Who you were in the bar with How many names? Got lost. Where did you see the lady? What one lady? The female Charizard is severely beaten and raped Every black male who's in the park last night is a suspect. I need all of them What's going on with my son your son was involved in the rape in Central Park They saw you Rape the lady a lady or hit anyone. I don't see any lady Kevin I want to see my son right now right now Wow so powerful We are joined now live by a group of very talented young men the cast of when they see us we have Asante black Marquis Rodriguez Khalil Harris and Ethan horsie. Thank you so much for being here guys. Thank you and congratulations on this project This is so powerful both watch it. It's hard to watch a time So you guys do a really great job telling these stories? We were talking we were talking a little bit Beforehand about just this whole experience one big night last night the special premiere at the Apollo tell us about that experience And how that felt for you. It was incredible Oh my goodness the energy and that in that theater was so amazing and just watching it You know in front of all those people I mean the crowd was so into it And it was I was just so happy, you know You should see how how you know how involved like everybody was into into You know the movie and it was a beautiful beautiful night seeing like physical emotional reactions. So what your work was? One thing watching it yourself But then when you have a whole crowd of people that are watching it and reacting to what you're doing It's kind of you know, like an out-of-body experience time. So like oh you feel this way about something I did. That's crazy We all watched the first two parts by ourselves just the four of us before the premiere and we were able to sort of take our time and and and sit with it and feel however we felt so it was a very Sort of different experience having all of that energy that sort of we felt ourselves Alone, but have it reflected back at us from like however many hundreds example were there it was incredible the craziest part of the night Was when we were caught up on stage And then the actual fire would call up on stage and we got to stand behind them on this on the Apollo Theater stage Well there 2,000 people like giving them a standing ovation there taking a bow It was surreal to just watch them take their bow. Right right where it all began in Harlem That was just the most I was just gonna ask me because the original five were there for your roles are based on what do you think? That was like for them after all of these years being there at Harlem's legendary theater I mean like this is like a story of triumph now, you know, they went through So much stuff throughout their teenage years their youth was robbed from them Their families had to suffer and now seeing it all come Full circle and their truth is finally being told it's not a story of loss anymore It's not a sad story when you see them up there on that stage all together taking that bow together With the smiles on their face that's a story of triumph and for people that aren't aware of everything that happened It's this notorious New York story this terrible injustice these five young men arrested convicted of a brutal rape and assault They did not commit. They're later exonerated and released years later For you, you're young guys how much of this story were you aware of this story was something that my Mom sort of made sure. I was aware of I think in an effort to keep me safe I think she wanted to make sure that I I knew the sorts of gross miscarriages of justice that that were happening in our city Then in 1989 and I were still happening So it's something that she definitely made sure I was informed about I did not know about this case at all until I received the audition and when I did I received from my manager, I've Read up on it. I watched the Ken Burns documentary and that was my first experience like Watching and seeing all this unfold and I just remember feeling angry and confused because I I grew up thinking like if you're going to prison you're going because you committed a crime and but that wasn't the case with his voice and it was it was very Surprising to see that it something so extreme can happen. I know I watched the documentary as well and it was mind-blowing Yeah, I think that could happen. I don't think I've ever understood or seen a situation of coerced Admission from police more believable than what is in this particular project You see how it happened and how it could happen to the point of admitting to something. That was not in fact at all The truth, so it's incredible. Yeah, and then doing your prep work you met with the original Central Park five, correct? So how much did you ask them about their experiences? What were those interactions like when you first met with them to prep? I mean I was I know I was really really nervous You know to meet the real-life Antron because I had done so much preparation and so much research on them I felt like I knew them but in reality I really didn't know them and once I got to really give him a hug and really meet him in person It was it was an indescribable experience. It really really was I mean Okay, such such a beautiful beautiful soul And you would never think now that something like that could happen to these men Because of just how how much of a light they are and how much good energy They radiate really I can tell you're passionate about the project. It's something you wanted to get, right I would imagine portraying these real people this real story any role you take Scott pressure, but to me That would be more pressure the first time I read the script out loud in front of anyone I was sitting directly next to the real Raymond's Oh, wow, so but it but it immediately sort of Lent the entire experience the weight that I think it needed and deserved It was immediately clear to us who we were telling this story for And it was there was no ego then it wasn't about me or about anyone but these five men and their families and and then getting the justice that And there were nothing but supportive from the get-go like at the table read they were beyond Excited throughout filming they were on set from time to time It would always be supportive until oh, so amazing like we were doing how real it was They're like this is exactly how it was. This is so crazy because we're filming in Harlem. We're filming in Central Park it was just very Well then watching it's it's emotional to watch I imagine shooting those scenes in the police station in the courtrooms Talk me through that experience. Oh, man. How emotional that was. Yeah They I mean the most emotional scene for me was that that verdict scene, you know when they're reading off the council guilty guilty guilty Because and this actually happen in real life it's not and it was in the script but not in the series But Kevin's mom actually had a stroke in the courtroom as he was being taken away to prison, you know and so I had to reenact that and just You know it really angers you because you start to feel Everything that he was feeling you realize this is this really happened to this guy You know he for all that he could have known it 14 15 years old his mom might have died right then and there and he's being taken away not only the next time he's gonna see her not knowing what's happening next and you know, Usually it's really easy for me to snap out of the emotion of a scene or something like that But after that scene after they've caught her cut I really felt myself angry and Kevin was actually there on that day um when that happened, so I'm sure it was you know, these men are so brave because imagine no one wants to really relive their trauma, you know, but they're so brave and they really allowed us to To put our best foot forward and make make it right for them another piece of this story. That's getting Attention and press it highlights. Donald Trump's media run during these trials campaigning for the death penalty Now you look obviously we fast forward Donald Trump's the president. How does that piece of the story make you feel? Trump made a mistake in 1989. He used his platform at the time to Join the side of the media that was and well, I'd feel to the fire. Of course to me that the media was already I'd already started and just went on the wrong side. He won the incorrect side double down and said they were still guilty even though they were found innocent and it's just something that he needs to own up to but at the end of the day the story that we're telling he only plays a Small part and it's so much bigger than this much bigger story than just ten. Yeah I mean did the men from their original such a park ride have any feelings about the preclude? Political stuff and the Donald Trump's have been included in that It's an essential part of the story. Yeah, it was there, you know their deaths at 14 15 16 years old Yeah, that's that's how bad it really got for them. I think he's indicative of just a larger problem like I think like if the the the system of oppression that these that they were Within as such at such a young age is was it loomed so large and it is still looming so large so you like you? Said he was a small part of it, but it was it was much larger than that. Yeah. Yeah I'm serious created by Ava Duvernay who amazing filmmaker I'm sure she had a very clear vision of where she wanted to take this just talk to me about working with her an experience she was I mean beyond words, like seriously she was so Like man, she worked, you know with her casts So well, she always made sure we were comfortable with what we were doing cuz you know, this is a very heavy subject matter she made sure that there was a It was a crisis. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, really? Rekha's counselor and you know she was always You know with us every step of the way and making sure that that we were always You know at our best and I just I remember in a verdict scene when? when you know, we had to hear our verdicts and I remember just being in that emotion and having you know, I cried and And I couldn't really get out of it even after they said cut cuz it was still it was still in my mind and she came over and she just gave me the biggest hug and it was like oh my it was Unbelief, it seems like the best Parts that I've seen in any human being it's it's kind of insane You know, she really pours herself in her projects but then also into the people that she's working with and not even that she's working with everyone around like there'd be times where I Remember somebody tweeted at her one time while we were filming. Oh, I think Ava was filming and then she replied back Hey, where are you? I'm gonna meet up with you You know this person that she's never met Wow, it just goes from gives him a hug, you know talks with him This is how she works all the time you guys you guys are young guys seem like fun guys How would you decompress right like you got the heaviness of it you like you just mentioned hard to get out of it What was the the way you did that and hang it out? There's definitely just a sense of brotherhood. That's it like we were all we were all there we were in it and it was rough sometimes but like having each other there and being able to just sort of let go of About this so many amazing performance one in particular Michael Kay Williams Kaleo played your character's father I mean to me watching especially in that first episode as he realizes the stakes that are Getting higher and higher it was so passionate. How was it working with him? Gosh, I mean goodness, he's Just an amazing amazing person I'm so grateful, you know to have him play my dad and it's shown to be able to share your screen with him I mean, he he really, you know, took me in you know as you and I was only you know over the course of this project and I Remember he he took us to Coney Island? oh, you know Angie and he just showed us around New York after and like he was just so amazing and Sharing this, you know sharing scenes with him. He was so immersed into his character and he was so he was so into it and He really was trapped in that feeling of being a father who really just wants the best for his son And he's not sure you know how to do it and unfortunately, yeah The stakes were just too high for him, and he couldn't take it in You know, he left trying to navigate an impossible situation Coney Island. What do you guys know? What was the day that? Was a good day we went we went we went to the beach. We went in the water and everything It was a lot of fun chickens. Are you know what? Yeah, we played chicken though. Yeah, really? First time I Coney Island - so it was really amazing. He took us to dinner afterwards, you know Hey, yeah, I want to his favorite places and it was amazing. It is a great cast marques John Leguizamo plays you are now Yeah, yeah, that's big reaction. So, I know I I've met him a few times. I Assistant assistant taught this acting class that his daughter was in so I've met him a while back And I walked into the table reading. He was just like what? And it was but it was amazing working with him. He's first of all a tightener. He's an amazing amazing actor He's an incredible scene partner He'd like he would give me things just with his eyes and I would get me right where I needed to be especially during the the trial there were moments where I could just look back and and Look at John and just sort of take a beat with him and it was I had everything I needed and I'm so grateful Yeah, look this series is gonna move people people that watch it are gonna be moved They're gonna be changed by it for you as actors now that you've experienced this story How has it changed you it's really made made me Realize how humans can really be quick to misjudge And I've kind of learned that if it if something confirms your biases you might want to take a step back and try to look At it through a different lens or a different scope because there's a very great chance that it could be You know completely flipped around could be completely different than what you thought originally So, I mean really just try to see the humanity in people You know wrong human at the end of the day where these guys were not what the media portrayed them to be in 1989 They're not a Wolfpack not criminals. They are use of Kevin and Ron Raymond and Cora, you know the Exonerated 5 Yeah, I mean for me it just it really made me look at you know how this criminal justice system works because prior to this project I wasn't really aware of You know how how this world operates and you know me doing my research and looking up how how this how this case function and Hallum how the media even affected this case and just how It was so clear and it was so obvious that they didn't do it yet. They were still convicted just you know Bye-bye You know people saying people basically just saying that they were that they were guilty Yeah, and it makes you it makes you look at in a different way and it makes you realize Exactly how far we still have to go and you know, hopefully I pray that this sparks change and it sparks action I was just I was very naive. I was very naive before coming into this project I had always had the the feeling of like I'm gonna I'm gonna be ok things that I see on social media like they infuriate me But that couldn't be that couldn't be me. I could never find myself in a situation like that But these boys thought the same these men thought the same thing that they would never they were raised, right? They would never find themselves in a place like this and then look what happened. So I'm more of anything or more worried now I'm more wary of that I Could that very well could be me at any point in time and That's a as a curse and a blessing as well About few marquees. Yeah. I think this whole process has just been a really good reminder of the importance of Arming yourself against injustice. I think it's 2019 and we have so much knowledge at our fingertips it's our phones are in our pockets that we can really Seek that knowledge out and make sure that we don't fall prey to you know The sorts of systems that aren't built for us that aren't built for our benefit It's like everybody pumped the brakes on the preconceived notions, right? Yeah, let's look at things a little deeper. Hey guys thank you so much for Second grass. Yeah, congratulations you so much and you guys make sure to watch when they see us it comes out May 3rd
