If actor Aldis Hodge ever wins an Oscar, I hope Batman is included in his acceptance speech. Hodge, who has appeared in One Night in Miami..., Hidden Figures, and now Showtime's gritty series City on a Hill, first got into acting by accident. rice field. But because he loved Batman toys.
``My brother Edwin Hodge, who is a little older than me, was watching TV when he was three...he wanted to be in a box. ) understood that," he told me. His brother started working and needed an extra child during one photo shoot. A young Ardis was cast who was with his mother.
As a reward for doing a good job and behaving his best, his mother made him choose Dark Knight trinkets.
"I was three years old. I wanted to follow my brother. I did what he thought was cool because I thought it was cool," he said. Aldis, 35, said. "I was just about to get some Batman toys, and I actually stocked up a little bit."
And now he has two proverbial superhero feet in his suit. will be stepped into. This year, he voices John His Stewart in 'Green Lantern' and plays Hawkman as Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in the blockbuster 'Black Adam'.
"My love of superheroes inspired me to pursue this industry," he said. "And now I wear my superhero cape two different ways. And it feels crazy to go full circle."
When he landed the coveted role, he usually did not receive any news from his agent or manager. Rather, Rock called him in person to pass on his good words — turning comics fans into "candy store kids." Aldis called the wrestler-turned-actor a "teacher" and said he chose Rock's brains for everything he could on set.
Another great teacher in his life is his mother. Both of his parents were in the Marine Corps, so he moved around quite a bit. Aldis was born in North Carolina, moved to Hawaii, and spent many years in New Jersey. He believes his mother to be a stabilizing force and advocate.
``The industry was a privilege, not a priority. I don't know how to read it,'' he said. He was sometimes homeless, but he didn't take his payday. He wanted his work to enrich his skill, scope and self-esteem.
"Be yourself and speak naturally. But if you want to sit here and be rich and famous, even as an artist, do something else. Time." don't waste it," he said. "If you're trying to contribute something to the craft, you're starving, so there's a place to find dedication. Sometimes you can't pay the bills. You're the victim."
He said , talked about being told by people in the industry that they were "not black enough" because they were too dark or too obvious.
"First of all, black is clarity. It is intelligence, it is scholarship. It is elegance. All these things," he said. “Because people are culturally lazy, they have certain perspectives and those are things that you challenge in your workforce.
He has always followed his moral compass.Ardis is outspoken about the importance of voting, especially in local elections. And he did not shy away from taboo topics like abortion rights, and reiterated that his profession in the entertainment world should not prevent him from having a voice. Regardless of what I did or how it happened, I am still a paying citizen.I still have rights to my civil rights and I must fight to defend those rights. I won't," he said. "That's why I speak up."
He's really doing it his own way—with his younger brother Edwin, 37, by his side. The Hodge brothers' group will soon take on an American version of a Chinese film called 'Parallel'. The pair will also co-starwith "Till" actress Danielle Deadweiler
Speaking of Edwin, I wanted to know who Aldis's favorite sibling actor is in Hollywood. The answer is the incomparable Wayan Brothers. His dream co-star would be Don Cheadle or Gary Oldman.
Aldis doesn't just have a robust IMDb page. He also has a sizeable watch collection and designs them himself. When choosing watches, he has a philosophy that reflects his approach to taking on the role of an actor.
``Don't buy for investment, buy for love. Buy it because it speaks and I keep buying it all the time,” he added.
Detroit native Jalen Rose is a member of his iconoclastic Fab Five at the University of Michigan that rocked his college whoop world in the early '90s. is. He turned to media personality after he played 13 his seasons in the NBA. Rose is currently an analyst on "NBA Countdown" and "Get Up" and co-host of "Jalen & Jacoby." He is the executive producer of ESPN's 30 for 30 series, The Fab Five, author of the best-selling book Got To Give the People What They Want, and fashion icon. I am also a taste maker. - His hometown public charter school Jalen Rose He founded the Leadership Academy.