On this week’s episode of Shadow and Act Live, Larenz Tate stopped by to chat with S&A’s Trey Mangum to talk about his upcoming movie, Business Ethics, as well as much more. Two questions from Shadow and Act Live viewers allowed the iconic actor to provide more backstory on his involvement in Power as well as his time in Hollywood.
When asked if there were roles he couldn’t do or that he had to pass on, Tate said there were several, including the character of Harper Stewart in The Best Man, which went to Taye Diggs.
“[The Best Man director] Malcolm Lee is my guy, he wanted me to be in the movie, and at the time I had just finished Love Jones and I felt it [was] kinda similar,” he said. “But I thought Taye Diggs slam-dunked the role, he did a great job and I love the movie…the sequel, all of it.”
He also said he was originally cast to play Terry Silver in Power, but had to pass on the role due to prior obligations and scheduling commitments. The role ended up going to Brandon Victor Dixon.
“I wanted to be a part of Power and rock out with everybody but I just couldn’t do it,” said Tate. “Fortunately, [creator/executive producer] Courtney Kemp was gracious enough to answer my call when I called her back. [I said] ‘Whatever you want me to do, I’m sorry I couldn’t play Terry Silver, I wanted it…but this is not my reps or so-called handlers talking, this is one brother to one sister, what do you want me to do, I’m happy to rock out with you.’…And she said, ‘Funny you say that.'”
That conversation led to Tate’s role as the smooth-talking Councilman Tate, who is now set for his own spinoff series, Power Book V: Influence, which is currently in development.
Tate also revealed that the one film he’d love to revisit is Love Jones, starring him opposite Nia Long.
“It’s one of those things that Nia Long and I have been talking about for 20 years or more,” he said. “How do we redo it? The challenge has been we don’t want to recreate something that doesn’t live up to what is embedded in people’s minds and their spirits, and it’s really hard to capture lightning in a bottle twice”
“…We have thought about it, but our feeling [is] if it’ doesn’t make sense [in] the script and all the elements don’t make sense, then we won’t do it, but it’s been something I’ve been contemplating and dealing with and struggling with for a long time,” he continued.”
You can watch the full episode below. Business Ethics will be released via streaming Oct. 23.
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