MICHAEL KEEN HOSTED THE SHOW
WITH MUSICAL GUEST OLIVIA RODRIGO.
>>> ACADEMY AWARD WINNER FOREST WHITAKER DESCRIBED AS A GENTLE
GIANT BY THOSE WHO KNOW AND WORK WITH HIM.
HE DOESN'T LOOK FOR THE SPOTLIGHT BUT IT SEEMS TO KEEP
FINDING HIM. A FOOTBALL STAR, TALENTED
UNDEROPERA SINGER IN COLLEGE OR AS ONE OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST
RESPECTED ACTORS. EARLY ROAMS IN "THE COLOR OF
MONEY." GOOD MORNING VIETNAM AND "THE
CRYING GAME," LAUNCHING HIM ACCLAIM FOR HIS LEAD ROLE IN
"THE BUTLER." NOW THE 59-YEAR-OLD IS THE
"GODFATHER OF HARLEM" WHERE THE MOB MEETS THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT. FOREST AND I GOT TOGETHER
RECENTLY HERE IN NEW YORK FOR A SOCIALLY DISTANCEDS "SUNDAY
SITDOWN". >> YOU ALL RIGHT?
>> YOU ALL RIGHT? >> YEAH.
RAILROAD FOR THEEST WHITAKER RARELY IS THE LOUDEST VOICE IN
THE ROOM, BUT HIS PERFORMANCES SPEAK VOLUMES.
[ CHEERS ] LIKE HIS OSCAR-WINNING TURN AS A
RUTHLESS AFRICAN WARLORD IN "THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND."
>> THIS WILL BE A GOVERNMENT OF ACTION!
[ CHEERS ] OR AS WAKANDA'S WISEST WARRIOR
IN MARVEL'S "BLACK PANTHER." >> I, SON OF BAJU GIVE TO YOU
THE BLACK PANTHER. >> Reporter: AND NOW AS
REAL-LIFE CRIME BOSS BUCKY JOHNSON IN THE EPIC DRAMA
"GODFATHER OF HARLEM." >> YOU KNOW HOW THE SAYING
GOES -- >> WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE HUMAN
PART THAT CONNECTS WITH ME. WITH BUMPY, A CHESS MASTER,
POET, SAME TIME A MURDERER. YOU CAN RELATE TO HIS STRUGGLES,
FAILURES, AND THE FAMILY INVOLVED START TO CARE.
>> I KNOW YOU'LL GET RIGHT BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS.
>> I'M ALREADY BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS.
>> Reporter: SET AMONG THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF THE 1960s,
THE SECOND SEASON OF "GODFATHER OF HARLEM" FINDS BUMPY FIGHTING
FOR CONTROL OF A DRUG PIPELINE CALLED THE FRENCH CONNECTION
WITH HELP FROM FRIENDS LIKE MALCOLM X.
>> OH, BROTHER. SURE IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK HOME. >> THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
BUMPY AND MALCOLM X AND CLAYTON POWELL AND FASCINATING FIGURES
AT THE CENTER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
NOT JUST A MOB STORY. >> THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF
IT WHEN I WAS DECIDING TO DO IT. IN THIS SEASON UNBELIEVABLE
PARALLEL BUILT INTO THE STORY. A LOT OF PROBLEMS ARE STILL HERE
TODAY. >> A SECOND-CLASS CITIZEN IN MY
OWN COUNTRY AND GOT TO FIGHT FOR WHAT'S MINE.
>> Reporter: ALL OF US TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH SUPPRESSION,
SUPPRESSING PEOPLE OF BLACK RACE.
WE EXPLORE THAT IN THE SHOW AND EXPLORE IT IN AN INTERNAL AND
PERSONAL WAY. >> WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE WHO
WATCH THE SERIES TO TAKE AWAY FROM IT?
>> TO FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE TO TRY TO LIVE A DECENT LIFE.
>> Reporter: IN HIS OWN LIFE WHITAKER WAS RAISED THE SON OF A
TEACHER AND INSURANCE SALESMAN AND EARNED A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP
FIRST IN FOOTBALL THEN IN OPRAH, BEFORE TURNING HIS TALENTS TO
ACTING. >> WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR
CHILDHOOD, YOU LOOK AT A GUY WHO WAS BORN IN TEXAS.
MOVES TO SOUTH CENTRAL L.A., THEN TO CARSON.
A FOOTBALL STAR, STRAIGHT-A STUDENT AND OPERA SINGER.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU SUNG AN ARYA?
>> BEEN A LONG TIME. I USED TO SING EVERY ONCE IN A
WHILE. >> BUT YOU MADE A CHOICE AT SOME
POINT TO -- SAY MAYBE THIS ISN'T WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE.
I WANT TO BECOME AN ACTOR. WHAT WAS THAT DECISION LIKE FOR
YOU? >> A SQUARE BOX OF AN ART FORM.
WASN'T GOING TO REACH THE PEOPLE I GREW UP WITH OR THE PEOPLE I
WANTED TO SPEAK TO. SO I DECIDED TO TRY TO EXPRESS
THAT THROUGH ACTING. >> THIS IS GOING TO REALLY MAKE
IT BIG FOR THIS. >> Reporter: AT 21, WHITAKER
MADE HIS FILM DEBUT IN THE CLASSIC 1982 COMEDY "FAST TIMES
AT RIDGEMONT HIGH." >> WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON THAT
MOVIE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVED SO MUCH, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> SO COCKY AND SO YOUNG. SUCH A LONG TIME AGO.
AFTER I FINISHED THAT MOVIE I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOOD ENOUGH
AT THAT POINT SO I WENT BACK TO CONSERVATORY TO TRY TO GET
BETTER. >> BOY, DID IT WORK.
YOU GO ON A RUN FROM '87 AND '87 WITH "PLATOON" WITH OLIVER
STONE. >> HURTING REAL BADDED IN.
>> "COLOR OF MONEY." "GOOD MORNING VIETNAM" WITH
BARRY LEVENSON. >> WELCOME.
>> WHAT WAS THAT LIKE AS AN ACTOR TO GET SORT OF THAT
EDUCATION FROM THAT RUN OF DIRECTORS?
>> PRETTY AMAZING. SCORSESE, DETAIL ORIENTED.
CLINT EASTWOOD ABLE TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WITH A LOT OF THINGS
FLOW WITHOUT BREAKAGE OF MOVEMENT.
>> YOU MENTIONED CLINT EASTWOOD," "BIRD."
WON THE BEST ACTOR AWARD AT CANNES.
MAYBE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE MOMENT YOU MADE IT AS AN ACTOR?
>> TRYING TO BE A DESTINY. GOING TO SCHOOL TO BE A TEACHER.
>> REALLY? >> TRYING TO FIND A WAY.
AND NOT UNTIL THIS I STARTED FEELING IT.
>> IF I COULD BE ANYTHING, I DICTATOR SCALER.
IDI AMIN IN THE 2006 FILM "THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND."
>> FOREST WHITAKER. >> Reporter: SEALS FOREST'S MO.
EVERYONE STOPS CLAPPING AND UB GO.
JUST A SECOND. OKAY.
OKAY. >> QUIET A COUPLE OF SECONDS.
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE TO YOU? >> I WANTED TO EXPERIENCE IT.
MOMENT AND NOT WALK PAST IT. SO WHEN I CAN'T EVEN FEEL IT
THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> Reporter: WHITAKER ALSO IS AN ACCOMPLISHED DIRECTOR WITH FILMS
LIKE "WAITING TO EXHALE" STARS WHITNEY HOUSTON AND "HOPE
FLOATS" WITH SANDRA BULLOCK. >> YOU GET A CHANCE TO HOPEFULLY
HELP PEOPLE RISE TO THE GREATNESS IN THEMSELVES.
THAT'S KINDS OF COOL. >> Reporter: IN RECENT YEARS
WHITAKER TURNED HIS LENGTH AND PRODUCING PROWESS TO FIRST-TIME
FILMMAKERS OF COLOR INCLUDING RYAN COOGLER OF "FRUITVALE
STATION" AND "BLACK PANTHER" FAME HELPING A NEW GENERATION
FIND ITS VOICE IN HOLLYWOOD. >> EVERY MAN HAS A LEGACY
WHETHER HE WANTS ONE OR NOT. WHAT IS YOURS GOING TO BE?
>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT "GODFATHER OF HARLEM," PARALLELS
TO TODAY, DOING MEANINGFUL WORK THAT EXPLAINS WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN THE COUNTRY NOW. ARE YOU HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN DO
BETTER? >> YEAH, I'M HOPEFUL.
BECAUSE I SEE THE YOUTH STANDING UP AND RISING UP AND SPEAKING
OUT IN THEIR VOICES AND I RECOGNIZE THOSE ARE THE ONES
TAKING OUR PLACES. >> YOU CAN CATCH NEW EPISODES OF
"GODFATHER OF HARLEM" EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT AT 9:00 P.M. ON
EPICS. >>> AND DON'T FORGET TO
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