Simone Missick, Frank Whaley Talk Marvel’s Luke CagePosted by Wilson Morales
September 27, 2016
Coming out this week on September 30 from Netflix and Marvel Entertainment is “Luke Cage,” the third series in Marvel’s four-series package at Netflix after “Jessica Jones” and “Marvel’s Daredevil.” The last series will be “Iron Fist,” with all four leading into a “Defenders” mini-series.
After a sabotaged experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage becomes a fugitive trying to rebuild his life in modern day Harlem, New York City. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city–forcing him to confront a past he had tried to bury.
Mike Colter, who was first introduced in “Jessica Jones,“ plays Cage and leads a cast that also includes Simone Missick as Misty Knight, Frank Whaley as Rafael Scarfe, Mahershala Ali as Cottonmouth, Theo Rossi as Shades, Alfre Woodard as Mariah Dillard, and the return of Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple.
While Whaley is a veteran actor with plenty of film and TV credits such as Born on the Fourth of July, Field of Dreams, Career Opportunities, Swimming with Sharks, World Trade Center, and Ray Donovan, for Missick, this is a big time plum role for the Detroit native.
For those who have read the comics and know Misty Knight’s background, there’s a possibility that the character may appear on other Marvel series. In Marvel’s comic book universe, Misty Knight was a detective on the NYPD who later became a private investigator aligned with Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Her her most meaningful partnership was with Colleen Wing. Together with Wing, Knight formed the Daughters of the Dragon, and they have even headlined their own comic book series.
This past summer while at San Diego Comic Con, Blackfilm.com was among the few journalists who spoke with Missick and Whaley on bringing these characters from the comic books to the screen.
How did the role come about for you? Did they approach you or did you audition for it?
Simone Missick: I recorded an audition in my living room and sent it to them and had no idea what I was auditioning for and how big of a deal it was going to be. Then my manager is like, “Hey, they want to see you. Can you come in?” I got a cold two days before the audition and almost lost my voice and was high on DayQuil. I went into the room and saw Cheo and Head of Marvel Television and Jeph Loeb, and writer Charles Murray. I found out 2-3 days later and the easiest audition I ever had in my life.
Can you talk about your characters in the series? It’s never easy to be cops in the superhero world.
Simone Missick: I think a lot of times when you see these shows, the cops, the detective, and the straight people, they can get caught up in the straight procedure of it all. You gotta go here. You gotta find this person. This person is wanted for this. Frank and I really had fun not playing that at all. We enjoyed exploring the relationship between the two of us and how these two people got to know each other.
How much did you know about the character going in? Did you go back and read the comic books before you started shooting your scenes?
Simone Missick: For myself, I was told specifically by Jeff Loeb to not go and buy a Misty Knight comic book in any comic book store because he made me think that not only was Marvel watching but there are long lens photographers out there scoping out every single comic book store and they were going to see me and leak it. So, I did not go out and buy any comic books but I did do some research online. That was wonderful to read that this woman is this strong and powerful and has this long history as one of the first black female superheroes. I did do a little bit of research but at the same time as an actor you want to approach it with fresh eyes and not put the idea of 1970s superhero into 2016. You have to pay homage to it and give the fans what they want but also as an actor, you have to tell a true story.
How was it playing Misty?
Simone Missick: It’s awesome! I think a lot of times, and it’s funny that you think she’s underestimated, but I think Misty knows that she’s capable of everything that she does and does not hear the dissenters. She does not pay any attention to that. I think she enjoys proving people wrong in more ways than one, whether it’s on the basketball court or in the precinct. She enjoys that role of being strong and powerful and self assured and very confident in finding the truth in protecting the community. I think she’s unwavering in that, sometimes to a fault. She can’t see the forest from the trees because she’s so focused in doing her job and doing it well.
How was working with Frank?
Simone Missick: He was horrible to me for about the first five episodes. He was great from day one. I have always respected Frank as an actor. I had seen him on TV and on films for the majority of his career and when into the series not knowing what our rapport would be like. After meeting him, he’s one of the funniest people I have ever met. It was great working with him.
Do you find working under the Netflix model of television is significantly different from your past on screen has worked?
Frank Whaley: Not for me. It’s a great project. The scripts are great. In that regard, you don’t have that caliber every day of material to work with, the actors, the production value. That’s Marvel and Netflix and their model. It’s all elevated. I can’t really compare it to anything that I’ve done before. The show breaks barriers. This character is so first. I have a daughter and to have her see Misty’s character as a role model is fantastic. I think the level of the quality of what we are getting into is refreshing and different for me.
Simone Missick: I think that Marvel and Netflix set you up for success. You go into these table reads and are like, “Oh my God, this person is playing this small role. I can’t believe that they are there. I have watched this actor on stage.” I have watched this actor on film, but I think there is that level of Marvel/ Netflix secrecy that would make it difficult for some actors. They would be like, “I don’t know what the hell is going on here?” Really, you didn’t know that you got blown up and now they have pieced you back together and now you are here as a robot? Look for Episode 8. As an actor, you want the whole story and a lot of times, they couldn’t have the full story. I’m the person there slipping them the story. You want people to play at their best level. There is that level of secrecy that make it fun as an actor.
On Episode 7, the show takes a left turn. Was that something you were aware of in the beginning of the season?
Simone Missick: I did not know at all.
Was it shocking?
Simone Missick: It was shocking. You sit down at these table reads and you’re flipping pages and you’re reading and then everyone’s shaking their heads saying, “Oh No!” I think there were tears at the table read for episode 7. It’s exciting and overwhelming and a surprise to us. They know we would tell people. They don’t trust us.
Now that you’re in the Marvel, have you started to see the fanbase although the show hasn’t aired yet?
Simone Missick: A little bit. I have had the pleasure of doing a couple of podcast interviews with people who are over the moon and excited about Misty Knight and Luke Cage. It gets me excited where I have to tune out from it. It’s like opening up your Christmas gifts before Christmas but then what will I do before September 30. The fans are so anxious for this show. It’s hard to not to feel contagious.
Although Jeff Loeb told you not to pick up the comic book, you had to have read what happens to the character in the future. Does that give a sense of job security?
Simone Missick: Hell yeah! It does. We have “The Defenders” coming up, which is exciting and there or may not be other forms that Misty is able to go into. We will have to tune into and see. And other shows outside of Luke Cage. There is so much potential. We know Misty from Daughters of the Dragon. We know she and Colleen Wing eventually have a strong bond. They don’t tell me anything but the possibility for the job security is there and that’s exciting.
How was shooting in New York and specifically in Harlem?
Frank Whaley: There’s nothing like shooting in the streets of New York City. Harlem is like no other place anywhere in the world as far as I’m concerned. It’s amazing to walk in those streets where there’s a lot of history. It transformed us to this universe while we were shooting there. Shooting in Brooklyn in the soundstage is one thing but when you’re in the streets of Harlem where the sun is beating down people everywhere, it’s amazing.
Simone Missick: You definitely feel a responsibility to portray these people honestly. I’m from Detroit and I’ve seen Hollywood have its way with Detroit and its representation of it. I’m always looking at the screen and saying, “That’s BS. That’s not real.” As an actor, you feel a responsibility to Harlem, to the people, to represent them right. So often, that story is not told. We get into gentrification. we get into violence and drugs in the city. We get into politics. It’s not just the dynamic between black or white. It’s black on black crime that we get into. I think Harlem is another character that we get into on the show. The residents that we came into contact while we were there shooting gave us nothing but love. Every time we were there.
How are your basketball skills? Was that really you shooting hoops?
Simone Missick: That was me. I was captain of my varsity basketball team in high school. When I read that script, I was like, “God, are you serious?” They had no idea. It was funny because they had a basketball coach and wanted her to be my stand-in. I was ok. On the day of the shoot, the person they hire came in with her Misty outfit and we get ready to roll, and when I shot the first shot in, they were surprised as hell. They ran to the DP and asked if he got that shot and he didn’t. I was focused on Frank’s reaction. He didn’t know that I could play either.
Frank Whaley: She hit like 10 out 12 shots with high heels on. You have to imagine the degree of difficulty of doing these while saying saying your lines.
Simone Missick: It was a lot of fun.
