Anthony Hemingway talks Black Hollywood, Telling Stories & more | S7 E6 | 1 on 1's w/Deuces - 1-on-1's w/Deuces

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Geek SI podcast Blurs in the Game.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Alright, alright, alright, welcome back to the geek Set podcast.
Don't we podcast that Blade hip hop coach He and
geek coachure together. I'm your boy, Duces, and this is
one I don't want with Deuce is the place where
I speak with creators, curators and people that you should know.
And right now, if you don't know who this guy
I got, you've been literally living under a rock. This
man has touched every every every inch of top peak

(01:15):
black cinema and TV history. When I'm talking to the
one and only Anthony Hemingway, how are you doing, bro?

Speaker 3 (01:24):
He's out here trying to continue digging rights in this road,
you know, to keep flowing.

Speaker 4 (01:31):
That's it.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
So, you know, shout out to Noria in the Drink
Champs because they are they they make it popular and
they popularize and normalize giving people their flowers while they're here.
So on our platform we do the exact same way.
And one of the things that I love about when
I was doing my research and going more into your
work is, Bro, you literally.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Have touched every aspect of black TV movie that we love.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
I mean, he was part of the wire you was
part of Ods, You was part of Power, You was
part of Empire, Tremay like you touched so many dope
areas of TV.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
But then not only that, you've brought.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
To life and shared stories of so many real people
such as you know in Red Tails and you know
American Crime Story and the Harriet Tubman you know Underground
like whether it is like you know, reenactments or whether
it is just expanding the story. You have brought so
much to the Black community that we can stand by,
that we are proud of, that we love and we

(02:33):
want to make sure you know, from the blurred community
to you man, thank you for what you bring to
this industry and thank you for what you do for
our culture.

Speaker 3 (02:42):
Thank you brother, thank you for the space you know
that recognizes what we do, because representation is everything, as
you know, and you know, I'm out here just trying
to pave the wait for the next many to come
behind me, you know, because I I It's not lost
on me the shoulders I stand on, you know, and
have you know, had the opportunity to do what I do,

(03:03):
which I feel and have always felt like it's my passion.

Speaker 4 (03:07):
I'm doing God's work out here.

Speaker 3 (03:09):
Like trying to be basically a vessel, you know, to
keep bringing some swagger to interrupt these screens.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Right yeah, and you know I love that, Like you're
pretty much a prodigy.

Speaker 4 (03:19):
Man.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
You was ap and at twelve you was you was
the youngest, if not still the youngest.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
Like that has to.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
Be crazy, Like at twelve, what even gives you the
wear thought to.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
Be like, oh yeah, I'm going to ap.

Speaker 4 (03:34):
Pa. Yeah. No, it's crazy. Ye pay, it's wild. I
you know, I'm second generation by way, my mother.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
I grew up in.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
This business really not ever thinking that it was going
to be a career.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
You know.

Speaker 4 (03:49):
I grew up around mortality.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
My sister passed when she was She lived basically her
seven years of life in and out of Babies Hospital
in New York City. And I was four when she passed.
So I, you know, felt that I always had something
in me that wanted.

Speaker 4 (04:06):
To bring some healing and change and I see people
suffer because I saw how it impacted.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
My family, especially my mother and her this innocent little
girl like you know, suffering basically seven years of her life.
And that was my initie journey and desire was to
be a doctor, you know, and so I literally spent
all my courses and focus in school dedicated to that path.

(04:38):
And you know, my senior year in high school, I
basically was like, I think I lost d I don't
know what I'm going to do, you know. And of course,
rewinding a little bit, when I was you know, basically
becoming a teenager, my mother had gotten this commercial that
she was doing and I worked for her, you know,
and the way commercials work, you know, I think I

(05:01):
love them in the sense that you get to do
a little everything, like it's not so compartmentalized as many
kind of union structured things that I do now. So
I got to have a really interesting kind of abilities
just to kind of see what it all was like.

Speaker 4 (05:20):
This idea of like you know, make believe. And so
I had fun.

Speaker 3 (05:24):
And at the time, it was really just kind of
you know, it was one helping the family, you know,
pay the bills to you know, being able to you know,
get the kicks I wanted that my parents couldn't afford,
if you know, outside of the bills, and so it
was really just kind of a fun thing for me
in the beginning. And you know, again, as a PA,

(05:47):
you have the ability to be a sponge to kind
of you know, work really closely to all the creative
elements in the process, from producer, director, cinematographer, talent, the
whole nine yards.

Speaker 4 (06:01):
And over time when.

Speaker 3 (06:04):
I kind of got to that point of realizing that,
you know, the medical profession wasn't really my journey.

Speaker 4 (06:11):
My father's Vietnam and you.

Speaker 3 (06:12):
Know, so I went into the military, swore in and
swore right back out, got my discharge, and then it
was that moment where I was like, you know what,
maybe let me just you know, one I got to work.

Speaker 4 (06:24):
Let me get a job.

Speaker 3 (06:25):
And so I got on a TV series and it
was that moment I was seventeen year or eighteen years
old where it was really kind of the light bulb
moment for me.

Speaker 4 (06:34):
It was like, all right, you know, I realized from
who was a mentor of mine.

Speaker 3 (06:40):
The late Bruce Paltrow, who basically got me to realize that,
you know, storytelling really can be very contribution. It can
be a major contribution to you know, healing and affect
and affecting change. And before that I only saw it
as in it. You know, I love movies and TV

(07:02):
shows and blah blah blah. So I was just like,
you know, a kid, just kind of enjoying watching TV
or looking at films. So that was the moment that
I was like, you know, all right, here we go.
And so then I became the first, the youngest person
to join the DGA. I was nineteen years nineteen years old,
and then the rest is history.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
And you know, what's really dope about your story because
like you know, you said that you're attracted to the
stories right, telling stories using that to heal, and you
were part of some stories early on. I know a
lot of people bring up Wire and os first, but
like me knowing that how much I love the Wire
and Odds and all that, I know that the Corner

(07:40):
was actually one of the like like getting into like
that more hbos and everything in that family.

Speaker 1 (07:44):
And that was such an amazing story as well.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
So like you were already telling these truthful stories that
are embedded in realism that you know, people like us
that where we come from, we identify with that and
we love the storytelling of it. The reason why the
Wire and like things like the Corner and stuff like
that hit so hard is because it's not just painting

(08:07):
black folks in like a poverished area, or the biggest
gang member, Like you told the story from the full
blown crackhead to the crackhead who's trying to get off drugs.
You told about the drug dealer kingpin, but also the
drug dealer who like I gotta do this to save
my family or I'm trying to get out, Like I

(08:29):
just love how those stories was and getting getting that
type of experience early on that really had to also
amplify what you wanted to do and give you a purpose.

Speaker 5 (08:40):
Yeah, it actually stressed me out because you know, all
of what you're naming like really just set the bar
for me in terms of coming into this world of
storytelling at that.

Speaker 4 (08:53):
Moment in my life and really really really.

Speaker 3 (08:55):
Having the ability to look to be so up close
and personal with material and works like that.

Speaker 4 (09:02):
That really was.

Speaker 3 (09:03):
About bringing agency to our stories and and doing exactly
what you're saying, you know, having meaning and not just
pure entertainment.

Speaker 4 (09:12):
It was like, so that set the bar for me.

Speaker 3 (09:15):
So everything after that was like it was a struggle
because like that was you know my education and my BA,
my teaching and schooling, and I was entering and approaching
everything from that perspective and you know, everybody doesn't want that,
you know, so it was real hard to kind of

(09:36):
figure out and navigate, you know, my way through like
all the different things that I got to.

Speaker 2 (09:41):
Do after Yeah, and I love that again. You know
a lot of the times, you know, they always say
like this industry is a who you know like industry, right,
But like I see a lot of your work that
you've done that help got you to the places that
you were at, right because right early on, I mean
you worked on il working with Will Smith from the
get go. Then like I said, that huge cast in

(10:03):
the Wire, who's pretty much all of top Hollywood right now,
It's like you got to see greatness and got to
work hand in hand with all these people. And I believe,
like I said, it's your work. I mean you were
even the way how you end up directing a couple
of episodes on the Wire, it was seeing your work
and then giving you that opportunity. You tell that story,

(10:26):
how like they when they called you and told you,
like you literally burst out in tears because it was like, Yo,
this is my work that got me to this. That
gout to feel great that knowing that it's your work
and not just who you.

Speaker 3 (10:37):
Know, it really is, you know, and it was because
it was the affirmation, the confirmation and everything. And again
when I made the switch and pivoted to doing this
as a profession, it was, you know, I was not
I wouldn't say taking a risk, but I was trying something,

(10:58):
you know. And when I really felt into it in
such a big way, and you know, the opportunities that
I've gotten to have and the people I've gotten to
work with and all of that, it's mind blowing. Like
you know, it's like I look back in hindsight and
I'm just thankful for all those blessings because like again

(11:20):
that moment when I got my directorial debut, I had
years prior starting to kind of get the itch and
I was scratching for what was next, you know, because
at the time I was an assistant director, and I
was like, Okay, I love what I do. I love
what this position you know, offers to the whole process.

Speaker 4 (11:42):
I enjoyed every part of it, every moment of it.

Speaker 3 (11:46):
But I was getting at that point where I was like,
you know, I was feeling like I was kind of
hitting a ceiling and I was like, you know, not
that I had done you know my dream work yet,
but it was that you know what, I know I
have more to give and what more to contry of you?
And so when the producers caught me on that weekend
and basically said and answered the question that I have

(12:09):
been writing and holding onto for years, I lost it,
Like you know, because I'm a man of faith and
belief and and and you know, divine order and all
of that stuff, and so that really was for me
God telling me, Okay, your steps are ordered and here's
your next one.

Speaker 4 (12:28):
And so that was that was That was it.

Speaker 1 (12:31):
Yeah, you know, I'm a man of faith as well.

Speaker 2 (12:34):
So it's like, it's crazy because when the pandemic hit,
one of the like you know, we was just a
regular podcast. We would go to comic cons and cover
convention coverage and stuff like that, but we was literally
just the podcast, right And when we started gearing towards
trying to help amplify voices and tell stories, the pandemic
hit and me and my team got together and I said, look,
I don't want to lose stem of what we're building

(12:56):
here because this blurred culture showing black folks liking and
loving nerved culture. There's an importance here so I said,
let's let's pivot, let's do some stuff.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
And we started this interview series.

Speaker 2 (13:07):
Right and you know, it came out of where I
was like, I need to figure out what we want
to do, and I said, you know what, I'm just
listen to the higher power. I'm a believe in God,
in God's path. And I feel like ever since I
vocally said it, because not only just had the thought,
but I vocally put it out there, He's been gearing

(13:28):
and shifting me and giving me opportunities, like I said,
to speak with people like yourself, and it's been crazy.

Speaker 1 (13:34):
It's like I've talked.

Speaker 2 (13:35):
To my heroes, people that I grew up so like,
so how you've working with people that you grew up
probably seeing on TV and the movies and you're like, yo,
like this person knows my name.

Speaker 1 (13:45):
I've worked with them. I did stuff.

Speaker 2 (13:47):
I feel the same way about putting out like doing
you know these interviews. I'm like, bro, listen, I watched
The Wire yearly yearly, Like you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (13:57):
I love OS so much and the fact that.

Speaker 2 (14:00):
You worked on both of those and you're the second
person I gotta talk got to talk to from the
Wire cast, but it's just like, I mean, we just
in that property. But it's like I've watched it so
much that I'm like, I can break this whole series down.
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (14:17):
I listen, I love it.

Speaker 2 (14:19):
When somebody tells me, a, man, I love The Wire,
but season two is trash, I'm like, A, let me
tell you why it's not trash, Like that's how much
I love it. But it's like it is that I
was like I put my faith in him, and he
put me in a position where I can have these
dope conversations or I can bring give people their flowers,
people that I truly that I truly are you know,

(14:40):
impressed by and fans of and stuff like that. So
it's like I connect with you so much on that
of that higher power telling you these are your steps
and this is how you get there, and it's just
bottow my wheel.

Speaker 1 (14:50):
So it's like it's pretty dope.

Speaker 2 (14:51):
Man.

Speaker 4 (14:52):
I appreciate you, brother. It's like, you know, I respect
what you do so much.

Speaker 3 (14:58):
Like you know again, I'm like I couldn't do that,
and I'm grateful that you're out here doing it. Like
it's it's you know again, It's a major contribution needed,
you know, not only the representation, but again just to
be able to have a platform to continue furthering you know,
us giving each other flowers and seeing each other and

(15:22):
just loving on each other.

Speaker 4 (15:23):
So thank you.

Speaker 1 (15:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (15:25):
And so one of the things that I did realize
is like a theme of like the projects that you
work on, is that you do have a knap for
telling stories of real people. A lot of your shows
that you work on, a lot of the movies. Again,
it's either a true story, or it's an uncovered story,
or it's a even if it's an embellished story, like oh,

(15:48):
let's take this moment, but then let's expand it and
let's get creative with it. I wanted to know, like one, what.

Speaker 1 (15:56):
Attracts you to that more than anything, you.

Speaker 3 (16:00):
Know, I honestly can't say that. I just look for them,
you know, I'm like, I'm all about story. It's story first,
so you know, that can be in any kind of package.

Speaker 4 (16:15):
It's just so happened.

Speaker 3 (16:16):
That what I have been able to do, you know,
thus far, has been you know what you've seen, and
I'm greatful and thankful for all of it. Like you know,
it's it's it's it's actually an interesting conversation because you know,
this business is so just so commonly loves to label

(16:36):
everyone and put everybody in a box. And so, you know,
there are things that I love to do, like comedy
and sci fi and horror and all that stuff that
I haven't really fully gotten a chance to tap into yet.

Speaker 4 (16:53):
And that's kind of because the way of you know,
the systems.

Speaker 3 (16:58):
Yeah, the work that I have done is the only
thing people can think of me for or consider me for,
you know. So I'm out here definitely trying to hustle
and grind and trying to you know, carve you know,
opportunity into those other spaces as well. But you know,
I think all of what they do have in common
for me is story. And you know, I just love

(17:20):
telling human stories, you know, no matter what the package is.
But it's just you know, and I think, you know,
more into that. I love telling stories about you know,
people who are often seen invisible, you know, and just
all the marginalized communities Like you know, again, I want
to use my time to and my purpose and ability

(17:44):
to you know, be one of the numbers that are
out here doing that, making that contribution.

Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah, you know, and and again, like I said, it
goes into some of the stuff that you've already done.
Because you know, when you think about, like you know,
a show like Empire and all the topics that they
were able to touch and tackle, and then you think
about what Power started doing, you know, it's like, you know, granted,
you know, yeah, you know, Power may not be you know,
as intricate as the Wire, but those stories and the

(18:14):
way that they were telling those stories, it's still captivated
the world.

Speaker 1 (18:18):
And you know, everybody who's tuned.

Speaker 2 (18:20):
In every Sunday to see what's going on. Empire had
a run and.

Speaker 1 (18:23):
It was just breaking down doors and going crazy, you know.

Speaker 2 (18:28):
So it's like you see that and like you said,
it's embedded in those stories. But there was a lot
of marginalized groups that were represented in these in these shows,
you know, even the Wire, like I said, in these shows,
but they normalized it, right, And I think that to me,
that's what I love about your work because it's like, Okay,
I get it, like I understand that this character represents

(18:50):
the LGBTQ plus community or this you know, this this
person is you know, you know, a Latin America or
whatever and it's like, yes, that is a part of them,
But I like that a lot of your stories and
characters that's not the driving factor of their character. You know,
Omar was a stick up kid. The fact that he

(19:10):
the fact that he was gay did not did not
change how.

Speaker 1 (19:14):
Amazing that character was written.

Speaker 4 (19:17):
You know.

Speaker 2 (19:17):
It's like like it's stuff like that that I love
about your work is that it's like, yes, we're going
to show that, but like, yeah, again, most I consider
myself an ally like to the point where like I
go to the prior paraise. My cousin is an activist
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and she does amazing work, and anytime
that she has a rally, anytime that she's speaking, I

(19:37):
make it a chance to go to her event and
listen and offer my allyeship. Right.

Speaker 1 (19:43):
And one of the things that.

Speaker 2 (19:44):
I hear from, you know, the LGBTQ plus community a
lot is that yes, we want to be represented, but
like you don't have to go to the extremes or
be the stereotypical like you know how you know, I
know people that work this job and yes they're you know,
they're part of that lgbt Q plus community, but it's
like they're not doing the stereotypical things that you see
on in Hollywood. And it's like, I connect with this

(20:06):
so much because as a black man, you know, it's like, yeah,
in Hollywood they portray us crazy, and then as a
black nerd, they always make us Steve Verkle, and I'm like,
it's not always Steve Verkle. There's like so it's like
I love the realism that you give to that where
the community and also somebody likes as an ally myself
can say, hey, that character is dope, no matter what

(20:28):
the case may be.

Speaker 4 (20:29):
Yeah, no, we're not a monolist.

Speaker 3 (20:31):
You know, there's so many dimensions and complexities to our people,
and you know it's about really again showing it all
and helping normalize it. That was one of the fun
things about the Omar character was when Obama said that
was his favorite character. We always was like, yeah, you know,

(20:52):
because you know, I think out the Gate it was
especially you know, as we deal with you know, unfortunate
I think, you know, prejudices and whatever. It's like, you know,
when that first came out, you know, the community was
kind of like wow, you know, man, see here we

(21:14):
go while we gotta do that.

Speaker 4 (21:15):
I'm really happy that, like so much of that conversation.

Speaker 3 (21:20):
Shifted, the way it was portrayed, The way Michael God
blessed his soul my blood.

Speaker 4 (21:25):
I miss him so much.

Speaker 3 (21:27):
The way he leaned into that character and took the
responsibility and was vulnerable to tap into, you know, the
dynamics and the complexities within again, who we are, because
we are not what you know, many people just want
to sit back and think and stereotype us to be.

(21:49):
You know, it's about really trying to figure out all
the colors and layers that we have.

Speaker 2 (21:54):
You know what. One of the things that I like
to tell people about the Omar character that a lot
of people don't realize, I say, when you break down
the whole show, and you break down who Omar is,
Omar's story was nothing but a revenge love story. His
whole Like when he got introduced, yes, he was a
stick up kid and he was Robin Hood or whatever
how you want to but from the minute that they

(22:16):
killed his boyfriend and everything, everything that he did became
a revenge love story.

Speaker 1 (22:22):
He was defending the honor of his boyfriend.

Speaker 2 (22:25):
And then when he got back again, he got back
to just more so just you know, just hey, this
is the profession that I know.

Speaker 1 (22:31):
I got my cold. But again, like it was always
that love of it.

Speaker 2 (22:35):
He had love of Baltimore and a love for the
Cold that he went against Marlowe because Marlowe was detrimental
to the Cold.

Speaker 1 (22:43):
Like it was always a love revenge story. I love
I love this man, and y'all killed him for no reason.

Speaker 2 (22:50):
And now I'm the w rented. I love my city
even though we did some of nefarious things, but you
are not good for this city. I need to get
you out of here. Like it was just all that
and I loved that about that character.

Speaker 3 (23:01):
Yeah, yeah, no, you're You're spot on, and you know,
we celebrated it, you know, and really just leaned into it.

Speaker 4 (23:07):
And I'm really proud.

Speaker 3 (23:10):
Of of of what we got to do with all
the characters, but definitely through his character.

Speaker 2 (23:15):
Now, when you when you do get a project though
that is based in realism, based off of somebody, is
there like is there a checklist for you? Like, is
there things that needs to check off before you attach
yourself to that project?

Speaker 1 (23:28):
Yes?

Speaker 4 (23:29):
I think you know there are many.

Speaker 3 (23:30):
It's just because it's so sensitive when you're telling stories
about real people there need their their demands, a level
of sensitivity, you know, and you know, and really intention
and it's like what is what are we doing?

Speaker 4 (23:47):
What are we saying? Like why are we telling this story?
You know?

Speaker 3 (23:51):
And it doesn't always have to be you know, including
the estate or that our family, but it's definitely much easier.

Speaker 4 (24:03):
I mean the challenge you have with that sometimes is, you.

Speaker 3 (24:06):
Know, again, depending on what story you're telling and you
know from what the point of entry is and and
and what you're doing, you know, that person could have changed,
so they may be coming at it with the perspective
of who they are in that moment versus who they
are or who they were.

Speaker 4 (24:25):
When you're telling the story.

Speaker 6 (24:27):
You know.

Speaker 3 (24:28):
So it's so many, so many things to really consider,
but ultimately it's it's it's you know, one, I'm all
about intentions. So it's like, you know, again trying to
understand and and and and and make.

Speaker 4 (24:39):
Sure that we're all in the same page.

Speaker 3 (24:41):
You know, we're aligned and the entire team and and
understanding that you know, basically understanding the story we're telling.
But but number one crucial is just you know, respect
and sensitivity and just making sure that you know what

(25:02):
we're doing is actually intentional and and and have have
a has a purpose.

Speaker 6 (25:09):
Everybody has the stereotypical on what a black geek is.

Speaker 4 (25:12):
Are you familiar with the term blur?

Speaker 2 (25:16):
Some people said it came off of scrubs, some people
said it came off the internet.

Speaker 7 (25:19):
I don't honestly really know.

Speaker 4 (25:22):
Don't you see the skin, the eyebrows, the hair.

Speaker 2 (25:27):
Yo, my geeks still rock, you know, saying dumps or
or Jordan's or whatever did.

Speaker 3 (25:33):
I do that?

Speaker 4 (25:34):
It's exciting.

Speaker 1 (25:35):
It's like, holy, oh my god, it's gonna start barking.

Speaker 4 (25:39):
It's all right. She's excited about it too.

Speaker 2 (25:42):
And same as you said, like a barbershop talk, like
we would go into really in depth conversations about these
theories and like well what if and I'll come right.

Speaker 6 (25:55):
But we we talk about anime, video games, comic books
and stuff like that. But when you hear us talk
about it, the passion sounds like we arguing Jordan and Braun.

Speaker 4 (26:05):
What does that even meanright?

Speaker 3 (26:09):
Does that even mean?

Speaker 1 (26:10):
Like it sounds like barbershop talking because.

Speaker 3 (26:12):
You don't know the history broke that down right there.

Speaker 6 (26:19):
But when you see the black geek, you don't see that,
you see the socially awkward glasses, Well, this is me,
and that's not a lot of us.

Speaker 4 (26:27):
A lot of us do sound and talk like us.
You know what I'm saying, because.

Speaker 3 (26:30):
It becomes stereotypical as if that's where our strength comes from.
I don't know the geeks that you talk with, that
you that you talked about before.

Speaker 4 (26:39):
I know the geek you talking about right now.

Speaker 5 (26:41):
It was sort of a call sign, so we can
find each other on message boards.

Speaker 2 (26:46):
Anime gives you life lessons throughout that whole thing. Like,
there's not one anime that I know of that doesn't
teach you to never give up.

Speaker 4 (26:55):
It's just like, I just love seeing us going to
the ropes and going to.

Speaker 7 (26:59):
The difference and create things that weren't there before. And
then it was like Miles girls like the normal you know,
black person in the United States. That was my first
like blurred moment with seeing you know, Storm on an
X Men cartoon series, and I was like, Wow, that's
a black woman and she's strong, she's powerful.

Speaker 4 (27:19):
That's what I want for us.

Speaker 1 (27:20):
I want us to be that voice.

Speaker 4 (27:22):
Boy.

Speaker 1 (27:37):
Yeah, I love that.

Speaker 2 (27:38):
I love that because, yeah, I can't understand that you know,
especially you know, if if the state is already in
a you know, in a not so good space, then
that can be really difficult because you got, you know,
half the family saying we're good with this, other half
of saying it's not. So you know, I do love
it when the family is connected, but you know, you know,
I appreciate when somebody does take the sensitivity route of it.

(28:00):
You know, it's like, this is not this is not
a cash grab, this is not just trying to expose,
but this is telling a good story. Like I love that,
you know, with the Tupac and the Biggie, like you know,
and obviously we're seeing it now, but I love the
fact that, you know, you did put a focus on
the relationship between Poc and his mom, you know, and yeah,
man big in his mom. So it's like, you know,

(28:20):
I love that emphasis of showing the family aspect of
it because that story has been told up and down,
left and right in.

Speaker 1 (28:26):
So many ways.

Speaker 2 (28:27):
So it's like, Okay, what can you add to the story,
What ways can you tell it where you know it's
not disrespectful, but also what new can.

Speaker 1 (28:36):
You bring to it?

Speaker 2 (28:36):
And it was a lot of new things that I
was like, oh, I didn't really even realize that, you know.

Speaker 1 (28:40):
I know you talked about.

Speaker 2 (28:41):
Before their friendship getting swept under the rug a lot
and a lot of people don't know that me, I'm
a hip hop is Storian.

Speaker 1 (28:48):
So I knew that from the get go.

Speaker 2 (28:50):
But it was like, yeah, finally somebody is going to
dive into this story and talk about, like, yo, this
could have been the greatest friendship and hip hop you know,
and so like I thought that was pretty.

Speaker 3 (29:00):
And it's really all about humanizing them, you know, because
so many times we see anybody in this world in
space as a celebrity or public figure or what have you,
and you know, they're elevated up on a pedestal, and
you know, it's easy to forget that they are human
beings at the end of the day, you know, and

(29:22):
they go through.

Speaker 4 (29:23):
The same shit we go through daily, you know.

Speaker 3 (29:26):
And so that's what's exciting for me and tapping into
those stories again is just to bring that human element
to it.

Speaker 2 (29:34):
So I know that you said that you really love,
like you said, horror and all these other genres, and
I know you you dabbled a little bit in it,
you know, especially with true Blood, which again listen at
this POINTO, HBO can name anything. They can be like, Okay,
we're doing the show about computer technology and.

Speaker 1 (29:53):
An office.

Speaker 2 (29:53):
I'm like, I'm gonna watch it because HBO we putting
out some solid stuff. And like how you did True.

Speaker 1 (29:58):
Blood, you did American Horror Story, you did.

Speaker 2 (30:00):
The Purge TV series, so you did started dabbling more
into that horror, more into you know that, you know,
those science fiction realms and then yeah, fantasy and annoying
with like the emergence of afrofuturisms with people like Misha
Green and Jordan Peel and stuff like that, like you know,
and it's like it is it giving you more hope

(30:23):
that you're able to break out of that and start
doing those those type of projects you want.

Speaker 3 (30:27):
Yeah, Like, you know, I have been blessed to kind
of break down some of of or break out of
some of those boxes in TV.

Speaker 4 (30:39):
It's been slow, but I have been doing it. You know.
I want to translate that to films, you know, and.

Speaker 3 (30:46):
That's where mainly I kind of think I think about
and even comedy. I've gotten to do it, thankfully on
shows like Community and and and even you know, shows
that have deep dramatic tones to it, but also very
comedic tones as well, like shameless, and you know, trying

(31:07):
to not only do that in film, but more of
that in TV.

Speaker 4 (31:11):
You know, It's just that I'm.

Speaker 3 (31:12):
Not so known in those spaces unless you you know,
are avid watches and fans of those shows and you know,
dig to see who who did it and then you want.

Speaker 4 (31:22):
To continue to come the relationship. So but just people
just generating those genres.

Speaker 3 (31:29):
Are not thinking Anthony Hemingway, and I'm trying to make
sure they are thinking Anthony Hemingway.

Speaker 1 (31:34):
Well man, listen.

Speaker 2 (31:34):
Hopefully, hopefully with this interview, we can get that out there,
get people looking at a different light, because you know,
that's the one thing, like you know, again where I
represent blurred culture, right, and what I love is like
the reimagining.

Speaker 1 (31:46):
So like even think think about some of the stuff
that you've been doing. Like there's a.

Speaker 2 (31:49):
Whole comic book out called Harriet Tubman Demon Slayer and
it came off of the idea of you know, there
was that Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer one and somebody was like,
you know, a black creator was like, yo, you know,
we got all these heroes that are in real life,
but what if we put them in a fantasy situation? Right,
So you've got Area Tubman going back in history fighting demons.

(32:10):
But well then but then you have stuff like the
Tuskegee Airrs. There's the comic book out that is literally
the Airs of the Duskigee Airmen, but they're superheroes. And
it was like, I love that because that is taking
like heroes and putting them into this afro futurism, comic
book anime style world. You know, you start seeing people

(32:32):
like Carl Jones do that, you know, with like Afro
samurai and stuff like so putting our culture into that
and so you start seeing stuff like that, and it's
like I get excited to see that type of creativity,
you know, and try to see us dive into worlds
where it's like, okay, yes, this is not just a
black hood thing, Like yeah, we can be an anime,

(32:54):
or we could be a superhero that's not always embedded
in trauma, or we can do you know, we can
take true heroes like I said, as the Skiggy Airman,
but turn them into superheroes where it has a little
bit of history, but like we're diving into fantasy world
like that's the genres that I love.

Speaker 4 (33:10):
Yeah, and I love it also because.

Speaker 3 (33:14):
That world has an ability to tap into stories that
you know, to a degree, softens the blow from people,
you know, like you can really dig into them characters, storylines.
But because it's you know, this other element or other world,

(33:36):
you know, people are entering it differently, but you can
get in there and really dig into those storylines, like
I first got to do that on Battlestar Galactica and
that Oh yeah, such an odd, great opportunity to you know,
all these shows that again that where these stories are
metaphoring you know, the world we live in, and that

(33:58):
is just again exciting places to really play in. Those
playgrounds are just so ripe and rich and and needing.

Speaker 4 (34:06):
To be you know, to have these conversations. So I
love it.

Speaker 3 (34:10):
Like I actually just came into contact with this one comic.
It's titled Virgil. I just just acquired it. It's you know,
talk about a revenge love story like it's that and
I'm super excited to really dig into it, you know,
with like a John wick S's the sensibility and and

(34:31):
have fun with that world.

Speaker 2 (34:33):
Yeah, because that's a that's an Image comic correct, Yeah, yeah,
and see and.

Speaker 1 (34:37):
That's what I love.

Speaker 2 (34:38):
Like I look because right now, like you know, there's
always that oh, do we need a black Superman or
do we need that? And I love having the conversation.
You know, let's dive into the black comic books and
characters that we had.

Speaker 1 (34:50):
Image had a whole.

Speaker 2 (34:51):
Bunch of you know, represented comic creative characters, whether they're
you know, like if I'm not mistaken virgils Jamaican correct, yep, yeah,
I remember that one. Like so it's like, you know,
you're telling that Jamaican story, right or like you know,
you have you know, Caribbean you know.

Speaker 1 (35:06):
Characters, or you have just black characters. You know, you
got to think.

Speaker 2 (35:10):
About the stuff that Milestone was doing. And so it's
like I love that. Like right now, Hollywood has this
fascination with graphic novels and comic books, so as to
nerve myself, I'm excited about it. But right what I'm
seeing that they're breaking down barriers are is a lot
of marginalized groups is getting their representation. You're seeing you know,
Kamala Khan and Miss Marvels representing you know that you're

(35:33):
seeing how the Black Panther and Luke Cage and Misty
Night and like so it's like I'm loving to see
that as a director who does love, like I said,
fantasy and happen to have that opportunity to you know,
do any things of those yet.

Speaker 1 (35:46):
But you're looking into it, like, how have the the
industry shift? How did how from a director.

Speaker 2 (35:52):
Who's done, who's done more realism that that industry shift
for you? How is that seeing that firsthand?

Speaker 3 (36:00):
You know, I mean, it all still requires that two step,
that hustle and grind, you know, And it's just about
the one thing I think pretty generally the industry has
become so much more kind of dependent upon star factor,
and you know, unfortunately that challenges opportunity, you know, because

(36:27):
I think there's so many, so much great talent out
here that's just so deserving a platform or an opportunity,
you know, and.

Speaker 4 (36:42):
I'm so all about the underdog, you know.

Speaker 3 (36:45):
But of course getting things made these days is so
challenging because you know, everyone wants that that already established
a lister, you know, and you know, and in TV
it's a challenge because TV requires you know, greater demands
on their their schedule and time, and not all of

(37:06):
them want to get into it, you know, So it's
it's challenging.

Speaker 4 (37:09):
But you know, we're we're you know, yeah, we're an
ingenuitive people and there you know, so we're gonna we're
gonna make it happen.

Speaker 1 (37:19):
Well, I mean because I do.

Speaker 2 (37:20):
I do love that though like big like star power
people are also though, like especially us, a lot of us,
you know, black folks, they're giving the smaller people a chance.
Like you know, there was this independent comic by the
name of Trill League that fifty cent grabbed up and
you know, trying to help bring that in production, right
you see HBO and why can what's the East's homie

(37:42):
the show runner, why can't think Princess? Yeah, Prentiss grabbing
up a lot of black comic book creators to try
to bring their projects to life and everything like that, right,
So it is that it's like I'm like, I get
exactly what you're saying. But I love the fact that
like even like even just the small things what Michael B.
Jordan and deal with Creed and bringing anime elements to

(38:03):
a big blockbuster movie where it's like the And it's
funny because like I'm seeing critics like, oh my god,
he did this scene like this and it blacked out
and all you saw was them boxing and the crowd
was gone. But then the crowd came back and I'm like, yeah,
anime been doing that. And then hearing him say yeah,
you know, I use these anime elements in it, I said.

Speaker 1 (38:22):
I love this.

Speaker 2 (38:23):
This is bringing this is giving the small cultures that
that love on a big screen. Like I think that
that is important as well, and I love that it's
us leading that pack.

Speaker 4 (38:33):
Yes, I'm so proud of Michael. I really am. I'm
I'm like just my jaws are sore from smiling.

Speaker 3 (38:43):
My heart is heavy, just from the love that I
have for him and what he's been doing and what
he just did with that that that film it had
me like from start to close, like I was in it.
I'm really proud of what he did with Creed.

Speaker 2 (38:58):
Yeah, your your surf is crazy because the people because
like I said, I.

Speaker 1 (39:05):
Mean, if if we just stopped at the wire cast
along like whoa.

Speaker 2 (39:09):
But also you work with George Lucas, which is in
nerd in nerd culture.

Speaker 1 (39:16):
He is one of the evils.

Speaker 2 (39:17):
He is he is Himothy he is like he is
up there, and it's like, yo, like you you got
you got such an inspirational circle that to pull from that,
you know, like like I'm that's why I'm surprised you
didn't get a chance to really tap into afro futurism
like that, knowing that you got George Lucas right there

(39:38):
that you give like, hey, you know, I'm interested in this.

Speaker 1 (39:41):
So if you gotta, if you got anything, let me know.

Speaker 4 (39:44):
Yeah, you know, time is coming, Yeah, it's coming. We're
out here doing.

Speaker 2 (39:49):
It, out here doing it. So one of the things
that I do like to like dive into is just
again like just small stories that kind of like, wait
a minute, there's gotta be more stories to this. So
one of the things that I noticed on your Instagram
is that there's this Superman bibblehead, but it's you that
travels and seemly has this whole journey. I need this

(40:12):
story behind this bibblehead.

Speaker 3 (40:16):
So that literally is just simply from our fortieth you know,
I love.

Speaker 4 (40:21):
I love to gift things to people.

Speaker 3 (40:24):
I love just you know, sharing sharing the wealth, just
seeing people smile and happy and have a good time.
And so pretty much every party or function that I
put on. I like to, you know, have people leave
with some something, some offering, some little token or whatever.

(40:45):
And so for my fortieth I you might have seen
I kind of did a play on the breaking bed Houser.
I did hemingway with my face and artists sketch it out.

Speaker 4 (40:58):
So every person.

Speaker 3 (41:00):
That came got a swag bag with a T shirt
with that on it.

Speaker 4 (41:04):
They got their own biblehead of myself and other things
that was in that bag.

Speaker 3 (41:11):
But that was basically from the fortieth Like I'm trying
to think of what I'm gonna do for my fifties,
which is coming in a couple of years, so I'm like,
what's going.

Speaker 4 (41:18):
To be in that bag? Like, but that's that's where
that came from.

Speaker 3 (41:22):
And it was just fun, I think again, just the
stories that can come from it and the fun that
can come from it, Like I have had people that
have taken it around the world take pictures of it, like.

Speaker 4 (41:37):
It's just fun. Like I just love having a good time.

Speaker 2 (41:40):
No, And I love that because like one, it also
it stands a testament to your friend group because now
because it's like it's also like it's movies that you
may not even be a part of but the it's
like you see your bibblehead next to the script, and
it's like it's like, man, hey, that bubble head getting around.

Speaker 4 (41:58):
It's getting around. I tried.

Speaker 3 (42:00):
It's like the T shirt, like it's funny, you know,
just a little inside. It's like I probably slept with
a lot of people in Hollywood in this world, you know,
not literally, but not literally because you're slept in that
T shirt. Like many people like it's funny because like
when people like use it, use that shirt, they will

(42:21):
send me a selfie and just like this is a
great in the quality of.

Speaker 4 (42:24):
It is really amazing, So people enjoy wearing it.

Speaker 3 (42:28):
I gotta get your your your info so I can
send you some swag.

Speaker 2 (42:31):
Oh man, listen, I'll definitely love it because so uh,
you know, we got a buddy of mines who creates
action figures, and he had created the action figure and
so I take it with me everywhere I go as well,
taking the photos. But it was like, you know, it's
one of it's my personal thing. It's like, oh, I
want to take this with it. You know, I'm gonna
take it at the airport every city. I'm gonna go
to their mind, you know, their their city staple and

(42:54):
take a picture in front of it. You know what
I'm saying, it's my action figure. I call it Action
Figure Deuces. So it's like, you know, when I saw that,
I was like I immediately connected with it. But then
I was like, wait a minute, it seemed like other
people has this.

Speaker 1 (43:05):
I was like, I gotta get this story out.

Speaker 3 (43:08):
It's it's like where's Waldo, Like you know, he's everywhere,
like everywhere.

Speaker 1 (43:13):
But it's like, you know, like it's really dope.

Speaker 5 (43:15):
Man.

Speaker 2 (43:15):
You know what I'm saying that you got friends that's
dedicated to kind of do that because to me, I also,
you know, you hear about the horror stories of this
industry and to see something like that which is just
embedded and fun. It started off as a celebration, as
a thank you for celebrating this moment with me, but

(43:35):
it turned into this fun, long lasting thing that like
now forever, you know, it could be thirty more years
down the road, you're gonna be done with Hollywood, and
then all of a sudden, one of your friends super
old and you're like, hey, I remember that.

Speaker 4 (43:53):
It's hilarious.

Speaker 3 (43:54):
Like even when I visit some friends, and you know,
going to the house and I see it on the
shelf somewhere, I know that is still it's still lasting,
and you know it is a part of of of
of our relationship.

Speaker 4 (44:07):
It's just it's just you know, good times.

Speaker 1 (44:10):
All right.

Speaker 2 (44:10):
So I like to play games with my with my guests.
We got a staple game that we call geek set Hypotheticals.
So I'm being that you like horror, afrofuturism and sci
fi and the fantasy and all that I want to
It's a two part question. So the first part it's
based off of apocalyptic scenarios, and I want to know
which apocalyptic scenario do you believe that you, with your

(44:32):
skill set, that you can last the longest. So it's
the zombie apocalypse, the Aliens apocalypse, or of the robot apocalypse.

Speaker 8 (44:41):
Oh, I could see myself on all of them. But
if I had to choose, I would go, hmmm.

Speaker 3 (44:56):
I almost want to say alien because can't they you know,
recreate like regrow like or or no, you know what
I'm gonna say, robots. I'm gonna say.

Speaker 4 (45:08):
Robots because it's it's I don't know, more powerful.

Speaker 2 (45:12):
Okay, So so now the second layer is we're gonna
break it down. So the first type of robot, so
the I Robots style robot, the sonny that was there
that's protect you and all of a sudden figure out
that mankind is a threat to themselves and now you
gotta fight this just just it's a regular robot, but
they're kind of look, you know a little.

Speaker 1 (45:31):
Bit stronger and everything. With your skill set and what
you know about yourself, how long are you giving yourself?

Speaker 3 (45:38):
Oh, I'm lasting last, lasting.

Speaker 4 (45:41):
All right, because you know I am. I'm great with
problem solving.

Speaker 3 (45:47):
I'm great with you know, just uh being proactive foresight
and you know, navigation.

Speaker 4 (45:56):
Like yeah, I'm I'm I'm lasting. I ain't going out
in round one?

Speaker 2 (46:00):
Like now what about now this is the one that
usually gets people. Now we got the terminator style robot,
you know, that's the seek and destroy they got they
they and they create bigger robots and everything. Where you
where you? Where you lasting on that one?

Speaker 4 (46:18):
I guess.

Speaker 3 (46:20):
I don't know, like thinking about in any moment in
time and space, you think you're.

Speaker 2 (46:26):
Saying yeah, yeah, because you got you gotta think like
so because my my first thought process is all right,
I gotta find a resistance, like you can't be in
this world alone.

Speaker 4 (46:36):
Yeah, yeah, look, there's strength in numbers.

Speaker 3 (46:39):
So like it's about really funding fund and finding that
that you know, that that squad or that that unit
that you you know, rock with and are aligned and
then sync of of of of survival skills like you know,
because not everybody is good with that.

Speaker 2 (47:00):
That's that was gonna be my question. So because like
every time I have these questions, I always gotta give.

Speaker 1 (47:05):
Out the caveat.

Speaker 2 (47:06):
Like I believe that I can make fire, but I've
never really had an opportunity to do so, so I.

Speaker 1 (47:12):
Don't know if I can, but I believe that I can.

Speaker 2 (47:15):
I know that I don't know how to hot wire
a car, so that's a that's something that I gotta
worry about. Like it's like there's certain skills that I'm like, Okay,
I need to hone these skills up because if something
hits I don't know where how long I'm gonna last.

Speaker 3 (47:27):
I'm put me in there, like you want me on
your team, because I will.

Speaker 4 (47:32):
If you can will it, you can do it.

Speaker 3 (47:35):
I love it especially and moments of survival.

Speaker 4 (47:40):
And and and.

Speaker 3 (47:43):
Dire circumstances, it's like, let's go, we're gonna, We're gonna.

Speaker 2 (47:49):
Here's a here's a good game to play next time
you're around like a group of individuals, or next time
you're on a set. Because when you think about like
zombie apocalypse or just any apocalypse, when it hits, usually
your is the people that's around you. So just have
that moment of saying, all right, if the apocalypse hitt
and this is my crew, what is our likelihood of surviving?
And start figuring out like, okay, so who here knows

(48:10):
how to do mad stuff? Like we need mad who's
a good hunter gatherer? Who's somebody that can be a
good soldier? We do that at conventions that we go
to will like we'll shut the door in the room
that we're in there like all right, this is our crew,
and then we start asking questions, all right, so who
can do this? And then we try to gauge our
survival rate that this was our crew, Like that is
a fun game right there.

Speaker 4 (48:29):
Yeah, I know it's great.

Speaker 3 (48:30):
And that's why, like I'm a great leader because I
know what I know and I know what I don't know.
So it's about really, you know, surrounding yourself and filling
that filling that squad out with like you know, the
right people and I'm good with good.

Speaker 2 (48:44):
With that, nice, nice, nice Well that is our geek
set hypothetical game. Man, thank you for playing that. So
I need to know, man, you know, before we get
you out of here, what is your moby Dick style project? Like,
what is the project that you would love to do
that you haven't got a chance to do?

Speaker 4 (49:06):
You know, I think.

Speaker 3 (49:09):
The project Virgil that I mentioned is one that I
that has recently fulfilled something inside of me.

Speaker 4 (49:19):
There are many. That's one.

Speaker 3 (49:22):
I'm I'm I'm in search of uh an opportunity kind
of dealing with psychological.

Speaker 4 (49:31):
Thriller like a who Done It?

Speaker 3 (49:34):
Type plot, you know that really digs into, you know,
answers the question what is justice and who gets to decide?
You know, where we get to really see ourselves in
this world and do that. That's one that is a
huge desire. And I think just even in the comedy space,

(49:55):
like I want to find an opportunity to really lean into.

Speaker 4 (50:00):
Masculinity and and and really have.

Speaker 3 (50:03):
Those conversations, you know, really break down what we can
easily say has been the burden of masculinity, that toxic
space and mindset and just be able to connect and.

Speaker 4 (50:15):
Have and share and and and commune better, you know.

Speaker 3 (50:21):
So those are areas that I am and have always
been really passionate about.

Speaker 4 (50:26):
And I'm so, you know, like fervently working towards finding.

Speaker 1 (50:31):
Awesome awesome, you know what.

Speaker 2 (50:33):
I there's a There's one thing that I believe after
this conversation, I believe that you would cook in and
you would kill so probably like last year, I got
a chance to interview the brother Paige Kennedy.

Speaker 9 (50:44):
And Page the homie and he's theatrically trained right, And
one of the things that me and him talked about
when I was like, I would love to see this
coming to light is like a Game of Throne style show,
but it.

Speaker 1 (50:59):
The cast is primarily black.

Speaker 2 (51:01):
And it's not like it's not blacked up, Like it's
not like, hey, yo, you know what I'm saying, my
fair lady. Like no, it's like literally that Game of
Throne style fantasy world, but the cast is primarily black.
It's not the color of their skin doesn't really matter
in the show because there's so many people. Because after
I had the conversation with him throughout conversations with other actors,

(51:21):
I started asking him about that style, that Old English,
that that Roman style of acting and vocal inflections, and
there is so many of us in Hollywood that does that,
but we don't get that opportunity because everybody when they
create that fantasy world, Lord of the Rings, Game of
Thrones and all that the Viking stuff, they always omit

(51:43):
us or they make us like a clan like, oh,
there's that.

Speaker 1 (51:46):
One plan of black folks.

Speaker 2 (51:47):
And so I would love to see that project coming
to Fruition. And just knowing what I've seen about story
with you and the way that you direct and the
way that you attract to like writing and stuff like that,
I think you would cook in that type of style scenario.

Speaker 4 (52:01):
Thank you. Yeah, I'm trying.

Speaker 3 (52:03):
We out here hustling and grind and trying to figure
it out.

Speaker 2 (52:08):
So man, where can my people find you at? And
what would you need? What do you need them to
support you in?

Speaker 4 (52:15):
You know, I just think just the constant sharing and supporting.

Speaker 3 (52:22):
Just you know, we're out here my company, Anthony Hemingway Productions.
You know, we're on ig at HP Films and then
personally at Shiny boots with the Z you know, just
trying to get out here and and and continuing to
tap into these spaces that I feel, you know, are

(52:42):
are are deserving, you know, for further conversations and further examinations,
you know, and just so people can feel like they
have a seat at the table, you know, in a
real sincere way.

Speaker 4 (52:56):
So yeah, I mean it's just and it goes both ways.

Speaker 3 (52:59):
Like you know, we're out here, we're trying to you know,
do ass just what you're doing right now, which is
continuing to give everybody their flowers as best we can
and support and and show up, you know, and you
know that's that's that's that's all that really is asked for,

(53:19):
is just that ability because you don't know if if
you're really effectively doing it until you hear you know
from other people you know out of here doing my
best in everything that I can.

Speaker 4 (53:33):
But until you hear that love, you know, that is
the real.

Speaker 3 (53:37):
Confirmation and affirmation that, like, you know, people are you know,
they appreciate what we what we're doing.

Speaker 2 (53:44):
Yeah, man, well we definitely do appreciate you man, And again,
thank you again for your time. You know what I'm
saying being on here, you know, And yeah, man, we're
going to continue to support you in.

Speaker 1 (53:53):
Many things that we that that that you do.

Speaker 2 (53:55):
Like I said, you'll be able to see geek set
pop up all the time and we're going to support.

Speaker 4 (53:59):
You, bro, appreciate you. When is this dropping?

Speaker 2 (54:03):
This is actually a drop, not this Saturday to Saturday
after So yeah, I'll tag you in it, but you
know what I'm saying. Listen, let me do my outro
real quick. Look, this is one on one with deuces.
I've been your boy, Duces. This has been the amazing
Anthony Henvyway. Thank you again and we are out beach

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Anthony Hemingway talks Black Hollywood, Telling Stories & more | S7 E6 | 1 on 1's w/Deuces

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Anthony Hemingway talks Black Hollywood, Telling Stories & more | S7 E6 | 1 on 1's w/Deuces