We didn’t get any formal announcements for these bits of casting for Tyler Perry’s I, Alex Cross project, currently shooting in Cleveland, OH. I was just handed an official full casting sheet for the movie, and noticed a couple of names we hadn’t previously mentioned as being attached to the film… specifically…
First, we know that the story centers on Cross’ tracking down of a serial killer (played by Matthew Fox) who may have murdered his wife years before.
I didn’t expect that he’d actually have a wife in the film, but it looks like she will indeed be physically represented; if so, I figured it’ll likely be in flashback sequences when she was alive… maybe scenes in which Cross (Perry) is remembering her; that can be expected. Or it could also just be that she’s represented in the form of photographs on nightstands, fireplaces, walls in the Cross household. Or maybe we actually see how she is killed.
Maybe this synopsis from James Patterson’s website page dedicated to the film will assist:
Crusading Detective/Psychologist Alex Cross (Tyler Perry) meets his match when he goes against the psychotic, mob hit man, Michael “The Butcher” Sullivan (Matthew Fox). As Cross investigates the hit man’s gruesome murders, Sullivan decides to send him a deadly message by murdering his wife in cold blood. Now enraged, Cross vows to hunt down the killer if it’s the last thing he does. However, Sullivan is a mastermind and continues to evade Cross while pushing him to an ethical breaking point as a cop and a father. As Cross closes in on the killer, he discovers evidence that points to the unimaginable—a revelation that could change everything. With unstoppable action, and unforeseeable twists, this suspenseful action thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat.
So, it looks like we do meet her before she’s killed, and possibly witness the act play out on screen; though I’m not certain what the MPAA rating on this is expected. Regardless of how she appears in the film, the casting sheet lists a character named Maria Cross and the actress playing the role is Carmen Ejogo, a British actress with credits both in film and on TV, most recently, roles in Away We Go, The Brave One, Lackawanna Blues and Boycott. And, by the way, Carmen Ejogo is Jeffrey Wright’s wife.
The second prominent name on the list that wasn’t previously officially announced is Cicely Tyson. She plays a character named Nama Mama, which I’m guessing is Alex Cross’ mother; or maybe his dead wife’s mother, who now lives with him and his 2 kids (already announced in a previous post).
I should note that Cicely Tyson is listed on the film’s IMDB page, but Carmen Ejogo isn’t.
But it looks like both (pictured above) are in the movie, though in likely limited roles… though ya never know.