Let’s talk Bad Samaritan. It’s about a pair of burglars, who stumble upon a woman being held captive in a home they intended to rob. You play Officer Aguilar. Tell us more.
Yes. Bad Samaritan is about a pair of burglars, who stumble upon a woman being held captive in a home they intend to rob. I play the role of Officer Aguilar. When the two burglars Derek and Shaun played by Carlito Olivero from East Los High. Robert Sheehan from Mortal Engines, and David Tennant from Dr. Who and Jessica Jones find the woman being held captive, one of them calls the cops. That is where me and my Officer Picket come in. We filmed on location in the northwest. We filmed in Portland, Oregon. The director Dean Devlin (Independence Day, The Librarians) wanted a dark feel to Bad Samaritan, so Oregon was a perfect spot. We did a lot of night shoots. It rains a lot in the Pacific Northwest, but during our shoot we had some snow. I have a lot of family in Oregon and Washington, so it was a great opportunity to see family.
You have several additional films in post-production, such as Freedom H.U.D. and Watch the Sky. Tell us about the films.
I have a couple of films coming out in 2017. Freedom H.U.D., Watch The Sky, Ryde, and Bad Samaritan . In Watch The Sky, I play a soldier named Corporal Carpio, and it is about an effort to capture amateur video of outer space, two young brothers unexpectedly find themselves in harm’s way, when an innocent science experiment becomes a day filled with unearthly events threatening their sleepy coastal town. In Watch The Sky, we filmed in San Pedro on the old army base Fort MacArthur.
Freedom H.U.D. is starring Josh Pence and Jessica Stroup (Iron Fist). This film is about a society, where free will does not exist and our lives are controlled by a surgically implanted HUD; a man must choose between a life of conformity or a life of freedom. This was fun shoot, because we did some really crazy camera work.
It was just announced you will be starring in Fatal Crossroads, a film about three survivors of an infamous World War II massacre, at the hands of the Waffen SS. You will play Lt. Forest Banks.
Fatal Crossroads is a period piece. It takes place during WWII. It deals with the Malamedy Massacre, where about 84 American POW’s were killed. My character, Lt. Forest Banks, is based on person from Company K, 394th Infantry regiment. Lt. Forest Banks is one of the many unheard stories of African-American soldiers that fought and risked their lives for this great nation of USA. I am glad that I will be able to tell this story
Speaking of roles, you have an upcoming appearance in NCIS airing on 3/28. Could you share some info?
I will be playing the role of Corporal Beck on NCIS in the episode titled THE WALL airing on 3/28 at 8/7 c on CBS. This episode of NCIS is about when a Marine is murdered at an event for the Honor Flight Network, a non-profit that arranges for veterans to visit the World War II, Korea and Vietnam War Memorials for free. The NCIS team must rely on an irritable Vietnam War veteran, Henry Rogers (Bruce McGill) to provide details on the victim’s whereabouts throughout the day, while McGee and Bishop investigate a juicy rumor about Quinn and Torres.
We read that you have a comic book collection since childhood. That’s impressive! Which ones do you have
I have everything. When I lived in Sierra Leone, my father would send me comics from the states, so I have a vast collection of comics. I have comics, like Spider Man, Moon Knight, Thor, Iron Man, The Avengers, The West Coast Avengers, and The Fantastic Four. The comics meant a lot to me, because that was the only connection I had to my father since he lived in the USA and I was in Sierra Leone. I felt, if my father picked these comics to send, they must be good. When I came back to the States I continued to collect comics. In the world of comics, you can be anything and go anywhere. I love the world that the comics take you to. I am glad that my father introduced me to the world of comics. My father has passed away, but I still collect comics as a connection to him.
If there was a comic book character you could play in a movie, which would it be and why?
Well, I think I would like to play SPAWN. I recently worked with artist Jason Shawn Alexander, who is the new illustrator for the new SPAWN series. I got the chance to pose as SPAWN, so now I feel that I can do the character justice. I would also like to be BLACK LIGHTNING from DC comics. I would also like to be the BLUE MARVEL from Marvel Comics. He was a football player and scientist before he was turned into a super-hero. I was a football player and a scientist before I became a super actor, ha ha.
[Laughs] Personally, we could see you in the Black Panther movie. You would be awesome!
It would be awesome to be in Black Panther. As a young boy reading comics in Sierra Leone, I could always picture myself as the Black Panther. I think it is a great thing that Marvel is doing by centering this new film on the Black Panther and the continent of Africa.
You mentioned you enjoyed making films, because it gives you the opportunity to mold your character. Tell us more.
I love making films. I was blessed with the opportunity to produce the film, I am Tommy Talbot. I played Det. Tommy Havvershim, an obsessive ex-detective who hunts down the cold case of a transgender serial killer. I got the chance to study some detectives and watch their tendencies. I was able to construct my character in a version that has not been seen before. Doing and molding roles like that are really fun.
You also love doing voice-overs. Tell us about your favorite projects.
My favorite voice-over projects are always video games. I got a chance do voice-over on a video game Call of Duty. I play Call of Duty, so it was fun doing that project. I also was blessed to be a part of an episode of Adventures in Odyssey. I used to listen to AIO, when I was young, so that was also fun. I would like to also do some motion capture projects soon.
Thus far, you have two producer credits listed in your IMDB profile. They are The Witching Hour and I am Tommy Talbot.However, you mentioned you would love to direct. Tell us more.
Yes, I would love to direct. Just like in writing a script, you get to tell a story the way you want on paper. When you direct, you get to tell your vision of a story and put on screen. As a director, you can orchestrate lavish scenes or just make them plain and to the point.
Let’s talk film directing. Is there a particular story you would like to tell.
Well, I have this story about my Uncle Nick Wills, who the locals nicknamed “Cowboy Nick” or sometimes “The Mayor”. He was such a character. A man of many talents. He was sort of a Forrest Gump type of person. He lived in so many eras and had so many friends. He was able to talk to anybody. He had many jobs and knew many languages. Being diagnosed as mentally challenged, but seeming totally normal, my uncle beat the odds. Growing up with family members that were homosexual back in the 60’s and 70’s, and never treating them like anything but family. Growing up with a father as an ex-army vet and having a mother die at young age, my uncle overcame a lot. He was a lynch-pin to a Mexican family and a black American family coming together. From working at the docks in Long Beach to working security at the Hollywood racetrack. He was the man around town.
Sounds intriguing! We hope you tell the story on film. Moving forward, you mentioned a dream role would be a character you can engulf yourself in for 18-months, like Lord of the Rings. That sounds intense! Do you feel playing such a character will allow you to show your range?
Yes, I would love to do a film like Lord of the Rings. Those actors had the opportunity to mold their characters for 18-months. If I was ever blessed with that opportunity, it would allow me to know that character from every angle. I would be able so show a lot of range with my character.
What is your favorite movie releasing in 2017?
My favorite movie releasing in 2017 is going to have to be Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, since, I am a comic book guy. I look forward to seeing what they can do with my favorite comics on the big screen.
Are there any other upcoming projects you can tell us about?
Yes, I have a faith-based film called Dead Man Rising coming out. I play the role of Medical Examiner David Garcia. Dead Man Rising is about when Daniel, a death row inmate, hears the horrors of previous executions using new experimental drugs, he pleads for access to information on how to best face his own, upcoming demise. What this faithless and hopeless prisoner finds instead, will shake up everything he has ever known, ever believed. When a neighboring inmate, who faces the same fate, challenges Daniel’s newfound knowledge of all things eternal, Daniel finds himself not only defending, but also evolving into a stalwart Christian. Will his soul be saved in time?
Complete this sentence, “If I could pick any role, I would pick . . .”
If I could pick any role, I would pick a role the TV series The Walking Dead. I would love to play a character in the world. The Walking Dead is just not about zombies, to me it’s about humanity and what you would do to survive and protect your family. I would be an ex-military man trying to survive in this new zombie world trying to protect his little brother. We would travel together and do whatever it takes to protect each other. We would meet Rick Grimes and his crew, then we would join them
What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I like to run and work out at the beach. I read comics a lot. I also do some volunteer work for non-profit programs, like Hands of Africa and End Malaria Now.
What’s next for you?
I’m in talks to join the cast of a feature film. I would also like to be a series regular on a hit prime-time drama.
About Author
