- 2 days ago
In THR's interview series, "In Studio," the actor discusses the 'Queen Sugar' finale, his new film 'Thank You For Your Service,' and more.
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00:00Hi, this is Mariah Goh from The Hollywood Reporter, and I'm in studio with Omar J. Dorsey today.
00:09Glad to be here.
00:11You are doing some double dipping this winter.
00:15I am doing double dipping. I am, I am, yes.
00:16But most people know you from Queen Sugar.
00:18Right.
00:19You're on season two, the finale's coming up in a couple of weeks.
00:22It is, yes.
00:23So tell me what happens. No, just kidding.
00:27I'll tell you what happens. What happens is everybody will be turning on to OWN at 10 o'clock and watching it every Wednesday.
00:35Now, I know that you've spoken about this before, but it's kind of amazing that Ava actually wrote this part for you.
00:43Right, man, it was amazing.
00:44I was in the Bahamas shooting a film, Carl Cargo, and Ava just called me out of the blue and asked me if I wanted to read a script that she was doing.
00:53I was on another show at the time. She said, I know you're on another show, but I would have really liked to have you read, you know, come in and do this.
01:01I was like, well, I'll be off that show real soon.
01:03It wasn't, it was just a one season commitment.
01:07And she said that they start shooting in February. I read the script. I called her back and said, I would love to come in and read for it.
01:12She's like, no, I didn't ask you to come in and read. I said I wanted you to do it.
01:17And I said, I said, huh?
01:19So she's like, it's, I'm producing it along with Oprah, you know, we're fans, you know, we love you, you're family.
01:25So, you know, just come in if you can.
01:28I was like, I will be more than happy. I'll do anything on the Ava Duane Project.
01:32I told her I would be the person carrying the sweet tea.
01:34It doesn't even matter. So, yeah, I just, but I really love collaborating with her.
01:38She's an amazing visionary.
01:40And the things that she's doing for the industry, things she's doing for the world, for the culture, it's just astronomical.
01:47I'm just glad I'm part of it.
01:49Yeah. Give me some examples of kind of what it's like working with her or how Queen Sugar is kind of different than your past experiences.
01:56Well, one thing that I love the most is that we work with all female directors.
02:02I've been working doing film and television for 18 years.
02:06I probably had three, two or three female directors since I started.
02:11And, you know, just working with her and working with all those female directors, it brings something out of me,
02:16a sensitivity that I didn't really, that I knew I had, but I never really brought it to screen.
02:22And it's made me a better actor. It's made me a better artist. It's made me a better person.
02:27It's made me want to be the person that Hollywood is.
02:30And, you know, that's a main thing that she does. She's all about inclusiveness.
02:35You know, and that's a major asset in Hollywood so that, you know, it doesn't just seem like it's one type of people working all the time.
02:46And so our sets are extremely inclusive. You see every walk of life, everybody is on our set.
02:53And this is a family.
02:55Yeah, yeah.
02:56Yeah, you've said before that it's, you know, you've played some tough guys.
03:01You've played some gangster roles.
03:02Right.
03:02And, you know, you had to, did you have to actually do anything to kind of break out of that?
03:09Did it just involve, like, how you were connecting with Ava and with, you know, the creatives that worked on Queen Sugar?
03:16Or did you actually, did you feel like you had to make a change in how you were talking to people in order to, like,
03:24have people consider you for roles beyond that? Or is it just the industry?
03:28Well, what it is, is I work with Ava on Selma. Luckily, I got the chance to play Reverend James Orange.
03:33And she and I just had a lot of great conversations.
03:36And so when she did say she wrote the role for me, she said, this is how I see you.
03:40I don't know how, you know, I want to change the perspective of you.
03:45I want to change the, you know, the way people look at you.
03:48And I know that you can deliver.
03:50So I read the script and I was like, wow, this is how she sees me.
03:54As a loving man, a man, you know, a hardworking man.
03:58And it doesn't have to, like you said, it doesn't have to be heavy all the time.
04:03You know, you can play those sometimes, but it doesn't have to be your whole career.
04:06So I was just so glad when she finally approached me with it.
04:10And when I read it, I was so happy.
04:14I was.
04:14And I'm glad that I did it because now the offers that I get or the things that I read for, it's so different than what it was, you know, before when I was just playing.
04:26No slight to it.
04:28I love playing Cookie Brown or Ray Donovan.
04:29It's one of my favorite characters of all time.
04:31It's fun to be a badass, right?
04:32It is.
04:32It's fun to be the bad guy sometimes.
04:34Sometimes.
04:34You know, I mean, even like in Thank You For Your Service, I played Dante, who is, I guess, is a bad guy, but not really because he's a man who is trying to take care of his military brethren who are coming back from the war and have nowhere to go.
04:49And he's like, I will have somewhere for you to land when you come back.
04:54Yeah, okay.
04:55So let's talk a little bit about Thank You For Your Service.
04:58Right.
04:59Can you just tell me quickly the plot of the movie?
05:01Well, the plot of the movie is about these young men and women, but this is specifically about a group of young men coming back from the war.
05:12And it's the post-traumatic stress that they have, you know, and it's about their day-to-day life.
05:20And it's not just about the men that come back.
05:22It's about their families.
05:24You know, they have their wives.
05:25They have kids who are also suffering right along with them.
05:29And that's one thing that, you know, that I'm really glad that Jason Hall, the writer, director of the film, wanted to highlight.
05:36You know, we want to see what these men and women look like when they come back.
05:40You know, you're out one night with your friends, you're partying or whatever, you're having a good time singing and dancing,
05:46and the next day you're walking into a combat and your man right beside you gets killed.
05:52What does that do to you?
05:52You know, and what does that do?
05:55And that's the exploration that this film is doing.
05:59And, you know, Miles Teller and Pula Cole, they did a beautiful job.
06:02Scott Hayes, you know, playing those men coming back.
06:06And then, you know, and the wives, you know, being there to support.
06:11Like, I know it wasn't, you know, as easy as you may think it, as easy as you may tell me it was.
06:17You're trying to save, you know, me, but, you know, I want to save you.
06:22Right, yeah.
06:23Is there anything you kind of hope that people will realize once they see this movie about, just about veterans and...
06:31Yeah, I mean, the devil is in the details.
06:35The name of the film is Thank You For Your Service.
06:37You know, I had the premiere on last week, and I didn't just say thank you for your service.
06:44I went and we had vets coming in, you know, they're portraying real-life people.
06:51And so I met the real-life people that they portrayed.
06:54And I just went and I talked to them, you know.
06:56I talked to them and said, man, how you doing?
06:58You know, and that's one thing I want to, for people who are civilians to come back and to realize.
07:07Don't just thank them for their service.
07:09Ask them exactly, you know, how you doing?
07:10How's everything going?
07:12You know, you know, people like to talk.
07:14People like to talk about, you know, about what's going on in their lives.
07:16So they're not just this statue just sitting there, oh, we thank you for what you've done.
07:22They're real human beings.
07:23In Thank You For Your Service, your kind of your first scene where we're introduced to your character, Dante, it's in a dogfighting ring.
07:31Right.
07:31So I just wanted to ask you, how did that scene go down?
07:36Because for me, just watching it, it's pretty visceral and intense.
07:41What was it like to film that scene?
07:43It was tough.
07:45I mean, it was extremely tough.
07:47The thing about it, the dogs were so nice.
07:50Yeah.
07:51They're actors, you know, virtually.
07:53I'd go out there and play with the dogs.
07:55And then next thing you know, they're going at it.
07:57But they weren't biting each other.
07:58They just looked like it.
08:00You know, they're just jumping at each other.
08:01And it's one scene when Bueller Cole, who plays Solo, picks the dog up.
08:08And the dog is such a good actor, like this is a pit bull, you know.
08:12And he's carrying him, and the dog is just sitting there like this.
08:17And it just does something to me because I'm a dog lover.
08:19I have a dog.
08:20His name is General.
08:21And I'm just thinking about my dog.
08:23But, yeah, it was something to the heart, man.
08:28Yeah.
08:28Okay, let's go back to your character of Hollywood.
08:31Right.
08:32Can you tell me one thing that he has done that you are going to pick up on now?
08:38And, like.
08:40You know what's funny?
08:42Hollywood is a real handy guy.
08:46So I go home, tell my daughters, like, yeah, you know, I'm just like Hollywood.
08:50It's like you don't fix anything around the house.
08:52What you talking about?
08:54So what I've been trying to do is change fixtures and stuff.
08:59And the next thing I know, I'm calling a mechanic.
09:01I'm calling somebody to come in and a plumber to come in and fix my garbage disposal because I've screwed it all up.
09:10But he's just this handy dude, you know.
09:13And, like, even this season when he's helping Vi around cooking the pies and stuff, I said, maybe I can help out a little bit in the kitchen.
09:22But that ain't happening.
09:23I wanted to know if there's anybody that you would like to play that you haven't played yet.
09:28Yeah, a lot of people I'd like to play.
09:30You know, I would like to play George Washington in Hamilton, the movie.
09:35Yes.
09:36You know, I would like to play Paul Robeson.
09:39You know, I would like to play, my dream project has always been Thelonious Monk.
09:45You know, there are people who I really look up to, you know, who I want to play.
09:50I can't, there's a few people who I can't play.
09:56I would like to play Martin Luther King, but I'm six with two, 220 pounds, so that might not really work.
10:01You know, but people who are, you know, people who are almost like the same stature as I am, like Paul Robeson, like I said, and Thelonious Monk.
10:12Thelonious Monk specifically because he was just such a character, and he was a genius.
10:18And when I was growing up playing piano, I wanted to play just like him.
10:22And when I became an actor, I wanted to be the acting version of Thelonious Monk, this weird, wiggy guy, you know, who's unpredictable.
10:31So, you know, those are a few characters.
10:32Sounds like a meaty role.
10:34Yeah, it is, yeah.
10:36So, yeah, I mean, we're kind of living in what everybody says is the golden age of television.
10:40Yes.
10:40And you're just telling me all the characters you'd like to play.
10:43Like, is it exciting for you that television is kind of opening up into different, like, worlds and facets?
10:49Like, I feel like now more than ever, when you think about all of the things you want to do as an actor, all of those things might happen.
10:57Yeah, definitely.
10:57You know, because of all of the mediums that we have now, like all the platforms, streaming and cable and social media, they're, you know, YouTube, and, you know, they're doing their own series.
11:15There's so much space there now, you know, and all of these great stories that can be told.
11:22There's no limit to them.
11:25I think, and, you know, being a black man, seeing all of these great projects, you have Queenship, you have Atlanta, you have Insecure, you have Luke Cage.
11:34You have all of these different things that we have now, and these stories that we can tell.
11:41It was a time that we weren't, that black people weren't able to tell their own narratives.
11:45Now you have Ava DuVernay out there telling the narrative.
11:47You have Issa Rae.
11:48You have Donald Glover.
11:50You have Cheo Coker.
11:51You have all of these different creators out here telling their stories.
11:56Charles Murray's another one.
11:57And these people are, you know, they're giving chances.
12:01Can you bearish?
12:02This is just an amazing time.
12:05I'm blessed to be on one of the great shows, you know, of this era.
12:09So, you know, when the books are written and the history is told, you know, it's a blessing that I will be one of the names that will be a study.
12:20Would you ever want to be on Insecure?
12:23Man, I want to be on everything.
12:25I want to be on Insecure.
12:26You might have to get naked for Insecure.
12:27That's all right.
12:28Give me about two months in the gym.
12:29I'll be all right.
12:32No, you know, Issa does a good job.
12:34And Yvonne, you know, those are my people, man.
12:36Those are my friends anyway.
12:37So I'm just proud of everything they're doing.
12:38Yeah.
12:39Yeah.
12:39Definitely.
12:41So, okay, I have a couple of questions for you.
12:44This is first best, last worst.
12:46Okay.
12:47First acting job that made you think, I've made it.
12:50The first acting job that made me think I made it was the first one I ever did.
12:54It was a movie called Road Trip by Todd Phillips.
12:58It was, I think, David, what's the guy named it?
13:01Tom Green.
13:02That's right.
13:03It was just a fun movie.
13:05But it was such a cultural phenomenon when it came out.
13:08I was like, oh, I'm going to be rich for the rest.
13:10I'm going to be rich in like a week.
13:13It didn't happen.
13:14Yeah.
13:15But then you got a lot of people on the streets, right?
13:17Like, hey.
13:17Everybody's like, hey, you.
13:18Road Trip.
13:18Road Trip.
13:19Exactly.
13:20Yeah.
13:20I'm like, oh, I'm famous now.
13:21Yeah.
13:22Yeah.
13:24Best story you have from the set of Queen Sugar.
13:27Best story I have from the set of Queen Sugar.
13:29Oh, man.
13:31All right.
13:32So Tina Lifford, who plays Vi, my girlfriend, and Dondre Whitfield, who plays Remy, they have
13:40a battle that's been going on for two years now.
13:43And one day, they just go in all the time.
13:48One day, Dondre grabbed a crane, got one of the crane operators to put Tina's chair all
13:56the way up to the roof.
13:58So when she was looking for her chair, we were just sitting around talking and laughing.
14:02And I just pointed up.
14:04And, you know, she thinks I'm always the accomplice.
14:06I said, Tina, I don't have anything to do with this.
14:07It's got nothing to do with me.
14:08But that was just a fun time.
14:10Just being on set with those two, it's always like the roadrunner and Wally Coyote.
14:16Because you all know who's chasing.
14:17You all know who's going to fall and get an ammo on the head.
14:23Last time you were recognized in public?
14:27Every day.
14:28Yeah.
14:29Every day.
14:29People love the show.
14:31You know, I'm just blessed to be on a show like this.
14:33You were just, actually, you were just recognized.
14:35I was about to say, out in the lobby.
14:37Out in the lobby.
14:37Out in the lobby.
14:38Yeah.
14:38But it's like an everyday thing.
14:40And it's astonishing.
14:42Yeah.
14:42And it's good.
14:43It's mostly women.
14:44And that's a good thing.
14:45That is cool.
14:46I love that.
14:46So, yeah.
14:48It's everyday.
14:49You know, like I said, it's great to be on the show.
14:52It resonates.
14:52Yeah.
14:53Yeah.
14:53Do you like, are female fans especially kind to you?
14:57Or do they want to, like, get in on the gossip?
15:00Or are they, like...
15:01They just, you know what it is.
15:02Because they love the character so much.
15:04Yeah.
15:04And they think that I'm that character.
15:05Oh.
15:06And I'm like, hey.
15:07Yeah.
15:07I ain't fixing nothing around the house.
15:09Don't worry about that.
15:10No.
15:10So.
15:14Worst audition experience.
15:16Oh, God.
15:17You know what?
15:17And my manager's in the room right now.
15:19And I don't even want to say it.
15:20But goodness.
15:21I had an audition for Grey's Anatomy, right?
15:24Uh-huh.
15:25And Denzel Washington was directing the episode.
15:28This could have been, like, two or three years ago, Frank.
15:31And Denzel Washington is directing the episode.
15:34And Denzel Washington is directing the episode.
15:37So, I'm in there reading with him.
15:40And I got, like, oh, God.
15:42This is the greatest actor of all time.
15:44And I, like, this was two or three years ago.
15:46I was already on television.
15:48I was already, like, you know, did some and everything.
15:51But, man, I blew that audition so bad.
15:53I was like, I hope to God he doesn't think that's how I am, for real.
15:56Because I was just nervous and I was sort of shaking.
15:58My voice was doing all this and stuff.
16:00And I was like, oh, man.
16:02And I called.
16:02I went outside and I called Frank.
16:03I had a great audition, man.
16:05It was great.
16:06But it was just bad for me.
16:08Right.
16:08You know, yeah.
16:09You're just like, I hope he didn't see how nervous I was.
16:13Yeah.
16:13Because, yeah.
16:14And he gave me notes.
16:15He gave me, like, actor notes.
16:16And I was like, I don't know.
16:17I'm not used to taking.
16:18I mean, like, you're right.
16:20You're 100% right.
16:21Because I'm really blowing this right now.
16:23Let me do it the right way.
16:24But, nah.
16:25But, yeah.
16:26But, you know what?
16:27Now he and his wife are both fans of the show.
16:29I talked to Pauletta.
16:31She was doing a play with a friend of mine.
16:33And she was like, Omar, we watch a show every week.
16:35So I was like, thank God.
16:36It's a little bit of redemption in here somewhere.
16:38Yeah, absolutely.
16:40See, you let your work speak for you.
16:42Exactly.
16:42Yeah, you know, I produced a photo shoot with Denzel.
16:46Okay.
16:47And it was, yeah, I was just as nervous.
16:49Yeah, yeah.
16:50It was like, excuse me, sir.
16:52We're ready for you now.
16:54And the thing about it is, I've auditioned with the biggest directors.
16:57I've worked with Tarantino.
17:00And I've worked with, you know, Ava.
17:03And, you know, I've worked with some of the biggest ones.
17:05And I've been in Oscar-winning movies.
17:06But it's just something about the man who is the best at what you do is directing an episode.
17:13And you just, like, blow it.
17:16So, yeah.
17:17That was like three years ago, too.
17:19Goodness, that was not too long ago.
17:22ORJ Dorsey, thank you so much for being here.
17:25Queen Sugar, check out the season finale.
17:27Definitely, please.
17:28And season three, you're going back to it in February, huh?
17:30Going back to it in February.
17:31Ready to go back to New Orleans.
17:33All right, nice.
17:33Let the good times roll.
17:34All right, thank you.
17:36Bye.
17:37Thank you so much.
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