By: Kadeem Lundy
Many of you may know Michael K. Williams for his breakout role as Omar Little in the hit HBO show "The Wire". I recently interviewed Williams about what it was like working on-set during the filming of the new movie "Brooklyn's Finest" as well as some of his future projects. In the film Williams plays a drug dealer by the name of Red who will do anything in his power to become the new kingpin.
KL: What inspired you to want to take part in the film "Brooklyn's Finest"?
MKW: First of all when I heard two of my mentors were gonna be in this Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes, and then directed by Fuqua that was the main draw for me, first you know real big attraction. Then adding having read the script, being that the storyline was shot in Brooklyn- the streets are arrogant, I felt entitled to the role. Having been born and raised in Brooklyn, in the hood, East Flatbush, Brooklyn. It was a number of things those were pretty much it.
KL: So now, you said that you grew up in Brooklyn, were you able to use some of your experiences growing up, in portraying your character Red in the film?
MKW: Oh absolutely not only was I born and raised in Brooklyn- I grew up in that time the 80’s,I believe in the mid to late 80’s maybe even possibly some of the early 90’s and you know Brooklyn was on fire it was a war zone and I grew up in the middle of a lot of that stuff. Not that I took part in it,but I was there I was definitely there on the sidelines watching what was going down. The story is set in East New York, I believe The Pink Houses specifically, that was one of the worst areas in Brooklyn, you didn’t play when you went out there. You didn’t go out there unless you had to or unless you had the chops to go out there because it was no joke. So I definitely pulled a lot from my childhood.
KL: Now we know you have been in many different television shows such as "The Wire" and many different films,so what did you find most interesting about working on this film?
MKW: I loved the fact they didn’t try to shoot Brooklyn. I love the fact that we actually went to Brooklyn in the hood, and took camera crews and everything into a real project and shot this. I have so much respect for Fuqua even though a lot of times Hollywood would have been a little intimidated by that. But he didn’t play he was in the hood doing that. I got to see some old friends, everyone was coming out to my trailer saying, "Yo whatsup, didn't know you was in this!” and that was a good feeling and just the love we got from the community.That day we shot the scene when Wesley's character gets shot, we tried to kill him in the street, the entire Livonia Avenue came outside,and gave us so much love, to the point where my team had to get me out of there- the love was just so intense. It felt good, it felt real good. I love the fact that we shot in Brooklyn.
KL: Are you working on any other films? Also what other projects do you have in the works?
MKW: I’m not working on any films right now.I'm on a television show, but the only other film I have coming out right now that's in the can is the Cookout 2, that Flavor Unit had produced, they produced the Cookout 1. I believe it's coming out this summer. I'm coming back to HBO- I'm taping a new show called Boardwalk Empire due out in September it's based in Atlantic City and set in the 1920's.
KL: Thank you for your time Michael.
MKW: Thank you
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