By Wilson Morales
Coming out this week is the Ivan Reitman’s football film, "Draft Day," starring Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Ellen Burstyn, Denis Leary, Frank Langella, Chadwick Boseman, Sean Combs, Terry Crews, Tom Welling, Brad William Henke, Arian Foster, Rosanna Arquette, Josh Pence, Chi McBride, David Ramsey, and Patrick St. Esprit.
On the day of the NFL Draft, general manager Sonny Weaver (Costner) has the opportunity to save football in Cleveland when he trades for the number one pick. He must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice in pursuit of perfection. The lines between his personal and professional life become blurred on a life-changing day for a few hundred young men with dreams of playing in the NFL.
For Boseman, who had starred in the hit baseball film, "42" — which told the story of Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson — acting in another sports film is becoming a common thing on his resume. One of his earliest roles was playing the football legend Floyd Little in the sports drama, "The Express." Coming up next for the Brooklyn native is playing the legendary James Brown in the biopic "Get On Up."
While promoting "Draft Day," Boseman spoke exclusively about his role in the film, playing James Brown, and the possibility of playing the Marvel comic book character Black Panther should the film ever be greenlit.
How would you best describe Vontae Mack?
Chadwick Boseman: With Vontae, I wanted him to drive to a Mustang or a motorcycle. To me he comes off as a tough guy. You might even think he’s a Southern gangsta type, but he’s a family man. I felt there was thing you were going to project on him, and you would find out that he’s a totally different person. That was fun to me; being able to play something that sort of fooled people or made them look at themselves after watching the film.
What was the attraction to doing the film?
CB: The appeal was Ivan Reitman the director and working with a legend. Also Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner. In terms of the role itself, it was something that wasn’t based upon a real-life story that I can do and be totally different than what I had just done; so the challenge of creating something of “That’s not who he is, he’s this” and changing perspective was a fun thing to try.
This is your third sports film? Is that what’s being offered to you these days?
CB: No. There are some other guys out there who can do it and I welcome them to come out.
Did you play any sports in college?
CB: I did not play in college. I played point guard in high school, but I was done with basketball by the time I got to college. I just knew there was something else for me to do besides that. I’m still athletic. I stay in shape. Every once in a while I might go to the courts and shoot some hoops and play a pick-up game. I’m not trying to break anyone’s ankles or my own.
How was working with this cast?
CB: What was cool is that I didn’t want to do the film if I wasn’t on the phone with Kevin (in character). For a good part of the film, we’re not together, so when we did those scenes, I was actually on the phone with him at some ridiculous hour because we shot so early. It’s a credit and respect to him for doing it because he didn’t have to. A lot of actors of his caliber would have been, “Have him read it with the AD” or the script supervisor but he actually wanted to do it with me and that was great. The other thing is that you had the camaraderie with the other players. There are scenes with players in the film and it was cool hanging with the some of the football players in Cleveland. We went out to dinner with Kevin, Jennifer Garner, Denis Leary and Ivan Reitman, so you have those personal moments that is not being shot on camera.
If you’re not acting in a sports film, you’re doing biopics. From Floyd Little to Jackie Robinson and now you have James Brown coming up, how excited are you for that film to come out?
CB: I can’t even put that into words. All of it. All of this has been an amazing 2 1/2 years. It doesn’t even make sense. It’s been an amazing time. In doing the James Brown film, you get to be a rock star. Having other people see it will be fun. You always dream about having your headset on and listening to music and dreaming about doing it, but to actually learn the skill set, the footwork, and the vocabulary is beyond what I ever imagined. This is a James Brown vocabulary that a lot of artists have picked up on and to learn that and to implement it and know it and probably go in knowing I’m not to do it that much, but I could go into the clubs and if I wanted to thrown in a few moves or breakout, I could. You get to learn things as actor that other people don’t get a chance to do in a regular job. You get to have professional baseball training or singing lessons.
What’s your favorite James Brown song?
CB: It fluctuates between "Can’t Stand It," "Cold Sweat," "The Payback," and "Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag," but it’s hard to pin any of them down. I can go on and on, but those are the ones that stay in the top five.
There’s a wave of Black actors who are being looked at for some major roles in big Hollywood films. With tentpole films such as the upcoming Star Wars film, or any of the Marvel films, we’ve seen names like John Boyega, Michael B. Jordan and yourself being tossed in the ring for big projects. One such is a potential Black Panther film.
Could you see yourself playing Black Panther?
Chadwick Boseman: I could see myself doing anything in terms of comic book, action, or anything like that. Black Panther, in particular, I’m not going to answer that.
If not, then which character?
CB: Let me put to you this way. If it’s character driven, I’ll do it. As long as it’s character driven, I would love to do it. If it’s just you in a suit and you with powers, then it doesn’t interest me, no matter how big it is. As long as it’s character driven, I’m totally into it. If they could figure out how to do Black Panther and make it fit the original or adapt to the times we’re in now and be new and innovative and be character driven and has the sense of what the comic book is supposed to be, but not bound by it, then yes, of course, I would want to do it.
As he finished speaking on the record, he asked if folks wanted to see a Black Panther film and I said yes. Then he asked, “What about Green Lantern?”
Time ran out before I could follow up on that question, but that would be interesting if Boseman were cast as Green Lantern as a reboot should producers decide to go with the John Stewart character.
Draft Day hits theaters on April 11.
