THE LOSERS/ DEATH AT A FUNERAL
An Interview with Columbus Short

By Wilson Morales

April 19, 2010

For the month of April, Columbus Short is in a great position. He has two films coming out in back-to-back weeks. The first is the remake of ‘Death at a Funeral,’ which stars Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Zoe Saldana, James Marsden, and Loretta Devine. The second is the action packed film, ‘The Losers,’ which is based on a comic book and stars Idris Elba, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evan, and Oscar Jaenada.

In ‘Death,’ Short plays Jeff, a cousin to Rock’s character who recently lost his father and leading the memorial service. Jeff accidentally loses his batch hallucinogenic drugs and maintains his silence when his sister’s boyfriend takes one.

With ‘The Losers,’ he plays Pooch, a member of a Special Forces unit who are left for dead and they have to figure out who betrayed them to get their lives back.

In speaking with Blackfilm.com, the Kansas City native talked about being in two films that are opposite from each other, yet coming out at the same time.

You have two films coming out in the same time period. How exciting is that? Columbus Short: It’s not exciting. It’s nerve-wracking. You can end up with two flops instead of one. You have goose bumps when you have one film coming out. This is not the conversations I was having back in ’05 with ‘Accepted.’ Back then I was happy just to be in a movie Both of these films are hilarious. With ‘Death,’ you have Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence. What else do you have to say? With ‘Losers,’ you have action, comedy, and it’s going to surprise people because it’s super hilarious, but it’s an ode to ‘Lethal Weapon’ and ‘Bad Boys.’

How Did you fit an action packed film and then a comedy? CS: I did them back to back. Me and Zoe (Saldana) did the same thing. I did the comedy first and Martin (Lawrence) told me that you need chemistry on the set for the film to be good. Be free. Make it fun and be real, but be free. That’s what we try to do with ‘The Losers.’

Do you think you have the funny bones to match with Chris (Rock) and Martin? CS: I feel that I could go all the way over there but I just haven’t been offered the role yet to show off my crazy side. I never want to be in a box. When I did ‘Accepted,’ Justin wasn’t a giving person to me as an actor. I’m being honest. It was a bad movie experience for me. I was disappointed in that, but every movie since then when you work with actors, you improve. There’s a rule in improvisation, whether it’s good or not, never tell an actor no. if someone says here’s a coffee cup in an improv, you take the coffee cup. You don’t deny because it just belittles the other actor. As I have grown, working with these guys, on ‘Losers,’ 90% of the dialogue for me and Chris Evans was improv.

‘Armored’ was a big lead role for you. Has that parlayed into anything else for you?

CS: If it had done better at the box office, it would have. Right now, my commercial viability isn’t big enough to warrant anyone to have me lead a film. If any or both of these films do well, then you might start seeing me in some leading roles.

What was the funniest part of shooting this film? CS: Working with Tracy (Morgan). Everyday he would be non-stop. I would be tears all the time. He purposefully tries to make you laugh.

What about ‘The Losers?’

CS: Chris Evans. He’s my boy. I’m so happy he got ‘Captain America.’ There isn’t anyone else perfect for that role. He’s one of my closest friends now. We had a great time shooting ‘The Losers.’ The summer of ’09 was the best time of my life.

DEATH AT A FUNERAL IN THEATERS NOW THE LOSERS OPENS ON APRIL 23, 2010