The Best Man Holiday Set Visit – Monica CalhounBy Wilson Morales
August 23, 2013
On a fairly cold evening in Toronto this past May, Blackfilm.com, and a handful of other colleagues, got a chance to visit the set of the upcoming ‘The Best Man Holiday,’ the sequel to the 1999 hit film directed by Malcolm D. Lee.
After nearly 15 years, the whole cast (Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Terrence Howard, Morris Chestnut, Harold Perrineau, Regina Hall, Melissa De Sousa, and Monica Calhoun) is back in a new story that reunites the characters we have all come to love.
We haven’t been told much of the plot except that “when the college friends finally reunite over the Christmas holidays, they will discover just how easy it is for long-forgotten rivalries and romances to be ignited.”
Universal Pictures had us come up when the entire cast would be shooting a scene together. Standing behind director Malcolm Lee, we saw several takes of Nia (playing Jordan) and Eddie Cibrian first arriving at the house owned by Lance Sullivan (played by Chestnut), while the group is gathered in the living room catching up.
After a few hours, members of the cast came by and talked about reuniting with each other and reprising their characters.
For Calhoun, who plays Mia M. Sullivan (formerly Mia Morgan) the film brings her back to the big screen after several years. While the Philadelphia native had done numerous independent films (Civil Brand, Trois 2: Pandora’s Box, Gang of Roses, The Salon) and guest appearances on various TV shows shortly after ‘Best Man,’ she’s spent the last few years being seen on the web as the lead to Robert Townsend’s web series Diary of a Single Mom.
What was your initial reaction when you heard that sequel was being made to a film you did over 10 years ago? It could have been ‘The Player’s Club’ but it’s ‘The Best Man.’
Monica Calhoun: ‘The Best Man’ was like ‘The Breakfast Club’ and those slew of films. Even though we were adults, it was more or less us coming out of college and adapting to life. That was my sense of it. That type of cast was my association of what our cast was; an ensemble cast. For us, to be given the opportunity to reunite and give viewers a chance to see the next level of growth that these characters have, in terms of maturity, family, and the relationship between Lance and Mia. Are they still together or separated? Do they have any children? I thought it would be an amazing and awesome opportunity for us to show how much we’ve grown over the years.
When did you get the call that the sequel was actually going to happen?
MC: Well, we did a table about a year and a half ago or maybe a little bit longer. It was right before the holiday and then Malcolm went back to work, doing what he needed to do, and everyone went back to work, doing what they do. We did another meeting and then everything started to pick up steam and get into motion. It became extremely real once we were sitting down in rehearsals. The next step was coming to Toronto and begin filming.
Was there a point when reading the script and going over Mia’s lines, you were like, “Whoa?”
MC: There’s a few. Can’t really talk about it, but there’s a few.
So many people have seen the first film and consider it a classic. What do you think so?
MC: I think it’s a classic because it goes back to the ensemble aspect of it and not just leading person. Although the story centered around the relationships between these four men and the history that they have with women; maintaining their friendships, and the women creating relationships, if you remember from that time period, we had the ‘Boyz N the Hood’ and other similar films. ‘Best Man’ was different in terms of the ensemble piece of well-rounded characters from beginning, middle, and end. Each character and their storyline got serviced. That aspect of it being an ensemble film and not just one or two antagonists and protagonists serviced the story.
How have you grown and how has Mia grown over the years?
MC: I talk a little bit more maybe. If you asked me a question, I might be able to hold a conversation with you, if I take a deep breathe. Mia is still the same, but can’t say more.
How did you feel coming on the set with familiar faces? Were you nervous? Were you excited?
MC: There was an excitement and there was also nervousness because I wanted to do my best and be my best, professionally as well as being the best friend I could be during the situation, and the best co-worker that I can be. Excitement nonetheless. I’ve cooled down a lot of that. I’m still quiet but I talk a lot more.
We are seeing an abundance of African American films being made and distributed in theaters and having been around since the 90s, can you compare this trend to then?
MC: I think at that time period, the structure or the storylines is what was difficult for some to grasp on to. A lot of projects were thrown at the viewing audience and some gravitated in cult and became classics. Even now, some can go back and watch some of those films, and say, “Yes, that is a classic!” At that time period, a lot of stuff were being thrown out and now after it set the tone to say, “It’s okay to go beyond what the urban culture would accept and sit down and pay the amount it cost now to go the movies or Netflix or other outlet,” there are far more opportunities than there were back then. There’s new media and different channels. If you want to watch ‘Martin’ reruns, you can find that.
What’s next for you?
MC: To be honest with you, it seemed like I took a break and during the break, I sat and discovered where I wanted to go. I came up with a couple different projects, so I’ve been fine-tuning those ideas. The next phase is to find a producer that I gel with; to take those things from off the page and breathe some life into them. That’s not saying I won’t take opportunities if offered elsewhere. Someone told me a long time ago that your plans don’t always work out that way you want them to but if you plan and when the opportunity arises, then you should be prepared.
