Thursday, May 7, 2009

Dallas Weekly interview: Mike Epps from Next Day Air

By Gordon Jackson of Dallas Weekly

Mike Epps

Just as the sun sets at night, it will be nothing new to see comedian/actor Mike Epps providing audiences with rib-cracking laughter when his newest movie, Next Day Air, opens in theaters this week. During a telephone interview from Los Angeles, he said it was exciting to work with such a diverse and talented cast and the chemistry between them all was great.

“I never worked with these guys, but everybody brought their own unique timing to the project,” Epps said. “We had rappers, comedians, and television and movie actors. Everybody was professional. I think that movie’s hot, it’s going to do some numbers.”

Epps worked with Donald Faison (Scrubs), Wood Harris (Not Easily Broken), Darius McCrary (Family Matters) and Mos Def (Cadillac Records), with Debbie Allen making a special appearance, in the Benny Boom-directed movie about overnight delivery drivers mistakenly sending a large box of cocaine to the wrong address. The events that ensued set off a wild chain reaction of encounters, death-dealing experiences and a tug-of-war with conscious for all involved.

Being at the state of his career where he can choose his own roles, Epps felt good about playing Brody in the flick. He knows that most actors do not earn that privilege.

“It’s a blessing, God’s been good,” Epps said. “I’ve always been the type where I approach the business like a blue-collar worker. I don’t think about my retirement or pension or what I got at the credit union; I know that’s there, if I just continue to get up and work hard.”

With movie credits like Soul Men, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins and co-starring with Ice Cube in Next Friday, Friday After Next and All About the Benjamins, it’s full steam ahead for Epps’ movie career. Yet, during the interview, he expressed somewhat of a serious side of himself his usual fans might not have seen before. It was while talking about working the 2007 movie Resident Evil: Extinction, where he had a rare non-comedic part.

“I don’t want to get pigeon-holed in this business, where I can’t stretch my wings and do other projects,” Epps said. “This business sometimes can get boring. In that, you’ve got to continue to look for roles that will broaden and enhance your career. You have to take a chance and play outside of the box a little bit.”

Having been married to MeChelle McCain since 2006 (they met on the set while film The Fighting Temptations in 2003), and also being a father, the Indianapolis native would like to tackle some roles that reflects his real life experiences.

“I would definitely like to play a responsible father or a role where somebody needs me,” Epps said. He even said he’s ready for a good romantic comedy, but stopped short of stating which actress he would like to work with.

“There’s a lot of great ones out there,” he said. “I don’t’ like to single out anybody. All of them are good.”

In between movies, Epps, a product of Def Comedy Jam, continues to work on the comedy circuit. His DVD, Mike Epps, Funny Business, has hit stores and Mike Epps Live in Detroit will be out Christmas. For his next movie, he’s reuniting with Ice Cube in Janky Promoters, due for release later this year.

Next Day Air opens on May 8.

Pegasus News content partner - Dallas Weekly

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• Arts > Movies / Film > Mainstream Movies