In an exclusive with the Sentinel, actor Henry Simmons gave insight into his most recent role in the critically acclaimed series “Emperor of Ocean Park” (MGM+). Simmons plays “Addison Garland” the eldest child of Judge Oliver Garland (actor Forest Whitaker).
When Judge Garland attempts to share a treacherous secret with his son, it’s met with the utmost resistance causing a rift between the Judge and Addison. This tension also creates distance between Addison and his younger siblings Mariah (actress Tiffany Mack) and Talcot (actor Grantham Coleman).
Describing his role in the series, Simmons said, “Addison Garland is a free spirit that wanted to carve his own lane and blaze his own trail. My father, Judge Garland, is the kind of guy who wants you to do what he thinks is best. I never went that route and I actually resented the fact that my father tried to control my life in such a way. So I broke off, struggled on my own, tried to live my own life and become my own man.”
For viewers who may have been confused as to why Addison pushed the Judge away when he learned the details of the illusive “arrangements,” Simmons clarifies, “When I found out what the Judge did in terms of compromising himself and going against the very things that he was teaching his kids, that completely broke the relationship between us.”
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With a career spanning three decades, Simmons is renowned for his standout performances in series such as “Cherish The Day,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” and “NYPD Blue.” He shared what differentiated “Emperor of Ocean Park” from his previous roles.
“When my agent sent me the script, the first thing I noticed was it was very different from anything that I’ve ever read because you have this powerful Black family with tremendous wealth, but there’s also conflict within the White world that they’re living in. There’s conflict in the world of politics and within the family dynamic because of these different personalities, and because of their father dying,” he shared.
“So, my siblings and I have to figure out how to resolve our relationship with our father even though he’s passed away and then we bump heads because we have different views on how our father died–Was he killed? Did he die from natural causes? And it brings up a lot of unresolved things from my past. And I loved that aspect of it.”
Simmons also praised the leadership of series creator Sherman Payne and director Damian Marcano for the way in which they adapted the New York Times Bestselling novel into a suspenseful series.
“I love the fact you have these two incredibly intelligent Black men who have written and directed such a complex story where there’s no good or evil, these people are living in gray areas. And I had never seen that before in a script. And then when I read the book, I was like, wow, this is so rich. It was an environment that I had never been in before,” he said.
“To have Sherman and Damian as the showrunner, writer, and executive producers, they were so confident in what they were doing that they encouraged you to be collaborative. There was so much value in my opinions and what I thought, it was very collaborative. I felt more a part of this story than I have in any other project that I’ve done,” added Simmons.
In an industry that can be somewhat unpredictable, Simmons’ unwavering faith has helped him to persevere. He cites Zechariah 4:6 as his go-to Bible verse – “…So he said to me, ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”
Simmons shares how this particular verse keeps him encouraged. “Zerubbabel was tasked to rebuild the temple but there were forces coming from Babylon trying to kill the people that were building the temple. So, he was like, ‘God, I know you tasked me to do this, but I can’t’ and God said, ‘Look, it’s not by your might, not by your power, but it’s by My Spirit.’ And I really resonated with that verse, because I realized that I’m limited in what I can do so I pray all the time.
“I pray before every scene, before every script I read, and before every audition because I know that I’m limited in terms of my talent and my experience as a human being. So when my bridge ends, and I need a bridge to go over to the other side, that’s where I trust in God.
“And that’s why I say, ‘Okay, Lord, here’s where I need to go, and I’m going to do everything I can to get up to this point, but I need you to carry me forward beyond that.’ And that’s one of the things that I live by.”
Regarding what acting roles are next for Simmons, the husband and proud father said, “My wife is an actress, so here’s the deal, when she works, I’m home with the kids, and when I’m working, she’s home with the kids.
“So that’s where I am right now. I love being a dad and she’s doing her thing and God willing, if we get the second season, then I’ll be ready to roll!”