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John David Washington is turning heads as the breakout star of the new critically acclaimed Spike Lee joint, BlacKkKlansman
Washington, who is making waves playing the role of Ron Stallworth, a black cop who infiltrated the KKK, revealed in an interview with the LA Times, that he felt a little uneasy on-set watching actors walk around clad in Klan robes. So he leaned on the help of the real-life black Klansman to give him tips on how to tackle his toughest role to date.
“He called and said, ‘Ron?’ — and there was this urgency in his voice,” Stallworth explained to the LA Times about his conversation with Washington about tackling a tough scene.
“‘We just finished setting up the banquet scene for tomorrow. How did you do this? I’m in a room with people I know are acting, but they’re wearing Ku Klux Klan clothes. And I’m kind of intimidated. How did you do that?’” Stallworth recalls Washington saying in a phone conversation.
“I started laughing and said it was a job. I couldn’t be intimidated.”
“I needed to hear that, though,” Washington told the LA Times.
This past weekend, Spike Lee’s latest joint grossed $10.8 million according to reports.
—Trump blasts ‘lowlife’ Omarosa in unhinged Twitter tirade after she releases secret tapes—
In an exclusive interview with TheGrio, John David Washington reflected on carving out his own lane away from his famous father. But he’s not interested in becoming anyone’s symbol.
“I can’t think of it like that because it’s too much pressure. I gotta make sure I do my job correctly and tell the truth. I have to make sure I accurately portray this man’s life because I’ll be exposed otherwise,” he told TheGrio. “If I can get one person to be inspired by that then I did my job. I’m not trying to be the leader of the new school or anything like that. I’m ready to follow. Hopefully I can inspire somebody that I’m able to follow.”
