*John David Washington, who plays Ron Stallworth in “BlacKkKlansman,” was among the cast members EURweb spoke to in New York at the Essex House. The son of iconic actor Denzel Washington, he is definitely a chip off the exceptionally talented block. Washington was in Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” when he was just nine. He has starred in a number of films since then, TV (“Ballers” on HBO), and as a professional football player, was a running back with the St. Louis Rams and Sacramento Mountain Lions.
When asked what he wanted the “BlacKkKlansman” takeaway to be, he told EURweb that there were a number of them.
“First of all, people will walk away with some new information,” he said. “Ron Stallworth is a very courageous man and it doesn’t make him or black law officers any less woke because they’re on the side of the law. Also, it wasn’t just this brother by himself. Let’s not miss that. He also had support from white men who believed in his mission.
“Another thing I think people will take away from this is what hate sounds like, the lexicon of how we have to start changing that. Even the way we joke. Even with our rappers; can you make an album without cursing, without using certain words? Maybe that can help bridge the gap, change the vernacular.”
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Considering your progeny, would it be safe to say you were aware of the Black Panthers and Kwame Ture portrayed in the movie?
Oh yeah! Not just because of my folks, but I went to Morehouse college and I learned a lot about black history. I also did a lot of reading on my own and find it interesting how this story just slipped through the cracks. This is not a commonly known story, and it should be.
What would you say was your most harrowing scene?
The banquet scene when Ron stared hate and death right in the face.
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