Uncategorized
https://blackgirlnerds.com/an-interview-with-the-talented-mr-russell-hornsby/
Russell Hornsby has been at the top of his game in Hollywood for over two decades. He’s consistently delivered stellar performances on both stage and screen. He currently has two series in rotation, Lost in Space and BMF, with a third, Iron Mike, to be released as a limited series from Hulu.
The authenticity and intensity he brings to his characters is a very big part of who he is in real life. BGN had the wonderful opportunity to conduct a phone interview with Hornsby about his most challenging and rewarding roles, the fun of portraying Don King, and the psychological warfare of being Black in Hollywood.
How does it feel to be named on Variety’s “10 Actors to Watch” list?
It felt like it was about time on a certain level — just being honest. But it was also a great honor. I felt as if I’m finally being validated for the work I’ve done for the past 20 years. You know, people have recognized that you are doing some special work and that it’s work of distinction.
You’ve had some major roles. Which of them has been the most challenging and/or rewarding and why?
The most challenging, if I were to exclude anything that I’ve done on stage, would probably have been Seven Seconds. The reason being is obviously because of the subject matter and how deep I had to sort of draw from my reservoir of emotion for that. Also at the time, I had one child and one was on the way. My second son was born right in the middle of shooting, so all I could think about as a father and as a Black father was someday this could possibly be me. Also, we’re dealing with stories of the human spirit. So we’re talking about relationships; we’re talking about husbands and wives, lovers and friends, and whatnot. Being married, you’re really asking yourself to go deep into yourself and your personal life and bring a little bit of what you’re living into the work. That was a great deep challenge.
Probably the most rewarding, though, was my character Maverick on The Hate You Give. After reading the book, I wanted to show myself and also the community at large that I could do that. Up until that point, I had played doctors and lawyers, which means people who speak well and who are bright and somewhat erudite and who can enunciate. It was very safe. Please pardon me if I come off a little indelicate, but I think at times it takes people really seeing you as an n-word for them to really want to honor your ability and your talent. So it’s almost like Wesley Snipes as Nino Brown. It’s like Denzel playing Alonzo. It’s that thing — “Oh, he can get down into the dark spot for real. Oh, he’s a real actor now. Okay, so there’s another gear he can get to.”
You grew up in the ’80s like I did. How has it been to portray Charles Flennory, the father of drug-dealing brothers, at a time when the crack epidemic was ravaging our communities?
It’s been a true satisfaction for me in that I am able to show the world what Black men went through and what Black men were willing to do for their families. I was raised by a single mother, so I know what my mom did for me. My father was not around, but there were Black men that were around. They were Black men who were there, who woke up every day just to work, brought their checks home, were loyal, were faithful, were God-fearing and hard working. I wanted to show that representation because those men existed and they exist now. I just wanted to give our people and the culture at large, everybody, a reminder that we’re not just out here living willy nilly. There are blue-collar, hard-working men. Charles Flennory represents the last of that kind.
Tell us about portraying the infamous Don King in the Iron Mike series.
I’m going deep into my artistic reservoir. It’s just going to be interesting. It’s been fun. I get to show a different side of me. People get to see the other tools in my toolbox that they don’t know or think that I have. For the first time, people will really get to see the fun, light side of Russell Hornsby that only a lot of my dear friends and people I kick it with really know exists. I’m excited for that.
It’s a challenge though. Don is a conundrum. He is a man who is misunderstood but for good reason. I think that a lot of the things that have been written about him, that people have said about him, are just true. As my momma used to say, “Where there’s smoke there is fire.” a thousand people can’t be wrong. What I tried to do was still bring a level of humanity to this carnival barker. I want people who are watching, especially Black people, to understand that we are three-dimensional human beings in Black. I think that we’re slowly having an awakening that sees that we are real human beings, and that Don King suffers from the same affliction that other Black folks had. You were placed in a corner, right? You were cornered by society, by the country, by the government, by the world. How do you get out? He chose a way, at times ways of illegitimate means. Don King bought into the idea of “Only in America.” He gave the people what they wanted, and he was right. What he was doing was totally calculated, even in his use of words and his mispronunciation of words. There’s genius in that.
With all that is on your plate, how do you find balance and take care of your mental health? What do you do to unwind?
If you’re dealing in this business, it is psychological warfare in terms of people’s perception of you, people dealing with their different perspectives of you, or lack thereof, your work, your person, your color, your manhood. There are times you have to consciously, metaphorically, talk low, and that’s painful. But it’s real. I can’t come with the full level of bass in my voice. I have to lighten it up just a tad. I have to change my words, and we inherently know what it is to do that. That’s part of the code switch. It’s a part of living and being Black in America. To manage, I work out a great deal. I do my best to meditate. I try to eat well. I mean, I’m down here in New Orleans, so it’s more difficult than it normally is. I do infrared saunas, acupuncture, things of that nature. I have a therapist I talk to to just kind of get things out.
You can see Hornsby in Season 3 of Lost in Space on Netflix and BMF on Starz.
Russell Hornsby has been at the top of his game in Hollywood for over two decades. He’s consistently delivered stellar performances on both stage and screen. He currently has two series in rotation, Lost in Space and BMF, with a third, Iron Mike, to be released as a limited series from Hulu.
The authenticity and intensity he brings to his characters is a very big part of who he is in real life. BGN had the wonderful opportunity to conduct a phone interview with Hornsby about his most challenging and rewarding roles, the fun of portraying Don King, and the psychological warfare of being Black in Hollywood.
How does it feel to be named on Variety’s “10 Actors to Watch” list?
It felt like it was about time on a certain level — just being honest. But it was also a great honor. I felt as if I’m finally being validated for the work I’ve done for the past 20 years. You know, people have recognized that you are doing some special work and that it’s work of distinction.
You’ve had some major roles. Which of them has been the most challenging and/or rewarding and why?
The most challenging, if I were to exclude anything that I’ve done on stage, would probably have been Seven Seconds. The reason being is obviously because of the subject matter and how deep I had to sort of draw from my reservoir of emotion for that. Also at the time, I had one child and one was on the way. My second son was born right in the middle of shooting, so all I could think about as a father and as a Black father was someday this could possibly be me. Also, we’re dealing with stories of the human spirit. So we’re talking about relationships; we’re talking about husbands and wives, lovers and friends, and whatnot. Being married, you’re really asking yourself to go deep into yourself and your personal life and bring a little bit of what you’re living into the work. That was a great deep challenge.
Probably the most rewarding, though, was my character Maverick on The Hate You Give. After reading the book, I wanted to show myself and also the community at large that I could do that. Up until that point, I had played doctors and lawyers, which means people who speak well and who are bright and somewhat erudite and who can enunciate. It was very safe. Please pardon me if I come off a little indelicate, but I think at times it takes people really seeing you as an n-word for them to really want to honor your ability and your talent. So it’s almost like Wesley Snipes as Nino Brown. It’s like Denzel playing Alonzo. It’s that thing — “Oh, he can get down into the dark spot for real. Oh, he’s a real actor now. Okay, so there’s another gear he can get to.”
You grew up in the ’80s like I did. How has it been to portray Charles Flennory, the father of drug-dealing brothers, at a time when the crack epidemic was ravaging our communities?
It’s been a true satisfaction for me in that I am able to show the world what Black men went through and what Black men were willing to do for their families. I was raised by a single mother, so I know what my mom did for me. My father was not around, but there were Black men that were around. They were Black men who were there, who woke up every day just to work, brought their checks home, were loyal, were faithful, were God-fearing and hard working. I wanted to show that representation because those men existed and they exist now. I just wanted to give our people and the culture at large, everybody, a reminder that we’re not just out here living willy nilly. There are blue-collar, hard-working men. Charles Flennory represents the last of that kind.
Tell us about portraying the infamous Don King in the Iron Mike series.
I’m going deep into my artistic reservoir. It’s just going to be interesting. It’s been fun. I get to show a different side of me. People get to see the other tools in my toolbox that they don’t know or think that I have. For the first time, people will really get to see the fun, light side of Russell Hornsby that only a lot of my dear friends and people I kick it with really know exists. I’m excited for that.
It’s a challenge though. Don is a conundrum. He is a man who is misunderstood but for good reason. I think that a lot of the things that have been written about him, that people have said about him, are just true. As my momma used to say, “Where there’s smoke there is fire.” a thousand people can’t be wrong. What I tried to do was still bring a level of humanity to this carnival barker. I want people who are watching, especially Black people, to understand that we are three-dimensional human beings in Black. I think that we’re slowly having an awakening that sees that we are real human beings, and that Don King suffers from the same affliction that other Black folks had. You were placed in a corner, right? You were cornered by society, by the country, by the government, by the world. How do you get out? He chose a way, at times ways of illegitimate means. Don King bought into the idea of “Only in America.” He gave the people what they wanted, and he was right. What he was doing was totally calculated, even in his use of words and his mispronunciation of words. There’s genius in that.
With all that is on your plate, how do you find balance and take care of your mental health? What do you do to unwind?
If you’re dealing in this business, it is psychological warfare in terms of people’s perception of you, people dealing with their different perspectives of you, or lack thereof, your work, your person, your color, your manhood. There are times you have to consciously, metaphorically, talk low, and that’s painful. But it’s real. I can’t come with the full level of bass in my voice. I have to lighten it up just a tad. I have to change my words, and we inherently know what it is to do that. That’s part of the code switch. It’s a part of living and being Black in America. To manage, I work out a great deal. I do my best to meditate. I try to eat well. I mean, I’m down here in New Orleans, so it’s more difficult than it normally is. I do infrared saunas, acupuncture, things of that nature. I have a therapist I talk to to just kind of get things out.
You can see Hornsby in Season 3 of Lost in Space on Netflix and BMF on Starz.
We have all missed a lot of things since this Pan’s Labyrinth started. We haven’t been able to hang out with friends as much, partake in events, and just enjoy life with friends. Cautiously, things are (were) trying to move towards life before 2020, and one of the things that I’m excited about getting back to is going to conferences and conventions.
(For just a bit of clarification for anyone who might be wondering, there is a difference between a conference and a convention. As an academic in my professional life, a conference is more academic leaning even when discussing topics like pop culture. In fact, there is a Pop Culture Conference I have been to and presented at. Conventions, on the other hand, tend to lean more to the personal hobby/fandom side of things and less academic. However, even saying that, for me, seems to belittle the fact that conventions have so many layers to them, and it’s a place for people to gather and enjoy their shared loves and interests.)
And that is what I’m here to share with you all…my adventure into the outside world to attend my first convention in-person since the panorama started. (FYI: You had to show proof of vaccination to participate/attend, and in the panels I attended only the presenters removed their masks. Rooms were also cleaned by a staff member after each panel.)
In mid-October, I attended Multiverse Con in Atlanta, GA. From the Multiverse Con website About Us page: “We are a community of fans who love to get together with our friends and geek out over the things we love.” I think this is a great standard understanding of the Con itself and what you get when you attend. I have been three times (with 2020 being virtual), and I can tell you it feels amazing to be part of it every time. The people I’ve met, the staff, the events have all been top notch every year, and I am already planning for next year. (As are the Con directors and staff who have already released the dates for next year’s event as October 14-16, 2022.) Even with the smaller crowd (a 500 person limit on attendance due to COVID), it still felt like there were so many great people, venders, activities, and panels.
Multiverse Con has different tracks that panels and events fall under to help categorize and bring order to everything. Not only do I attend for the enjoyment of being able to nerd out, but I also participate in the Learn Track. This track allows for academics to share their knowledge on topics from the speculative fiction to gaming to pop culture and more. I have presented and been asked to be on panels in both the Learn Track and other tracks, and I’m always grateful to the directors of these tracks who accept and invite me to participate. The other tracks are Meet, Gather, Play, Create, Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Write. As I said, these help organize panels, presentations, and events under certain categories.
I always enjoy spending my time in the panels. They start from about 8am and on some nights go to midnight (and sometimes beyond when people are just enjoying themselves.) The night panels/entertainment tend to be more for the 21 and older crowd, and the laughs I had at those night gatherings still bring a smile to my face. I commend all the hard work that the staff, organizers, and directors put into coming up with these panels.
Outside of the tracks, there are the vendors, and like with any con, it’s always hard not to buy new stuff. More on that in a bit. Multiverse Con even gives back to different charities at the con, so they make sure to also do some good while everyone is having a good time. And lastly, while the Con is still growing, it’s in a major city that attracts so many people in different (movie, television, media, etc.) industries, that it will only continue to grow as the pandemic hopefully gets more under control.
To close out, one of the biggest things about going to a Con is of course coming home with more stuff than you left with, so I have to end this by doing a Multiverse Con haul. I will leave links to all the things under each photo, so that you can look up any of these great items you see.
I want to once again thank everyone involved with Multiverse Con for continuing to put on a great event, especially in these trying times. I plan to be back October 2022 (in-person or not), and I cannot wait to be in the con space again. Please check out the links I have provided above and below and think about attending and/or participating in this amazing con.
My Multiverse Con Haul
Cover image provided by Multiverse. All other photos provided by author.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
The post Back in the Con Space: My Time at Multiverse Con 2021 appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Writer: W. Maxwell Prince / Artist: Martín Morazzo / Image
The Morphometasis
However weird you think this comic will be, I can assure you it s probably weirder and also probably a lot more philosophical than you’re probably expecting. After becoming enthralled with the series last issue, I made it a point to keep an eye out for the next installment, and Ice Cream Man #27 justified this instinct.
As the name of the issue suggests, Ice Cream Man #27 is an inversion of the famous Kafka story, The Metamorphosis, where a man turns into a cockroach. Which mean yeah, in the 28 some pages, we get the story of a cockroach that turns into a man. And not just any man, but a “Grg” who has a child and a wife and an office job. It’s a brutally simple inversion of an iconic premise, but my god do Prince and Morazzo manage to make it work more brilliantly.
If you’re a bit of an entomophobe, you may want to skip this one. After the obligatory cold open of a man eating ice cream, we are introduced to the cockroach “Grg,” and it is actively impressive how much personality Morazzo manages to give a cockroach given that insects aren’t capable of emoting with facial features. However, there is a surprising amount that can be done with antennae and legs. Now couple that with Prince’s deliberately broken grammar and spelling of the cockroach primitive vernacular, and we get a surprising baseline to understand Grg the insect before he transforms to Greg the humanoid insectoid monstrosity and Greg, the office worker (a pointedly similar type of insect in the grand scheme of the office environment).
The sequence of transition is oddly poignant, as the monologue becomes more refined and more self-confident, although the existential crisis of an insect becoming a human is still very much in play. Between the corporeal dissonance of no longer having an exoskeleton and the mental dissonance of having to deal with a mortgage among other things, Greg’s only comfort and familiarity comes from being confined. And that type of musing and naval gazing digs at you right at the stomach.
The Morphometasis takes a simple concept and does manages to achieve so much within the confines of the pages. This is an expertly crafted book, and you’re able to pick this comic up and be emotionally devastated without any prior investment. It’s a steal really.
9.8 “Sweet Things” out of 10
Enjoying Ice Cream Man? Check out BNP’s other reviews here.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
The post Ice Cream Man #27 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Creators: Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner / Colorist: Brad Simpson / Layouts: Tone Rodriguez with Mike Vasquez / Flatter: Lauren Perry / Image
Content Warning: Violence
Way back near the beginning of the year, the first issue of Stray Dogs came out detailing the dreary story of a group of dogs that found themselves under the ownership of a malevolent man. Styled after Don Bluth animated films with a distinctively dark twist, Stray Dogs was a series that I kept an eye out on, but wasn’t necessary ready to deal with such an emotional charged premise (although, you’ll be able to decide for yourself as the first issue is available to read for free online). As the year comes to a close though, I found myself intrigued especially with the new anthology.
Stray Dogs: Dog Days #1 is a collection of stories that detail the backstories of six of the dogs that occupied the Master’s house. The stories vary in length and time frame, although the vast majority of them act as a prologue to the main series. Fleecs and Forstner do a spectacular job of crafting these short stories. Each one manages to evoke different layers of emotional resonance and manages to capture the anthropomorphism of each of the different dogs to different degrees.
Out of the six stories, I would like to give a particular mention to Gucci’s and Roxanne’s. Gucci’s story is one of the shortest in the extra sized anthology, but it’s use of the Instagram framework is stellar and manages to be very compact and efficient with its storytelling. We’re able to get a very complete picture of the dog/owner dynamic relationship, and the final page lands an incredible one-two punch of a conclusion. Conversely, Roxanne’s story is one of the longer ones, but takes us through the emotional ringer and even knowing how everything turns out, manages to amplify all of the tension in the world.
All in all, let this review serve two purposes: 1) to go check out Stray Dogs if you’re in the correct mental space for that, and 2) if you’re already into Stray Dogs, to check this out. It’s a unique aesthetic and emotionally compelling storytelling, and everyone involved should be commended for their work in extending the universe.
9.0 “Canine Chronicles” out of 10
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
The post ‘Stray Dogs: Dog Days #1’ Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.