'Empire' proves Black misconception wrong, say Woodard, Akinnagbe
503 views · Published 25 March 2015 · 7:45 · Indexed 25 October 2026
Channel: FOX 5 New York · 2015 · News & Politics
Alfre Woodard has had a stellar and lengthy career in film and TV. Gbenga Akinnagbe is the break-out star of 'The Wired' and 'The Following.'
When the first-time producer approached Woodard about resurrecting the dead script for 'Knucklehead,' the actress didn't hesitate to say 'yes.'
"I always follow the script. That's what got me to this indie, indie script. Besides the fact that I would go to Baghdad with Gbenga Akinnagebe. It was a young filmmaker with a great idea. It doesn't matter what the budget is, I follow the word," said Woodard.
" 'Knucklehead' is about a family in Brooklyn struggling to get by. You have a man who is undiagnosed as far as what he has. He has this very contentious, abusive relationship with his mother," said Akinnagbe.
"You won't recognize him at all. I play his mother who is the person who needs help," said Woodard.
'Knucklehead' premieres Thursday during the New Voices in Black Cinema Film Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Getting the film made was a long, hard road.
"Oh my goodness. It was hell. It was fun though. This being my first one," said Akinnagbe. "The movie had fallen apart. The director was hard to track down. He was heart broken that it had fallen apart so many times. I convinced him. I said give me this and I will run with it. I was able to get Alfre involved. (The film) took a number of years, but here we are,” said Akinnagbe.
The film festival will feature a number of movies by and including Black directors, actors, writers and producers. It's an indication, Woodard and Akinnagbe say, of what the public really wants more of.
They point to shows like the hit series, 'Empire,' about an African American family, their music label and the power struggle that ensues for control, as an example of what can succeed when given the chance.
"FOX took a chance on ('Empire') and proved this misconception that black doesn't sell; that it is a misconception," said Akinnagbe.
“There are a lot of black and brown and yellow and red voices in cinema. People are doing it on tiny budgets. Then there is the problem of distribution. The obstacle in mainstream theater is that those voices do not exist. The misconception is that it is not bankable. The public keeps proving that what they want to see is a reflection of the life they see around them," said Woodard.
For more information on the New Voices in Black Cinema Film Festival, visit: BAM.ORG
