2019-10-16 The Hollywood Reporter

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THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 100 OCTOBER 16, 2019

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Festival

Preview

‘ We Can’t Shy Away’ Aldis Hodge

explores both sides of the American

justice system with Clemency and

City on a Hill By Sharareh Drury

A

ldis Hodge’s latest projects in film and

television take on opposite ends of

American justice.

In the prison drama Clemency (which won

the top prize at Sundance in January), Hodge’s

Anthony Woods maintains his inno-

cence while facing the death penalty

after being convicted of shooting a

police officer during a convenience

store robbery. On Showtime’s City on

a Hill, Hodge plays a district attor-

ney who comes to Boston in the ’90s

during the “Boston Miracle,” an initiative

between cops and community leaders to lower

the youth homicide rate.

For his work, the versatile 33-year-old

actor, who will next be seen in the Disney+

film Magic Camp and Universal’s thriller The

Invisible Man, will be honored at the SCAD

Savannah Film Festival with the Discovery

Award. Ahead of the festival in Georgia (which

will screen 159 films and feature a documen-

tary filmmaker panel moderated by THR’s

Scott Feinberg), the North Carolina native

who studied at Pasadena’s ArtCenter College

of Design spoke to THR about the contrast-

ing nature of his recent roles, the many faces

of justice and what advice he might offer his

college-age self.

What about portraying an inmate in Clemency

did you find most challenging?

I had to figure out how to humanize Anthony.

Oftentimes we’re looking at inmates through

their situation, not actually seeing them as

you and me. So the most challeng-

ing thing was to get the audience to

see him as a human being first, and

figure out how they felt about him

and not about his situation. When it

comes to the audience, we don’t really

give them a direct answer [about

whether Anthony is guilty or innocent]. We

allow them to figure it out.

Has your experience with the film influenced

your own feelings about the death penalty or the

prison system?

Generally, I do disagree with [the death pen-

alty]. Where my clarity lacks is that generally,

yes, I’m against it — but if it was my family

STANDOUTS LANDING IN SAVANNAH

A veteran composer and a slew of fresh faces will be honored during the fest

SCAD

Savannah

Film Festival

Oct. 26-Nov. 2

Savannah

College of Art

and Design

Neon

will open

Sundance

winner

Clemency

in theaters

Dec. 27.

member who was killed and I had to be on

the other side of how I feel about somebody

who killed them getting the death penalty,

I can’t really say what I feel because I’m

human. There needs to be a massive amount

of prison reform, but when it comes to certain

criminals and certain transgressions, we

as a society are not in the position to take

the life of someone simply because they also

took a life. I’ve made a rule for myself since I

was a little boy: Don’t become that which you

despise the most, meaning don’t become the

monster that transgresses against you.

City on a Hill touches on themes of race, munici-

pal corruption and justice, all within the era of

the “Boston Miracle.” What was appealing to you

about being part of this story?

The idea of justice. Being a black man, I’ve

been on the opposite side of what some people

might call justice, where I am suffering the

consequences of somebody else’s suppos-

edly right choice because of my demographic,

because of where I live, where I grew up,

because of what I look like. When it comes

to the justice system, we say it’s the “just us”

system. What we have to do in order to correct

that is we have to be involved, integrated. We

can’t shy away from calling out issues and

we have to continue to aspire to build up this

true idea of justice, not one that just favors a

particular culture.

SCAD is a university-run festival. You attended

the ArtCenter College of Design. What advice

would you give to your younger self?

Probably be a little bit more disciplined. I

tend to lose focus easily with certain things

because of piling up too much. I guess com-

partmentalize and prioritize your time and

your obligations.

Interview edited for length and clarity.

ALAN SILVESTRI

The two-time Oscar

nominee known for

composing the music

for Forrest Gump and

a number of Marvel

films will be honored

with the lifetime

achievement award

for composing.

DANIELLE

MACDONALD

The rising star

honoree broke out

in Sundance film

Patti Cake$ before

starring in Dumplin’,

Bird Box and

the Netflix series

Unbelievable.

OLIVIA WILDE

The rising star

director award goes

to this actress turned

helmer whose debut,

Booksmart, was a

critical smash. She’ll

next helm period

thriller Don’t Worry,

Darling for New Line.

DANIEL KALUUYA

The Oscar nominee

for Get Out, who also

appeared in Black

Panther, will receive

the Spotlight Award.

He’ll next be seen

in the Bonnie and

Clyde thriller Queen

& Slim, out Nov. 27.

JHARREL JEROME

The When They See

Us Emmy winner will

join fellow Breakout

Award honorees

Beanie Feldstein,

Kaitlyn Dever,

Mena Massoud and

Camila Morrone for

an Oct. 30 panel.