Fresh from her starring role in Netflix’sThe Six Triple Eightand with a role in the hotly anticipatedWake Up Dead Man, the third movie inRian Johnson’s hugely popularKnives Outseries, on the way,Kerry Washingtonis having quite the moment. So, pair her with the extremely talentedLupinstarOmar Sy, as well as an ensemble cast including the likes of Academy Award winnerDa’Vine Joy RandolphandCliff “Method Man” Smith,and a recipe for success is born.
Written and directed byJoe Carnahan, withLeon Chillsalso working on the script,Shadow Forceis an upcoming action thriller with the unbreakable love of a parent on its mind, as a pair of former multinational special forces leaders are thrust back into danger and must keep their son (Jahleel Kamera) safe from harm underground.
Ahead of the movie’s May 9 release, Collider’sSteve Weintraubhad the privilege of sitting down and chatting with both Washington and Sy about all thingsShadow Force. From the movie’s integral central themes of love and family to the importance of the iconicLionel Richieto the film, the pair also discuss their involvement in upcoming projects likeLouis Leterrier’s11817,Ben Affleck’sAnimals, and the aforementionedWake Up Dead Man.
‘Shadow Force’s Blend of Action and Touching Drama Gave Washington and Sy a Sense of “Harmony”
“A big, splashy action story, but with heart at the center”
COLLIDER: I’m going to ask the most personal question that I’ve ever asked up front. Do you have a favorite movie theater? I’m asking this of everyone because I really want to champion people going to movies and movie theaters.
KERRY WASHINGTON: In LA, and I hope that somebody buys this theater, but the Cinerama Dome is incredible. It’s such a special theater. So, I think maybe that would have to be my favorite. What about you, Omar?
OMAR SY: In my hometown, at the time I was born and raised, there was my first theater, called the Grenier à sel. Last year, the theater has my name. So, that is my favorite.
WASHINGTON: What!? Well, that’s my second favorite theater, then. [Laughs] Wow. That’s fancy.
Kerry, you’ve directed five episodes of TV. Is directing a feature film in your future?
WASHINGTON: I think so. I hope so.I want to find the film that feels worthy of that time commitment for me to direct, and a film that feels like it needs me.There are so many amazing directors in the world, so I feel like I would have to come across a film that feels like it would need my point of view to be the film that I want it to be. Right now, I’ve been so lucky to work with such amazing directors, and Joe Carnahan was such a joy to work with on this film.
I’ve known Joe a long time, and he’s fun. I’ll just leave that there. He’s an interesting guy. [Laughs]
WASHINGTON: He’s a lot of fun!
Frank Grillo & Joe Carnahan Talk ‘Boss Level,’ Sword Fighting With Michelle Yeoh and Their Professional Bromance
Carnahan also talked about what most excites him about ‘Cop Shop,’ while Grillo spoke about the possibility of a ‘Purge 6.’
For both of you, I’m sure you’ve read a lot of scripts. What was it about this script and this project that said, “Oh, yes, I want to do this?"
SY: It’s so many things combined in one movie that it’s very rare to have something with a lot of things together in the right proportions, like action, your son, love, and also family. It’s talking about a family with action. So, there were so many things to play with and so many things to say.All of that in very good proportion was like harmony.For me, that was the thing. We haveeverythinghere in the right place. And it was very modern, like having that relation with the dad, with the son, and the mom protecting the family. Everything was very new, so it was very interesting for me. That was about the script, and for the project, of course, it was having the opportunity to work with Kerry because I’m a huge fan.
WASHINGTON: I was like, “When is he gonna saythatpart?” [Laughs] That was so beautifully said. I love how you talked about all the proportions and the harmony of those things coming together, because for me, that was it too.This idea of being able to tell a big, splashy action story, but with heart at the center, and love and family.Before I became a parent, you would hear people say like, “Oh, I would kill for my child.” It sounds like an idea, like a theory, but when you have children, you really understand those killer instincts of wanting to doanythingto protect them. So I really love that about our film.
I was so, so grateful when Omar said yes, because he just feels like the perfect person to be telling this story. He has the perfect combination of fierce and also kind. You know, you believe that he’s so tough but also so loving, and that he brings all of his French-ness to the film.As Black people, we exist all over the world, and that our families can span continents, that also feels very modern.
Lionel Richie Is Integral to ‘Shadow Force’
You’re both badasses in the film, and you both are good shooters. Did you ever decide on set who was the more badass and who was the better shooter?
WASHINGTON: Omar’s the more badass, but I’ll let him tell you who’s the better shooter. [Laughs]
SY: This is Kerry. She is. She’s the better shooter. I have to admit. But I’m working, Kerry. I’m coming. [Laughs]
WASHINGTON: Okay, okay. Alright. [Laughs]
Did you go to a shooting range and actually put it to the test?
WASHINGTON: We did because we had to train. We had to prepare for the film, sowe did train, and I was a lot better than Omar. I actually am in the process, Omar… Do you remember there was one target where I literally had like a bullet in each eye? I’m framing that one for my office.
SY: That was scary, actually. [Laughs] I was like, “Wow!” She’s very precise.
Were you aiming for the eyes, or was it just happenstance?
WASHINGTON: I was. Whether I was or not, I will take it to my grave that I was.
Lionel Richie plays a very large role in this film. I don’t know how involved both of you were, but what was it like having Lionel Richie as a huge part, and do you have a favorite Lionel Richie song?
WASHINGTON: It was really exciting.Lionel Richie was always in the script. If he had said no, it would have been crushing. I’m sure we would have figured it out, but it would have been crushing. And I said to Lionel, “You’re like the fourth family member in this movie. It’s like mother, father, son, and Cousin Lionel. You really are part of our movie.” The fact that he said yes is so spectacular. And he’s about to see the film, which I’m really excited about.
“I can tell you absolutely nothing about Knives Out without being killed.”
Omar, I know you’re tight with Louis Leterrier, and you are a producer on11817.What do you want to tell people about it? And, Kerry, I’m a huge fan of Ben Affleck, especially when he’s directing. What can you tease aboutAnimalsand your role in the next Knives Outmovie?
SY: We just ended the first week of shooting. I know Louis is very excited about the movie. It’s going to be a very special movie. I don’t want to give it away because I really like letting Louis talk about it, but I know he’s very excited about it.We’ve been working on this for so long, so I’m so excited that we started shooting.
WASHINGTON: It’s a dream of mine to work with Ben Affleck, and it’s been just one of the most fulfilling creative experiences I’ve been able to be a part of. The whole cast is spectacular. It’s fun to work with Gillian Anderson, who I haven’t worked with sinceLast King of Scotland, so that’s really exciting. And then,I can tell you absolutely nothing aboutKnives Outwithout being killed, so I will say nothing except that the cast is so fun. Everybody would say to me , “Oh, these movies are the most fun to make,” but it really was so fun.
