Based on the true story of an American hero, ‘Blackkklansman’ tells the tale of an African American detective whose mission is to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan. Taking place in the early 1970s, the film follows Ron Stallworth as he takes on the dangerous task of exposing the KKK. ‘Blackkklansman’ is written and directed by Spike Lee and produced by Jordan Peele and the team behind his award-winning movie, Get Out.
We sat down with the star of the film, John David Washington, to discuss the upcoming movie.
Ron Stallworth was an intelligence detective, the first black police officer in this police department in Colorado, and his job is to infiltrate the KKK. What drew you to this very unique role?
John David Washington: Well, it’s a very rich, unique, and really unknown piece of American history. You know, I went to a historic black college and I learned a lot about my culture there, but this one kind of slipped through the cracks… I didn’t know about this story. So when I first heard about it, it sounded familiar, like a Dave Chappelle skit maybe, and once I did the research and found out no, this really happened and it’s not a joke, this is a piece of American history. I mean, and then with Jordan Peele and Spike Lee attached to this, this is a no-brainer for me.
What was it like to work with Spike Lee?
John David Washington: I mean, it’s like seeing your hero work. You know, it’s like playing with Michael Jordan or something, you know what I mean? It was the most incredible, inclusive experience I’ve ever had.
How’d it come to be?
John David Washington: Uh, I got a Spike text from him and Spike texted and said ‘Call me.’
Okay, but wait a minute. How do you recognize the number? Does he sign it? Did you have it through industry relationships?
John David Washington: Out of curiosity I just was like, well let me just see. Even if it is a prank, this might be worth it, you know what I mean? But it was, it was him. You know, my brother had worked for him on She’s Gotta Have It season one, so my brother had told me that he’s been asking about me and I was like [scoffs] yeah whatever.
So was he a fan of Ballers, the show that you’re on with ‘The Rock’?
John David Washington: Yeah and actually he was familiar with… I worked for his wife on a film called Monster that he got to see some clips there and I think that from that on, I guess that’s what happened.
And when you get a call from Spike…
John David Washington: You take the call. But he never really, he never technically asked me if I wanted to do it or even how I felt about it. It was like he sent me the book, I said, ‘I loved the book. This is amazing. This really happened?’ He said ‘yeah.’ I was like ‘alright bet,’ and then like two months later we went over the script as if we were already working.
The film is based on the best-selling book written by the real intelligence detective, Ron Stallworth. Did you get to meet Ron?
John David Washington: Yes, yes I did. Actually, Spike strategically didn’t want me to meet him too soon. You know, I kept asking ‘Spike can I please meet him. I just want to have a conversation, anything.’ And he didn’t want me to until the table read. So that was the first time I got to meet him, talk to him, and he… this is crazy. He passed around the Ku Klux Klan membership card. He is a member of the organization.
So he had the real card?
John David Washington: Yeah, signed by David Duke.
Do your parents, Denzel and Pauletta Washington, give you advice? Or do they say, stay out of the business?
John David Washington: No, they were very very supportive parents in all my endeavors. You know, they have different approaches on how they give advice. My mother is very positive and encouraging and nurturing, as a mother should be.
She’s kind of there, reading with you every step of the way.
John David Washington: Yeah, she’s my auditioning partner. She says when it’s not good enough, she says when I’m ready, when to work on this, that kind of thing. She helped me get Ballers. Yeah, we worked a lot on that. And uh, the old man, he has a different approach.
Like a ‘Training Day’ approach?
John David Washington: [laughs] Yeah, something like that. We’ll just say that. We’ll go with that. Yeah.
I know you did a bit of acting when you were growing up, but you kind of pushed that away a little bit. Is that just because you were trying to build your own self?
John David Washington: Preciously, yeah. It was sort of, uh, I had this like rebellious quest of independence, you know. But I used it as fuel to engineer this sort of football career, you know what I mean? As my father started extending in the business, people around me, people started treating us differently, our lives changed. So that anxiety, that sort of resentment, I just funneled it through to football.
Like you wanted to be your own person?
John David Washington: Yeah, exactly. And they say you know, the ‘helmet syndrome,’ they can’t see my face, it’s just the last name. So it’s like ‘who’s that Washington kid out there?’
So what did you take from football into showbiz?
John David Washington: Preparation. You know, you gotta be prepared always. Discipline, consistency, comradery, teamwork, depending on others to get the job done. I think when everybody’s on the same page on the field and on the set, I mean, that is sort of the prerequisite to success. It doesn’t guarantee it, but it definitely will set you up.
Do you miss football?
John David Washington: No! I mean, ask my knees, ask my Achilles. You know, I just came off of a sports hernia and [that was] football’s last parting gift to me. So no, I don’t miss it.
‘Blackkklansman’ hits theaters nationwide August 10th. To learn more about the film and to watch the trailer, click here.
