Exclusive: Russell Hornsby Talks Netflix’s Seven SecondsPosted by Wilson Morales
February 23, 2018
Streaming the entire first season today on Netflix is their new anthology crime drama series Seven Seconds, a powerful anthological crime thriller from acclaimed creator and executive producer Veena Sud (The Killing), starring two-time Emmy winner Regina King (American Crime) alongside breakout British actress Clare-Hope Ashitey (Doctor Foster).
In a society fraught with racial tension, sensational headlines, and an audience who would rather be entertained than informed, seven seconds can mean life or death. The new Netflix original series Seven Seconds gives viewers a glimpse into the human stories behind the headlines.
In an instant, life is forever changed for Brenton Butler and his family. After a white cop accidentally hits and critically injures a black teenager, a northeastern city explodes with racial tensions, an attempted cover up and its aftermath, and the trial of the century.
Ashitey portrays KJ Harper, a black assistant prosecutor assigned to the incident, with troubles of her own. She grapples with the weight of the case and what it will mean to bring justice not only for Brenton, but for the Black community. KJ works closely with the teen’s mother Latrice Butler (Regina King) who realizes there may be more to her son than she and her husband Isaiah (Russell Hornsby) were aware of, and becomes consumed with finding out what happened.
The freshman series also stars Beau Knapp, Michael Mosely, David Lyons, Raul Castillo, and Zackary Momoh.
For Hornsby, who recently was best known for his sixth season role as Detective Hank Griffin on the NBC series Grimm, Seven Seconds brings him back to a world in which audiences can resonate with. The California has spent years doing theaters and his last role on the big screen was playing Lyons in the movie Fences, an adaptation of the play he with Denzel Washington.
Blackfilm.com spoke exclusively with Hornsby on his role in Seven Seconds.
What was the attraction to doing the series?
Russell Hornsby: The script, the opportunity to dive into something that’s real, that’s honest. After six seasons of shooting zombies, it felt good to have an opportunity to go back to my roots. Telling stories and dealing with the human spirit.
How would you best describe Isaiah Butler and how did you get into character?
Russell Hornsby: I would describe him as a loving father and concerned husband. The situation dictates the circumstances. The script is alive and you have to approach it with caution. I felt that you have to honor the script and you have to honor the world, you have to honor the characters; and you have to approach the characters with honesty, with integrity, with truth, and with loving and passion. I don’t mean that casually. I sincerely believe that. And with me being a 40 plus year old black man who is married with two young boys, it could be right in there. It didn’t long and it wasn’t hard to get into the character and to get into this world and to the feeling and to the depth and the emotion or who this guy is.
When you do a show like Grimm, you can do that and go home without so much thinking about the work in a way, but with this series, how do shed to the story from bringing it home?
Russell Hornsby: Grimm is punching the clock. This is living. This is life. This world and this character doesn’t leave you until it’s over, and then it takes like a week or two to decompress and get it out of your system. Our black men and women have been killed at the hand of the police and others at such an alarming rate over the past five to ten years, we almost have got desensitized to it. Who got killed, who got murdered, who got left by the side of the road, and you feel like it happens every other day. The hope is that this show and these characters will bring the feelings back. The pain is supposed to hurt. You’re supposed to feel anger, and you’re supposed to feel pain. That’s what happening in our country. That’s what happening to Black human people. It’s not supposed to be easy to watch.
Not everyone has scenes together. Was there a time when everyone got to know each other?
Russell Hornsby: Yeah. We’re all actors and artists. There would a couple of times when we went out to dinner or went out for drinks and something like that. You respect everybody and you respect their work. After four episodes, someone suggested we get together and we did and we’re like, “What’s up?”
How was working with Zackary Momoh, who plays your brother Sean?
Russell Hornsby: He’s great. He’s a talented actor out of London. He came to work and ready. That’s all you can do, come ready to do the work and he’s good. He held his own. We’re going toe-to-toe. Let’s go.
Then there’s Regina. You and her are the faces that most people will recognize and will help sell the series.
Russell Hornsby: Let me tell you something. Regina King is the tops. I had the best experience ever working with her because the woman has no ego. She comes to work ready. She’s game for whatever you got and she’s a collaborator as well. We developed a shorthand, we trust each other. She trusts me and vice-versa with me. Regina King is the best.
You also did another project called The Hate You Give. Is that also a project that folks will resonate with?
Russell Hornsby: The Hate U Give is based on a novel of the same name by Angie Thomas. It spent 45 weeks as the #1 New York Times bestseller. I think it’s going to one hell of a film. We had a great time shooting it. I had a wonderful time working with Regina Hall and George Tillman Jr, the director. I think the film will blow people away. To have the source material of the book as a reference, that’s one of the things that will have people excited to come see the film.
With the various projects you have done, from stage to TV to film, what goes into saying yes?
Russell Hornsby: To be honest with you, it’s luck and it’s timing. I was fortunate enough to do Fences on Broadway eight years ago and six years later, they said we’re going to shoot the movie. Fortunately for me, I’m doing Grimm and what I mean is that I’m a known face. Instead of them thinking of getting someone to replace me, they see me working and on TV and they could me bring back for the movie. Because of Fences, I was able to get Seven Seconds. I had to audition and that was something that my manager was looking at for six months. They loved my audition but once they saw Fences, that took it over the top and they knew that I could do it. It was the same thing with The Hate U Give. I’m in New York shooting Seven Seconds and I get a call to do an audition and I do it and sent in the tape. Met with the director twice and got the spot. I take this work very seriously. Grimm is punching the clock but I’m from the theater and I want to do work that will challenge me and work that will speak to people. I want to do work that says, “Pay attention and listen!” That’s the actor I think I am and when you get that opportunity, that comes so rarely, you can’t drop the ball.
Official Trailer
