Exclusive: Wesley Snipes Talks Spike Lee’s Chi-RaqPosted by Wilson Morales
November 29, 2015
Coming out this week from Amazon Studios is Spike Lee’s next film, Chi-Raq, which will hit theaters on December 4 as the first-ever Amazon Original Movie produced. Following its Oscar qualifying run in December, the movie, in conjunction with Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate, would officially open after the new year.
The film stars Teyonah Parris, Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson, Dave Chappelle, D.B. Sweeney, Harry Lennix, Steve Harris, Angela Bassett with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson.
Written by Lee and writer/director Kevin Willmott, and directed by Lee, Chi-Raq will shed light on the serious, but often overlooked issue of violence in inner city Chicago.
Beautiful LYSISTRATA (Teyonah Parris) is in love with aspiring Rapper DEMTRIUS “CHI-RAQ” DUPREE (Nick Cannon), but she is disturbed by the bloody warbetween his Spartan gang and the rival Trojans, led by CYCLOPS (Wesley Snipes). After Trojans set fire to her apartment while she’s in bed with Chi-Raq(pronounced Shy-RACK), Lysistrata moves in with her neighbor MISS HELEN (Angela Bassett), a book-loving Peace activist who lost her daughter years beforeto a stray bullet.
When Patti, an 11-year-old neighborhood girl, is accidentally killed in a drive-by shooting, her grieving mother IRENE (Jennifer Hudson) pleads with anyonewho witnessed the crime to come forward. But even after a reward is offered by a local Church congregation led by fiery anti-gun-violence activist FR. MIKECORRIDAN (John Cusack), no one is willing to identify the killer.
Shaken by Patti’s death and desperate to do something to stop the escalating bloodshed, Lysistrata persuades Spartan and Trojan women to swear off sex withtheir men until the fighting stops. To draw more attention to their cause, she leads the women in a bold occupation of a local armory, inspiring womenacross the city-and eventually the world-to join the boycott. As the ultimate battle of the sexes rages on, the city’s fate hangs in the balance in thissearing satire of gun violence in America.
For Snipes, it’s his first collaboration with Spike Lee since the two worked together in the 90s with ‘Mo’ Better Blues’ and ‘Jungle Fever.’ Having done a number of action films over the last two decades, Snipes gets to go back and be in a ensemble film that has a message to say.
In speaking exclusively with Blackfilm.com, Snipes talks about his character, working with Lee again and his current gig, being the star of NBC’s The Player.
What can you say about playing Cyclops?
Wesley Snipes: Cyclops is the leader of the Trojans and he’s a cat that’s been in the game since the game began and then comes to realize that maybe he’s got it all wrong through the wisdom of his girl Indigo. She joins up with Lysistrata in their boycott of sex until all of the gang bangers come to the peace table. He’s a transformative guy.
Besides hooking up with Spike Lee after many years, what else drew you to this?
WS: It’s rare that you get a chance to be a part of something that has real meaning and has real significance and is a film at the same time. It’s a film created to help motivate people to change their behavior and inspire hope and healing. You don’t often get a chance to do that. When you have at the helm a captain like Spike Lee, that’s just a cruise you have to take. That’s for your legacy and history. I wanted to contribute in my own little way some change and I could use my art to do so. Use my tool and my craft.
Having worked with Spike early in his career, what change have your noticed in his direction?
WS: His technical skills have improved immensely and there’s never any question as to what he can do technically as a filmmaker and a director. Creatively, he’s expanded his consciousness and the content of his pieces. I think he’s even more passionate now about using film as a medium of change and a tool to inspire change. Hopefully, in this particular instance, change for the good and for the lives of these young people who are dropping like flies all over the place.
How familiar were you with the Greek comedy play Aristophanes’ Lysistrata?
WS: I was relatively familiar. You can’t go to professional theater art school and not be introduced to the European art classics. As a matter of fact, you get tested on this kind of stuff. You can’t move from one grade or level without reading this or another. I was being introduced to this play, comedy and tragedy, or even some of the plays that come out of Russia and Germany.
How comfortable were you with the rap lyrics?
WS: Man, I’ve been trying to get my rap on for years. I have been trying to myself a demo. When you give me like the ones I had on the film brought me back to the days of Bishop Don Juan and Willie Dynamite of the 1970s. They were talking the same stuff back then. I was drawing from those experiences.
How was shooting in Chicago? Crime is still up in Chicago and this film sends a message that will hopefully inspire change.
WS: It was raw and real but I think it can be done.
How’s the TV show going so far?
WS: It’s interesting. It’s very different from films in some ways but not so different in others. The character I play, Mr. Johnson is, is very fun. It gives me a chance to stretch my acting muscles. My goal is to play in both worlds as an actor and as a producer of content, which we having coming soon. There will more television and more films, which some of them will be produce by my company internally.
What role haven’t you played that you want to do?
WS: James Brown. Spike and I have been working on that idea for years and I thought that would have been great surprise for the industry and fans. My fans wouldn’t had seen that one coming. Singing, dancing and theater is really my roots and the biggest inspiration for me being a performer was James Brown. I’ll just wait a couple of years and then we will try it again. Chadwick (Boseman) did a great job and they did their thing but we will let it die for a couple of years and come back. I don’t know. We may have to put in CGI by the time I get to it. We’ll see.
How much fun was it being at the Governors’ Award and watching Spike get the Oscar while seeing old friends like Samuel L. Jackson and Denzel Washington?
WS: The thing is that we’re all cool with each other away from the cameras. We communicate, we hang, we do things together, and we met up and we’re friendly like that. To us, it’s nothing different. This is how we get down when no one is looking anyway. It was great to be standing on the stage with these great talents and humanitarians. It was a great moment.
What’s a good reason to see Chi-Raq?
WS: Well, if you have been hearing all of this controversy, then come see it for yourself. We have one of the most stellar cast you will see in one film in a long time. You have some of the best from theater, stage, film, television, music and pop culture. Jennifer Hudson, Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, John Cusack and Samual L. Jackson all in the same movie? That alone is worth the price of admission.
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