‘He Knows He’s Done Wrong Things, But I Just Pull For Him’: Channing Tatum On The Relationship He’s Developed With The Convict He Played In 'Roofman'

Channing Tatum has played a wide assortment of characters over the course of his career, from a troubled dancer to a cajun mutant with a thick accent. In Roofman, Tatum plays Jeffrey Manchester, a former non-commissioned officer for the Army reserve who turns to a life of crime. During filming, Tatum had the opportunity to get to know the real Manchester and pick his brain. The actor discussed their relationship while speaking with CinemaBlend and explained how he empathizes with Jeff.

Whenever actors play real people, it’s natural for them to feel a sense of responsibility to tell a person’s story to the best of their ability. Channing Tatum seemed to take his role as Jeff Manchester very seriously, based on what he shared when he and co-star Kirsten Dunst spoke with CinemaBlend. When asked about his philosophy on how close an actor should get to a subject they’re playing, Tatum opened up about getting very anxious when playing his roles.