Exclusive: Jada Pinkett Smith Talks Magic Mike XXLPosted by Wilson Morales
June 29, 2015
Coming out this week is Magic Mike XXL, the sequel to the 2012 hit film Magic Mike, with Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez and Gabriel Iglesias reprising their roles along with newcomers Elizabeth Banks, Donald Glover, Amber Heard, Andie MacDowell, Jada Pinkett Smith and Michael Strahan.
Picking up the story three years after Mike bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, Magic Mike XXL finds the remaining Kings of Tampa likewise ready to throw in the towel. But they want to do it their way: burning down the house in one last blow-out performance in Myrtle Beach, and with legendary headliner Magic Mike sharing the spotlight with them.
On the road to their final show, with whistle stops in Jacksonville and Savannah to renew old acquaintances and make new friends, Mike and the guys learn some new moves and shake off the past in surprising ways.
For Pinkett Smith, who plays Rome, a woman from Mike’s past and the host to an exotic entertainment place in Tampa, the role was something she added some traits to considering it was originally written for a male. Having seen her recently as the no-nonsense criminal boss Fish Mooney in Fox’s TV series Gotham, Pinkett Smith is great at playing strong women on the big and small screen.
In speaking exclusively with Blackfilm.com, Pinkett Smith talked about her time on the film and playing a strong female role.
What was your best memory on the set?
Jada Pinkett Smith: During rehearsal time, I got a special lap dance from Matt (Bomer) and I think I got set up because I just want to watch his rehearsal because I found out how well he sings, and I was like, “I might as well stay and ask Greg is it okay if I stayed? I just want to see Matt.” And they were like, “Yeah, yeah. Sit in this chair right here.” And he comes out and starts his routine and came up to me, and we had a little special moment. It was awesome.
How would you describe Rome? Was this a character that you did any research for, in terms of her background?
JPS: I didn’t necessarily do what you would consider background research because she wasn’t written. The role was first written for a man, so it was really just about creating a backstory for her that would fit what I was hoping Rome would communicate to the audience. It was really just using my imagination.
You seem to play strong characters on film and TV. Was this something you work with (director) Greg Jacobs on Rome’s personality?
JPS: Well, I think that in order to have a woman that has a certain amount of dignity and can set boundaries in a sexual environment, I think it takes a certain amount of strength and self assurance to be able to do that. That’s just a natural characteristic that would come with a character like that.
Can you talk about that one big scene at Rome’s place with all those women playing extras as the men were doing their strip scenes?
JPS: It was fantastic. We had a good time. It was a lot of fun.
Have you ever attended any strip show and if so, how does it compare to what’s in the film?
JPS: No. I’ve never been to a live male strip club and never had any desire to go to a male strip club.
With the projects you’ve done, what’s the main reason to saying yes?
JPS: I just look for roles that I can do a good job with and roles that will make me happy and will be fun. In choosing this role, I really wanted an opportunity to infuse a different energy into the stripper culture. It’s such a big culture amongst African Americans, especially in Atlanta. I just came from Atlanta doing a documentary about how strip clubs can be a gateway for sex trafficking sometimes. When Channing came to me and said, “This character is a way to infuse a sense of responsibility when it comes to entertainment like this.” That really roped me in because these environments are going to exist. The problem is not the environments existing. It’s how they are existing. So, I felt like if we can channel something different through Magic Mike through imagination and creativity; and to bring in an awakening or different consciousness when it comes to why people go to strip clubs and why people engage in erotic sexual atmospheres, that in itself could be as helpful as getting people out of the strip game. It was a radical idea. It wasn’t really about strength. It was about a topic that I wanted to tackle and wanted to have fun creating this character.
Are you getting back to producing or directing any more projects?
JPS: It’s always tons of projects. Nothing I can talk about right now but tons of stuff on the horizon. Trust me, there’s a whole lot of stuff on the plate.
Magic Mike XXL hits theaters on July 1st.
Clip – Man I Knew
Clip – You Need An MC
