Morris Chestnut has become a de-facto supporting player for mid-budget Hollywood fare. The talented actor still hasn’t quite found a role fitting of the talent he displayed as Ricky in his debut Boyz N The Hood; but he makes the most of whatever limited screen-time/thin material he’s given. He’s easily the best thing in best-forgotten junk like The Cave or Half Past Dead. In this Friday’s The Call, Chestnut still doesn’t have nearly enough to do. As Officer Paul Phillips, most of Chestnut’s screen time is relegated to pensively reacting to Halle Berry over a walkie-talkie; but yet again Chestnut ably coveys complexities to a relationship not given nearly enough lip service. It’s a testament to the actor that the role is more than just the ‘inefficient cop’/’potential love interest’.
In the following candid interview with Morris Chestnut, he discusses the genre work he’s done in the past and why The Call is so much better, his preparation process for playing an officer and his upcoming role in Kick Ass 2. For the full interview, hit the jump.
Morris Chestnut Time Index:
- 00:00 – What attracts Chestnut to the thriller genre?
- 00:48 – What does Chestnut feel is the difference between less successful thrillers and a film like The Call (which is quite good in its own right)?
- 01:25 – What is Chestnut’s preparation process for playing a police officer?
- 02:34 – How do you gauge your performance when you’re acting for the most part opposite a walkie-talkie?
- 03:26 – Any scenes on the cutting room floor for Officer Phillips?
- 03:50 – Chestnut on Kick Ass 2
