Harold Perinneau Talks ‘Seeking Justice,’ ‘Bin Laden’ film, and ‘Best Man’ sequelBy Wilson Morales
March 13, 2012
Coming out this week is the latest film starring Nicolas Cage in the action-packed thriller, ‘Seeking Justice.’
Cage plays Will Gerard, a happily married family man whose quiet life is turned upside-down when his wife, Laura (January Jones), is brutally attacked one night while leaving work. At the hospital, waiting for news about his wife’s condition, Will is approached by Simon, (Guy Pearce) who proposes an intriguing offer: Simon will arrange to have a complete stranger exact vengeance on Laura’s attacker, in exchange for a favor from Will in the near future. Distraught and grief-stricken, Will consents to the deal, unwittingly pulling himself into a dangerous underground vigilante operation. While continuing to protect his wife from the truth, he quickly discovers that his quest for justice could lead to frightening and deadly consequences.
Directed by Roger Donaldson (The Bank Job, The Recruit), Seeking Justice also stars Harold Perrineau and Jennifer Carpenter.
For Perrineau, a veteran of many films and TV series, including ‘Lost’ and HBO’s ‘Oz,’ the opportunity gave him a chance to revisit Louisiana and see New Orleans for the wonders it holds.
In speaking with Blackfilm.com, Perrineau talks about his role in ‘Seeking Justice,’ working with Nic Cage, his upcoming role in the Kathryn Bigelow’s Bin Laden film, ‘Zero Dark Thirty,’ and his return as Julian Murch in Malcolm D. Lee’s sequel to ‘The Best Man.’
What role do you play?
Harold Perrineau: I play Jimmy, the principal of a school in New Orleans and also a good friend to a teacher played by Nic Cage. Cage’s wife is a victim of a crime and Jimmy sticks by him and tries to help him in any way that he can.
How was filming in New Orleans?
HP: Filming in New Orleans was spectacular. I really had a ball. It’s the first time I got to spend that much time there and fell in love with it. It has its really great parts and some parts are still struggling. It’s a great mix of things you love and things that you hate. It inspires you to try to make it better. New Orleans was a great time and experience for me.
What was the attraction of doing this film?
HP: I really liked the script. I thought it was a great suspense in a film; especially in a time where in big movies, people turn green and they fly or they have hammers and stuff. It was a good chance to do this character driven movie. With the suspense you can go with the ride and put yourself in these characters’ shoes. That was one reason and the other is that I really wanted to work with Nic Cage and with the director Roger Donaldson. As an actor, I have seen his films forever and I thought this would be an opportunity to work with someone I really like. Working with Roger, who’s done some good films, can only enhance me as an actor.
When you read the script, were you concern when you saw that your role is solely the best friend with limited screen time?
HP: When you get hired to do a film, and it’s a Nic Cage film, that’s really what it is. You say yes or no to that. For me, it was a chance to work with Nic and I get to have some fun. I get to do my thing and then I’m out. I like to act and do it in many different ways as possible.
Are you ready to do the Bin Laden film?
HP: Yes. I go away in a few weeks. I don’t have a script. Don’t know who my character is. We get on a plane somewhere, start filming, and then I come back home.
Have you been doing research on Bin Laden and the events that led to his capture and death?
HP: That’s all I’ve been doing; catching up on what went down and getting an understanding where the SEAL team came from and what their responsibilities are. I don’t know if I’m going to be part of that team but I’m just reading what happening in Afghanistan with Bin Laden.
I see that you also have ‘Snitch’ coming up.
HP: Yes. It’s a film that a good friend of mine, Ric Roman Waugh directed. Ric and I met a few years ago on a film he wrote and directed called ‘Felon‘ and this is his next project. It stars Dwayne Johnson and Susan Sarandon. It’s a good script and that was also shot in Louisiana but in Shreveport.
How’s ‘The Best Man‘ sequel coming along?
HP: It’s coming along. The whole cast is in. Everyone wants to do it. We’ve all done one reading and are about to do another pass at it. Malcolm (D. Lee) keeps outdoing himself. I thought he really did a great job the first time and this time is even better. We’re all in different places in our lives and it’s the perfect thing to do. I can’t wait to start production on that. It should be a lot of fun.
Is Malcolm giving everyone the opportunity to add some input to their characters?
HP: No and rightly so. He’s talked to us about his vision, but it’s not like we are going to him with ideas. It’s his creation and he should have the full right to write as he wants to. He’s had time to think about it and play around in his head. The film is all him.
Without seeing a script, were do think Julian Murch is at this stage of his life?
HP: Well, hopefully Murch and Candy (played by Regina Hall) are having a good time, have kids and still have more sex. Murch and Shelby was a disastrous relationship.
Do you still get recognized for your ‘Lost’ role?
HP: Yes. People invested their time with the show, which was a phenomenon. I get a ton of questions about the show, as well as The Best Man and the Matrix films. I’m blessed to have been part of these fan favorite projects.
