NEW YORK, March 18 (UPI) — Leverage and Underground actor Aldis Hodge says he relied on conversations with Cross show-runner Ben Watkins and James Patterson, the author upon whose books the series is based, to get inside the heart and mind of iconic Washington, D.C., homicide detective Alex Cross.
“I went and talked to James directly,” Hodge, 39, recently told the crowd at New York Comic Con.
“My two sort of ‘North stars’ when it came to approaching this were talking to Ben to understand what his real vision was, so we could make sure we execute that. But then, when I talked to James, I wanted to know about the foundation of the character for him, what was most important to him about the character and just the principles that inspired who and what this character became.”
Although the books and Prime Video TV series, which was renewed for a third season Wednesday, differ greatly storywise, Watkins and Patterson agreed on who the character is.
“A few things that are really important are: his intellect is really where his superpower lives,” Hodge said, noting emotional maturity is another essential trait to convey when playing Cross.
“For how we get to display him in the TV format, vulnerability. That, to me, is a true measure of strength,” Hodge added.
“Being able to explore and express your vulnerability. Dig in it. Dig through it. Fight for it. Fight for yourself because that’s where the relativity lives. We’re all fighting for something personally, ourselves, all looking for a little bit of help or guidance on how to get through it, and we could all use a Samson in our lives.”
Samson is Cross’ best friend and partner on the police force. He is played by Isaiah Mustafa, 52, a former pro football player best known for his roles in I Know What You Did Last Summer and Shadowhunters.
“That’s what makes it worth it for me because we get to explore real, lived-in values and experiences,” Hodge said.
“Like Ben said, ‘You know what you come for, but then you learn what you stay for,’ and, for us, I think, on the performative side, it’s equally aligned,” he added.
“We are staying because our characters are so rich. It is based on the relationships we get to have, the relationships we establish, and then, when it comes to another season, we’re looking forward to the things that may shake up, may change, may surprise even us. Because I’m going to tell you, as the cast, we’ve got a lot of surprises. Don’t get comfortable.”
Watkins said audiences are so smart nowadays that it is difficult to maintain mystery and tension in television, so he plays tricks on them with unexpected casting, suspenseful music and camera angles to make viewers think someone is the hero or villain, or knows more than they are letting on.
Hodge said Watkins even uses misdirection on his cast by giving the actors scripts with parts that are redacted.
“Sometimes you might be on the hit list and not know,” Hodge said.
About the Author
