ELLEN:
ELLEN: GOLDEN GLOBE WINNING ACTOR KEVIN BACON STARS IN THE
SERIES "CITY ON A HILL."
WE RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH HIM
TO GET A PREVIEW.
>> TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS SHOW,
"CITY ON A HILL" SEASON TWO,
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?
KEVIN: WE HAVE MOVED FROM THE
CHARLES TOWN NEIGHBORHOOD OF
BOSTON TO THE ROXBURY
NEIGHBORHOOD.
NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS THE EARLY 1990'S.
THERE IS A LOT OF RACIAL TENSION
IN THE CITY, A LOT OF CORRUPTION
BETWEEN THE FBI, POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. A YOUNG GIRL IS KILLED BY A
STRAY BULLET IN ROXBURY, IN THE
HOUSING PROJECTS.
HOUSING PROJECTS. ONE OF OUR MAIN CHARACTERS IS A
WOMAN NAMED GRACE WHO IS A
CHAMPION OF THE COMMUNITY,
PEOPLE IN THE HOUSING PROJECT
QAEDA, -- KIND OF BELOVED.
WE FIND OUT HER TWO SONS,
UNBEKNOWNST TO HER, ARE DRUG
DEALERS, INVOLVED IN THE
SHOOTING OF THIS LITTLE GIRL.
THE CHARACTER GETS INVOLVED, HIS
WIFE IS ALSO INVOLVED.
ME BEING JACKIE, I HAVE TO STICK
MY NOSE IN.
IT IS A COMPLEX STORY BUT A
FASCINATING ONE LIKE I ALWAYS
SAY, THEY GIVE ME A LOT OF GREAT
STUFF.
STUFF.
STUFF. >>
STUFF. >> YOU HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DABBLE IN JUST ABOUT
EVERYTHING THESE DAYS.
I'M CURIOUS, WHERE DOES THIS
OPPORTUNITY RANK WITH EVERYTHING
THAT YOU'VE DONE?
KEVIN: WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF
THE GREATEST PART THAT I HAVE
EVER HAD.
EVER HAD.
EVER HAD. YOU SOMETIMES BREAK SCRIPTS
DOWN, AND YOU SAY, THIS IS A
SCENE I HAVE TO BE IN BECAUSE IT
IS DRIVING THE STORY.
BUT THERE IS NOT ALL THAT MUCH
FOR ME TO PLAY NECESSARILY.
I AM STILL WAITING FOR THAT
GREAT SCENE TWO -- TO COME.
WITH "CITY ON A HILL," I AM
EXCITED FOR EVERY SINGLE SCENE.
THEY JUST GAVE ME GREAT STUFF TO
PLAY.
PLAY.
PLAY. JACKIE IS A GUY THAT CANNOT SHUT
UP.
UP.
UP. 75%
UP. 75% OF WHAT COMES OUT OF HIS
MOUTH IS BS.
HE IS A STREETWISE CHARACTER,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME AS A
TREMENDOUS FACILITY FOR HISTORY.
EVEN THOUGH HIS OPINIONS ARE
COMPLETELY BACKWARD IN SO MANY
WAYS, REALLY STUCK IN ANOTHER
ERA, HE STILL HAS AN UNDERLYING
INTELLIGENCE
ERA, HE STILL HAS AN UNDERLYING INTELLIGENCE.
INTELLIGENCE. IT IS JUST A FUN CHARACTER.
PLUS, I GET TO WORK WITH SUCH
FANTASTIC ACTORS.
FANTASTIC ACTORS. I LOVE THE CAST.
WE FIND IT CREATIVELY REALLY
SATISFYING.
SATISFYING. >> IS THERE AN ELEMENT OF THE
SHOW THAT HELPS TO PROCESS
CURRENT EVENTS THAT WE ARE
DEALING WITH TODAY?
A LOT OF WHAT WE EXPECT IN
SEASON TWO, WHAT WE SAW FROM
SEASON ONE, REFLECTS WHAT PEOPLE
ARE DEALING WITH.
>> THE HOPE IS, BASED ON THE
EVENTS OF THE LAST FEW YEARS,
STARTING WITH THE MURDER OF
GEORGE FLOYD, THAT MANY PEOPLE
-- NOT ALL PEOPLE -- BUT MANY
PEOPLES LENS, VIEWS AROUND
ISSUES LIKE SYSTEMATIC RACISM IN
THIS COUNTRY HAVE AT LEAST BEEN
SHIFTED IN SOME KIND OF WAY.
I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO BRING
THAT WHEN LOOKING AT THIS SHOW.
TO ME, THAT IS A POSITIVE THING.
NOW, WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE
DISMISS IT BY SAYING THAT IS
JUST A PERIOD PIECE -- I MEAN
DISMISS IT BY SAYING THAT IS JUST A PERIOD PIECE -- I MEAN,
IT IS INTERESTING.
THE BASIS OF THIS SHOW, IT WAS
THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT CHANGE
IN BOSTON, BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT IT AND SAY,
DID THINGS CHANGE THAT MUCH?
HOW FAR HAVE WE GONE SINCE 1992?
I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
WE COME UP AGAINST A LOT THESE
DAYS.
DAYS.
DAYS. KRISTEN: SUCH A GREAT SHOW.
"CITY ON A