'BMF': Russell Hornsby Talks Starz Series and Importance of Representing Positive Images of Black Men (Exclusive)

There’s a reason Russell Hornsby was listed on Variety’s “10 Actors to Watch” list. For the past two decades, Hornsby has proven he has wide range as an actor. He gives his characters depth and is praised for portraying Black men with conviction. You won’t catch Hornsby in a stereotypical role. Instead, Hornsby chooses characters of integrity.

Known for his role in the coming-of-age family drama Lincoln Heights, Hornsby has starred alongside some of the greats in films like Fences with Denzel Washington and Viola Davis – and the racially-charged drama The Hate U Give alongside Amandla Stenberg. Now, he’s a series regular in the STARZ drama BMF (aka Black Mafia Family), which is executive produced by 50 Cent.

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The series, which airs on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET, was picked up for a second season after just one episode aired. It’s currently the No. 1 show on the network and its accompanying app and tells the story of the real-life crime brothers, Demetrius and Terry Flenory. Hornsby stars as Charles Flenory, the God-fearing family patriarch and struggling musician who’s committed to steering his family in the right direction, in spite of their sometimes gritty circumstances.

Outside of the show, Hornsby is keeping busy. He is currently filming Iron Mike, a Hulu series that chronicles Mike Tyson’s rise. Hornsby plays controversial boxing promoter Don King. Pop Culture spoke with Hornsby about his work on BMF, portraying King, and his role in the new season of the hit Netflix series Lost in Space. Hornsby also gives insight into his dream role and how he avoids being typecast.

PC: Were you a fan of 50 Cent’s previous produced shows on Stars prior to hearing about BMF?

RH: Yeah, I had watched Power and been watching Raising Kanan as well. And I started watching Ghost Book II. I’m a fan. What I like to do, I like to support us, our people. A lot of my friends that I came up in the game with are on all those shows, too. I’m a big fan of Patina Miller, watched Omari come up. Naturi, I’ve known her since way back. So it’s just like, you want to be able to support your friends and see them, and you’re happy to see them do well.

And this one is obviously is not a part of the whole Power – it’s not a branch off of Power, but it’s equally as amazing. So how familiar were you with the actual true story that the show was based off? And what type of research did you have to do, if any, to prepare for the role?

I was familiar with them. I had heard about it and I had seen some YouTube clips and stuff like that, but not really well versed. I wasn’t in-depth. I didn’t have an in-depth knowledge about BMF. And so honestly there wasn’t really a lot of research as it pertains to me and my character. Charles is no longer with us, but I had an opportunity to speak with the real Lucille. She gave me a great background on their lives, their relationship, their marriage, and those things of that nature. But also, because I was raised in the – I was born in the seventies, grew up in the eighties. I know a lot about this period. And also, I like to say that life was prepared me for this role or prepared me for this opportunity. You know what I mean? Just living long enough kind of allows you to be ready for roles like these.

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Yeah, absolutely. And obviously, the show was off with the bang [and] by Episode 2, you guys were renewed for a second season. So how excited were you to get the news that early on in the game for the show and what do you feel makes this show register so much with viewers that it was picked up for a second season pretty much immediately?

Well, first and foremost, I was very excited. Everybody, every actor wants continued employment, you know what I mean? And to be able to know that I’ll be able to tell this story or be a part of this storytelling for another year is exciting. But what I think that audiences were really sort of blown away by, I think first and foremost, a lot of people were familiar with BMF. People knew about BMF. You have to remember in the ’90s, BMF had a huge influence in the hip-hop scene, in Atlanta and whatnot. So a lot of people who are my age now grew up in that time and knew of them. And I also just think that because it’s based on the true story, and I think that people are really excited by the authenticity of it. That we’re just going really, really deep and not skimming just skimming on the surface of things, really going in-depth in this and telling the story.

And outside of this show, it was recently announced that you’re going to be playing Don King in the new Hulu series, Iron Mike. And there are so many projects right now that are delving into Mike Tyson’s life and his career, but not a lot of them really highlight Don King’s contribution, I guess, to not just Tyson, but to boxing in general. So how is it for you to portray such an iconic, controversial figure for the sport?

Well, first and foremost, I’m a little nervous. I can’t lie. The thing is, it’s not about getting it right or wrong. It’s about getting it true. And so as just for me as an actor, what I look to do, we know that there are aspects of Don King that is a showman, that he is a character and someone say a caricature in some standpoints and that’s all there. But for me, I have to be able to find moments where we can give humanity where no matter what our perception of him is, or what we think or thought of him, that we know that he’s a human being. And so where did this behavior come from? How did it come about? How did it manifest? And I look to ask those questions.

I look to find that out and I have to create that for myself because it’s not readily… That knowledge is not readily available. So I have to extrapolate from the givens about who he is or who he was, and then create a whole backstory and idea about how Don King came to be as Don King. You know what I mean? And so that’s my job and I’m excited by it. Like I said, a little nervous, but I think it’s going to be good. I think I’m really looking forward to people seeing it. Trevante Rhodes is killing it. Right. Quite honestly. And I’m having fun.

Well, I’m nervous for you about the Don King hair. So, I’m very interested to see how this project comes out. And obviously, the trailer for Lost in Space Season 3 recently dropped, and your role is kind of like a mystery. So what can you tell us about your character and working on the show?

I think I have to be sort of “hush hush” about the character. They want to make it a nice reveal, but it was my first job in the pandemic. I was excited initially, I was excited just to be working. And then I was telling a few people about it and I didn’t realize how many… There were so many fans in my family. My brother and his son watched it on a regular. And I was like, oh, wow. And then told a couple of other friends of mine. They’re like, ‘Oh man, Lost in Space, that’s my show.’ And I was like, wow, I didn’t even really know it existed. So just hearing about other people’s excitement and enthusiasm about the show that me being a part of it got me more energized to be a part of it. So I’m excited. I was excited to work on it and I had a lot of fun and I think it’s going to be, I think my contribution’s going to be a good one when people come out, when people see it.

And you’ve played so many amazing roles that really highlight and celebrate Black men and the Black family structure in such a positive way. Obviously, we love you from Lincoln Heights. I loved you in The Hate U Give and Fences specifically. What kind of factors go into the way that you choose your roles and how are you avoiding being pigeonholed or typecast into stereotypical?

I think that as many fathers as I play, we have to see… See, it’s interesting. I’m getting the moniker of being like the new Black dad, you know what I mean? And I don’t mind it. It’s great. But it’s my job to bring a kaleidoscope. You know what I mean? To bring different images and a different depth to each and every character, because they’re not just fathers, but they’re different. And I think it’s important that people see and understand the differences because they’re living under different circumstances. And so for me, it’s not just me being a father. It’s like, it’s me being a father in the eighties. It’s me being a father in the eighties, who’s steeped in the word. It’s me being a father in the eighties who’s steeped in the word who is a musician.

You know what I’m saying? It’s that. Then it’s being a father in the early 2000s, who’s a police officer, who has three kids. So it’s all of those things. It’s being a father who’s a former gang banger and who’s trying to seek redemption, who’s now trying to raise his kids and his family, who’s a homeowner and also a business owner, an entrepreneur. How does that change the way you approach the character, approach the role? And so for me, every father, every character is different. And I have to give him a… They have to come under a different lens than, than what I did before. And that’s a challenge. Do you know what I mean?

That’s a serious challenge for me as an actor. And I just try to bring variety to every role that I play, because I like to think of myself as a citizen of the world. And I’ve met many different fathers, many different men as I’ve met many different people. And so all of those spirits that I’ve met, they’ve tapped into me in some different way. And also I believe that Black men deserve to be honored and I’ve been saying this in a lot of interviews, and I think it’s worth repeating, even now, that there was a time when boats were made of wood and men were made of steel. And so when we’re talking about a father, who’s raising his kids in the eighties, he’s of a time where all he knew how to do was work with his hands and do backbreaking work.

That was the only way he could vibe for your family. So how does that affect you emotionally, physically, spiritually? Do you know what I mean? And so fathers and men react differently at that time because the way they were living was different. As fathers now are reacting differently because the times are different. The circumstances with which we earn a living are a lot different than it was 30 and 40 years ago. Do you know what I mean? So, you talk about how, you hear about how parents were like, I had a quick temper do what I say, not as I do. You know what I mean? Hey, you better behave yourself. I’m going to come over to whoop your… You know what I mean? All that kind of stuff.

That shortness of temper I believe was based on the circumstances. There was less patience because people were tired because they were working so motherf—in’ hard! Not saying people don’t work hard now, but you understand what I’m trying, what I’m getting at.

And you mentioned that you’re becoming like, I guess America’s favorite dad in all of your roles now, but what is a role that you haven’t played that you would like to play?

That’s wow. That’s a very, very good question. See, for me, I would love to embody Easy Rawlins. I would love to do, I would love to embody Easy Rawlins based on the Walter Mosley books that he created. Devil in the Blue Dress, which was first done by Denzel Washington. I would love to sort of play one of the characters that Walter Mosley has created. There’s Socrates Fortlow and all of that. Because I feel like I want to represent the everyman, you know what I mean? And it’s the working man. It’s the intelligent hoodlum, you know what I mean? It’s the brother who may run some numbers. It’s the brother who knows how to fix everything. It’s the brother, who’s got a ear to the street that can help somebody with a little something. That’s what I wanted embody because again-

The overall Renaissance man.

Thank you, the overall, thank you..The overall Renaissance man, that a lot of brothers are because we got to hustle. You know what I mean? And sisters too, but you know what I mean? Brothers got to do a little bit of everything. So you become really, you become good at Jack of all trades.