks again for the interview, Djimon. I really appreciate it.
DH: You’re most welcome. I want to know what’s going on with your son. Don’t forget to remind me next time, okay?
KW: Absolutely, best of luck with the film, your family, and all your endeavors.
DH: Thank you very much, sir. Until the next time. Take care.

Marcus Patrick: The Descent Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Renaissance Hunk

Born in Bath, England on June 5, 1974, Marcus Patrick is of Cherokee, Jamaican, Cuban, English, Irish and French extraction. In addition to acting, Marcus is the former Heavyweight British Tae Kwon Do Champion and a 2nd degree Black Belt. At the age of 17 he was discovered by “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell who instantly signed the promising talent on as a member of the international boy band Worlds Apart.
After touring for several years, Marcus turned his attention to acting in order to pursue his dream of following in the footsteps of his childhood idol, Bruce Lee. So, he then moved to America and began studying acting, first in New York, then, in Hollywood.
Soon, he encountered success both on TV and in movies, appearing in a number of commercials, sitcoms, soaps and finally theatrically-released films. On television, he guest-starred on “CSI Miami”, “My Wife and Kids” and “Beyond the Break”. But a critically-acclaimed stint playing bad boy Jamal Cudahy on the popular daytime soap “All My Children” served to turn Marcus Patrick into a household name.
On the big screen, Marcus recently co-starred opposite Rosario Dawson last year in the lead role of Adrian in the psychological suspense thriller “Descent.” Meanwhile, also in 2007, he was seen in “Dirty Laundry”, “Love and Other Four Letter Words” and “I Do I Did.”
As for upcoming projects, Marcus has been tapped by world-renowned Marvel Comics animator and writer Stan Lee to star as his first black superhero in the upcoming feature presently known as The Untitled Stan Lee Project. No stranger to controversy, the handsome hunk posed for the September 2007 Playgirl Magazine cover story, which included a nude photo spread. This ostensibly led to Marcus’ being fired from the daytime soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” where he had been enjoying a recurring role as Jett Carver.
Here, forthcoming Marcus reflects on all of the above and more.

KW: Hi Marcus, thanks for the time.
MP: You’re welcome.
KW: You have such a diverse ethnic background, being a combination of Native-American, Jamaican, Cuban, English, Irish and French. How do you think of yourself, as British, as black, as a comblinasian as Tiger Woods says, or as all of the above?
MP: I think of myself as a being on Earth. We all came from Africa according to the most credible research, so we are all one!
KW: You were discovered at 17 by American Idol’s Simon Cowell. Is he as mean in real life as he is on TV?
MP: He was cool to me. He had a lot of faith in me. But he can be pretty harsh on other people. I once saw him cus sout a fellow band member with his upper crust British accent and I had to Laugh.
KW: What was it like suddenly being famous as a teenager and touring the world with Worlds Apart?
MP: It was a bizarre experience, with so many stories. It was a good training ground for the future that lay ahead for me. I knew the band and the music wasn't for me but I saw it as a good apprentice vehicle. Now the music I write comes from my heart. If I don't feel it, I don't sing it.
KW: The group’s big hit, Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel, was remake of a song originally done by Tavares. Ironically, a friend of mine played piano for Tavares back then.
MP: Yeah we were doing those songs from all the great bands and not really doing the best job of them, so it felt like we were pretty useless at the time. I felt embarrassed often when performing because I didnt believe in the product we were pushing. Tavares was an amazing band, we were just a couple of teens making a mess on stage. [Laughs]
KW: How did you find enough time to train at Tae Kwon Do to become the British heavyweight champ?
MP: My father was a karate teacher, so I trained since I was five years old with him. He made me do gymnastics, piano, swimming, and karate. Every day, I had an after school activity. He didn’t want me to end up in a gang. I appreciate him more than he knows. So, when I was fifteen, I became junior champion and British champion. When I was 16, I became the men’s heavyweight champion. I had a big advantage because from starting so young, I was a natural fighter. The irony of it all was that I began to feel remorse for those who I had hurt during competition, and I realized I no longer wished to hurt other men for my ego’s needs. I wished to instead help empower men the way Ghandi, and Martin Luther King would have. That’s when I knew the fight game was no longer for me.
KW: What made you give up singing for acting?
MP: The business in music can be a rough one, especially if you come from a small town, as I did. I found the business to lack integrity and I had no idea how to handle that at such a young age. So, I quit for a while and decided I would only do things for my own pleasure. Years later, I felt inspired to write songs again and do it the right way this time out the gate, I’m a man now who’s seen the world, not a little boy from a small village. Acting is a fun passion of mine. I will tell many stories in the future to help awaken the world to issues we need to tackle as a race on earth. And I plan to have fun with it too!
KW: Why did you decide to relocate to Hollywood?
MP: Hollywood is the Mecca for entertainment; it was the natural place for me.
KW: Jimmy B., Jimmy Bayan, realtor to the stars, wants to know where in L.A. you live?
MP: I live in Canoga Park/Woodland Hills and I love my neighborhood. Right next to the biggest mall I’ve ever seen and my favorite restaurant, "Follow Your Heart".
KW: You’ve had recurring roles on three soap operas: Passions, All My Children and Days of Our Lives. Do you feel in danger of being typecast as a soap opera actor?
MP: Not at all, my four films releasing this year are very different, not at all that soapy style writing. I had fun with he soaps, met the fans, now they can follow me into the TV and film world.
KW: On the big screen, you were recently in Descent which just came out on DVD. The movie didn’t do well at the box-office, despite critical acclaim. I gave it four stars. Without giving anything away, how would you describe your role in the film?
MP: The movie was given a limited release in theaters due to its graphic sexual content. It’s a shocking movie, and my role is the big shocker. I really believed it will be a hit on DVD, and that people will talk about it. The content is so graphic and shocking, how can they not?
KW: How was it working with Rosario Dawson?
MP: Rosario was a pleasure. She is a free being... very focused on her work and very nice to all. She likes to explore everything and has little fear for anything.
KW: You were also in Dirty Laundry, which to my knowledge, was the first film with a predominantly black cast to explore