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I want to hear about Gun Hill Road – can you tell me about it?
Gun Hill Road, it’s an independent
film that I did over the summer with Esai Morales and this newcomer Harmony Santana. It’s basically
a story of a man who completes his final stretch in jail of three years and comes home to his neighbor hood… Gun Hill
Road to be precise… with ever intentions to play it straight and reclaim his old life. Which is
with his wife, who is pretty estranged, and his son, who is going through a very dramatic sexual identity crisis transformation
that is challenging the entire family. And no matter how he tries, not only do the challenges keep coming,
but he can’t reclaim the past. I play the mom, that has been trying to keep everything together in
his absence – devoted to both trying to keep the peace and understanding both her husband and her child.
The email I received was labeling Gun Hill Road the “next Precious”
– do you see the similarities?
Um, I think being involved in
the production from beginning to end – it feels so much of its own entity, but I think in its intense dramatic impact
– because I was fortunate to see a full screening of it just recently – I can definitely see the comparisons.
In Harmony Santana’s powerful … powerful performance, and what you get to experience in her life’s
experience. And I think the resilience of her family and the struggles.
Now tell me about the cast that you were able to work with in the film.
I had the good fortune of – when I got the script and I got offer to
play this role – it was a fierily well written project and then Esai Morales… I’ve been a friend of his
for years, ever since Bad Boys and of course La Bamba and his stints on television as well. So I was thrilled
to do that and then Rashaad Ernest Green, whom I haven’t heard of, but when I was reading his script… “Oh
my God”. Then I looked at his short films, which he’s gotten plenty of praise over the years…
so I was pretty thrilled to be able to be part of that group. I got back to New York City early –
and I got to know Harmony very well – who is a complete newcomer to the game. I learned a lot by
just learning the workspace with her – in terms of just being completely honest with what you’ve got and being
relentless about working really hard.
I’m a father of two young girls – what sort of emotions would you expect somebody like me to go through while
seeing it for the first time?
That’s a great question
because when I got the script I had just had a baby myself, my daughter was just turning seven months when I went to New York
– when I packed up the whole family to work on this film. So I was excited to be able to access these
feelings of what a mom would go through – being torn between accepting what her child is going through and trying to
reconcile a history with a husband and keeping her family together and trying to get them to join forces, but always standing
by her child. I think that you are going to relate to both parents, and you are going to root for the child.
There’s no way – and then part of you is just going to pray that “I hope my child…”
– not that this doesn’t happen quote unquote to your child, but “I hope my child doesn’t go though
this” – because the world is a tough … tough ass place.
 Do you see this turning into a controversial movie?
I
think it’s definitely a movie that is going to be talked about. I don’t want to get further
ahead of myself, but I think it’s definitely going to be a conversation piece for sure. What conversations
will be inspired? I can have a clue, but I’m not going to pretend to know. But
it’s definitely going to inspire.
How did you get involved
in the project?
Quite simply, my friend – who is an associate
producer – let me know that someone was going to call me about a script. [laughs] Then a couple of
days later my manager said, “So you have an offer for this film called Gun Hill Road.” And
he sent it to me – I couldn’t believe it… it was like a gift from the gods… I asked “Who is
this Rashaad Green?” So I looked him up and saw everything that he did, and we had a conversation
and I felt so excited. The first thing I wanted to do was refresh my acting, and go to a coach –
and it turned out that since Rashaad was working so closely with Harmony, who never acted before, that we were able to work
closely together before we started shooting. That was extraordinary in terms of… not only a relationship,
but just a foundation for the cast.
And it’s premiering Monday [January 24] at Sundance?
Yes, Monday.
Is this your first time
at Sundance?
My very first time. I hear it’s
crazy. [laughs] I’m looking forward to it, I’m looking forward to representing the film, and I’m looking
forward to seeing all of the films – I can’t wait.
Where’s Gun Hill Road going to after Sundance?
Distribution… I hope. [laughs] I couldn’t tell you, I have no idea.
I don’t know if it’s got other festival events scheduled, but I know that – the rumor is that ninety-five
present of all the screenings [at Sundance] are full. That’s a really good start for the
film. That alone is exciting.
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