Actor Isaiah Washington starring in‘Blue Caprice’ alongside Tequan Richmond.
Veteran actor Isaiah Washington stars in director Alexandre Moors ‘Blue Caprice’ depicting assassin John Allen Muhammad of the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks D.C. area, ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ Tequan Richmond stars alongside Washington as accomplice Lee Malvo. The film follows their twisted father –son relationship as they embark on a killing spree in the nation’s Capital.
Washington may have been apprehensive taking on the film initially, but that was short lived. It was Moors who convinced him that he was not making a film about the John Muhammad story, but a film about a paternal relationship gone wrong.
As the leading actor of the film, he explains what brought him to the project, “with the backdrop inspired by a true story about the DC snipers, you track these human beings, getting a genesis of what led these individuals to the tragic events that unfolded.”
Unlike other crime and murderous films, the director tells the story from the killer’s perspective. On how he prepared for the role of John Muhammad Washington said, “I allowed Alexander Moors to sculpt me into John Allen. I came to the film purely as an artist who was emancipated as an artist, human being and lastly as an actor, however, I was excited to come back as an executive producer.”
While portraying a cold blooded killer, Washington was able to humanize the character, stating “that was the goal; how can you humanize a character based on what the world knows as a monster and an animal.”
“Who’s going to connect with a killer, yet time and time again people who have done unfathomable things have girlfriends, fathers, mothers, and uncles, that can’t believe they would do something like this which is what ‘Blue Caprice’ is about.” A far cry from playing the cool and cute younger brother of Chris on ‘EHC,’ Richmond was able to bring depth to his role. “When you see Tequan, the most dialogue he has is a voice over reading from a sniper’s point of view,” said Washington.
“But his acting is the most riveting to me because he doesn’t have that much to say. He is phenomenal and I had a court side seat to see a star being born.”
On making the film for the public he said, “we made it for the people, now it’s for the people to decide if they want to see more from Isaiah Washington as a producer and actor.” He is an independent actor who feels the idea of a comeback is amusing, “I am kind of tongue-in-cheek with it and I know how the business works.”
Washington had misfortune on the hit show ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ due to an anti-gay slur, he knows Hollywood can be a fickle industry where if you make the wrong career move, you’re out the game. However, he is not worried and feelsTinseltownwill come to them because the public will dictate that.
“The one thing I know about Hollywood and politicians is that at the end of the day, no matter what they say, they need your vote or they cannot operate,” he stated.
Washington is quick to shoot down anyone who places the film in any particular genre. The film evokes a complexity of human life.
“Some people want to call it a horror film, or a psychological thriller, but what they don’t understand is that Moors had a vision to make a film inspired by horrible events that took place 11 years ago and more recently showing the violence in America,” said Washington.
He further explains how the film is a non-traditional cinematic feature, stating “when you watch the film there is no easy narrative to follow, there are certain pieces that dares you to think.”
The forthright actor emphasizes the films unique context and believes it calls for the audience to broaden their minds.
“A lot of people who don’t want to think are lazy thinkers, they have Attention Deficit Disorder, and this is not the film for them.”
Whether or not this film is for thinkers or non-thinkers it educates viewers on how the human race is capable of murder.
The DC sniper attacks and the Washington Navy Yard killing coincide with the idea of this being in our nation’s Capital. Isaiah feels that there is something missing in our humanity and the film feels that void, as an artistic way to see what we we can do as human beings to prevent this from happening.
“There is so much that we miss in our private little community, our worlds are being turned upside down. We had a shooting in Santa Monica on Cloverdale right there in my backyard. These things are not going away.”
‘Blue Caprice’ premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and opened on Sept 13.
Go experience ‘Blue Caprice’ for yourself at a theatre near you!
