BlackTree TVThe Reel Thing: Street Kings
The Noble Warrior
Digging deep: Keanu Reeves as Tom Ludlow
"You're the tip of the spear, man. Who'll hold back the animals?"-Captain Jack Wander
With the success of such films as SPEED and THE MAXTRIX trilogy, Keanu Reeves has become one of the most beloved and iconic actors of his generation. His films have made an indelible mark on the landscape of filmmaking and he has one of the most recognizable faces in the world. In STREET KINGS, Reeves and his manager/producer Erwin Stoff saw an opportunity to tackle a complex role with a fully formed and personal performance.
"After initially reading the script I thought this role would be a singularly fantastic opportunity for Keanu as an actor," recalls producer Erwin Stoff. "He is not the type of actor who wants an expectation placed on him of the kind of roles he should take and that's been the hallmark of his career."
"I was intrigued by the level of violence surrounding the character and the dramatic consequences of that," explains Keanu Reeves. "He can be viewed as either someone who kills in the name of the law or someone who delivers justice. Dramatically, there's a high price to pay and I was interested in how it would all play out."
To help extract an honest and truthful performance from Reeves, David Ayer attempted to create a world steeped in truth and grit by surrounding the actor with plenty of physical realism to draw from. He was immersed in the culture of Los Angeles and some of the most challenged areas in the city.
"What was very exciting to me was the idea of Keanu Reeves going into the ghetto and playing a very realistic organic character with a nuanced intense performance," explains David Ayer. "In this film he's not fighting aliens or robots, he's fighting gang bangers, cops and police corruption, so we wanted to help him get to the point where he felt a part of that world to get that very psychologically realistic performance. It was incredible."
Tom Ludlow is man dealing with many demons, both in the real world and within himself. He is a dedicated police officer who touches the darkest elements of society while still reeling from the loss of his wife. The depth of the character gave Reeves the opportunity to live in the skin of someone who is very different from himself.
"The character of Tom Ludlow is an interesting head space for Keanu to get into," explains Foster. "Keanu is very much a pacifist in real life and we've asked him to play a very dark human and it's been amazing to watch him rise to the challenge."
"I'm an actor and it's all make believe, but in the imagining of this world steeped in violence it can be intoxicating," remarks Reeves. "Violence is an elemental force and acting it out has a weird illusion of control. Ludlow is lashing out and using violence to get to the truth, but as someone says in the film, 'Blood doesn't wash away blood.' In the end, violence doesn't change anything."
A BlackTree Media Production
- Produced by Jamaal Finkley
- Hosted by Ms. Patricia Cage
Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker had an exceptional year in 2007. He amazed audiences with his portrayal of Idi Amin in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, for which he earned an Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, SAG Award™ and BAFTA Award, all in the leading actor category, and critics awards across the board. On the small screen, Whitaker earned an Emmy® nomination for his role on last season's "ER."
This year, Whitaker has appeared in the already released THE AIR I BREATHE and VANTAGE POINT and has wrapped filming on WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, WINGED CREATURES, POWDER BLUE and REPOSESSION MAMBO.
Forest's other credits include, AMERICAN GUN, which received an Independent Spirit Award nomination, Clint Eastwood's BIRD, for which he was named Best Actor at The Cannes Film Festival as well as a Golden Globe nomination, THE CRYING GAME, FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, GHOST DOG: THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI, FOURTH ANGEL, PANIC ROOM and PHONE BOOTH, among many others. Whitaker has also made his mark behind the camera, beginning with his first directing endeavor of WAITING TO EXHALE. Since then, he has worked as the executive producer of GREEN DRAGON, producer of CHASING PAPI, director of FIRST DAUGHTER and HOPE FLOATS.
Whitaker lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.
A BlackTree Media Production
- Produced By Jamaal Finkley
- Hosted by Ms. Patricia Cage
Chris Evans Interview
BlackTree TV personality, Ms. Patricia Cage, sits down with actor Chris Evans, the co-star of the new film, "Street Kings".
Common and Cedric The Entertainer Interview
BlackTree TV sits down with Cedric The Entertainer and rapper/actor Common to discuss dirty cops, Obama, media and their new movie "Street Kings"
The Game, Common & DJ Muggs Add Hip-Hop Flavor To New Keanu Reeves Flick
- written by Janeé Bolden
- Wednesday - March 5, 2008
Upcoming police drama Street Kings has hip-hop written all over it, not only do Common and the Game have starring roles but former Cypress Hill producer DJ Muggs is also providing the score for the film.
Set on the gritty streets of Los Angeles, Street Kings features Keanu Reeves as an LAPD Vice Detective, determined to track down his former partner's killers. Forrest Whitaker, Common and the Game also star in the David Ayer-directed film. Ayer is known for writing such past films as Training Day and The Fast And The Furious.
Due out in April, the flick also features a score created by renowned Cypress Hill and Soul Assassins producer, DJ Muggs. In a recently released statement, Muggs described his duties on the project:
"We began the process of Street Kings by talking to David Ayer about the direction of the sound and how we wanted to convey certain moods in certain scenes," DJ Muggs explained. "Once the movie was shot, we went to work and brought the sound and movement to life."
"The main difference from scoring and making records is that in scoring the music can't loop," Muggs explained. "You gotta build, take away and add changes constantly as each frame changes. And the other difference is that when I make music, I only have to answer to me. This time I had the director and the producers and the studio Fox Searchlight. You have to make sure they get their vision across as well as the energy and emotion they want in the sound of their film. I'm here for that purpose."
DJ Muggs is currently working on his compilation album Soul Assassins III, as well as the concept album DJ Muggs vs. Planet Asia with Planet Asia.
Street Kings lands in theaters on April 11th.
STREET KINGS
Keanu Reeves (The Matrix), Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland), Hugh Laurie ("House") & Chris Evans (Fantastic Four) lead the all-star cast including Jay Mohr (Jerry Maguire), John Corbett (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Cedric the Entertainer (Johnson Family Vacation), Amaury Nolasco ("Prison Break"), Naomi Harris (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End), Terry Crews ("Everybody Hates Chris"), Common (American Gangster), & The Game.
Directed by the Writer of TRAINING DAY: David Ayer
Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is a veteran LAPD cop who finds life difficult to navigate after the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of his former partner, Detective Terrance Washington (Terry Crews), Ludlow sets out on a quest to find the real murderers responsible and bring them to justice. With the help of a young Robbery Homicide Detective (Chris Evans), the two team up to tackle the diverse communities of Los Angeles. Academy Award® winner Forest Whitaker plays Captain Wander, Ludlow's supervisor, whose duties include keeping him within the confines of the law and out of the clutches of Internal Affairs Captain Biggs (Hugh Laurie).
STREET KINGS is set for a wide release on April 11, 2008.
