Yahoo News Exclusive: BMF's Russell Hornsby explains how he prepared for the role
Ahead of BMF's premiere this Sunday, September 26, Digital Spy exclusively caught up with Russell Hornsby, who plays Charles Flenory, father to Demetrius and Terry Flenory on the show.
The Lincoln Rhyme actor explains how he was inspired by the story of Charles Flenory: "What I do as an actor is, I read the script and I ask for the hope that it inspires me, that the character inspires me, that the story inspires me, and I felt that I was inspired both by the story and by the character of Charles Flenory."
Related: First look at Power star's new show with Snoop Dogg
The Hate U Give star added: "So, in preparation I had an opportunity to speak with Lucille Flenory, who is the mother of the boys, and get a real idea of what their life was like, what their marriage was like, and what their relationship was like with the kids as they were trying to raise them."
Going on to describe how he brings himself to the role, Hornsby shared: "At the same time as an actor and as a Black man in America, I bring myself to it. Just aspects of how I was raised, my experience with being a younger person, what my experience was like with elder statesmen, with older men. What their influence was like on me, whether it be men who were like father figures, or whether it be men who were in the fast street life."
Asked how it feels to portray such an honourable character, Hornsby told Digital Spy: "It's an honour. And the reason – and I don't want to make it sound like it’s cliché – but the reason why I say that is because I feel that we don't see men like this, Black men like this, being portrayed honourably.
"Whereas, there's always some comment on them. There's always something that says they've done something wrong, and what we're saying is, or they've been wronged in a sense by the system, right. I believe they have."
Related: Power's 50 Cent teases Power Book IV: Force
He added: "I believe Charles has been wronged by the system. But he's not a victim, and I didn't want to portray the character as a victim. I wanted, as you said, he is a hard-working, strong blue collared man, who is a musician and who's also a man of deep faith.
"All he's saying is, these are the cards I was dealt, this is the hand I will play, and I won't complain, and I won't cry [or] holler victim, but I'm going to do the best I can.
"And see what's beautiful about it is, that his boys are saying we love and respect you for that, but we can't do that. We're of a different time now, and we can't do that, we can't just let that go. We're not going to be victims either, but we're not going to wallow in this mire. In this muck of unsatisfactory life or lifestyle – from their eyes – we're going to do something about it, come hell or high water."
BMF premieres this Sunday (September 26) on Starz in the US and streams on Starzplay, available through Amazon Prime Video, in the UK.
You Might Also Like
