CURTISS COOK
FROM STARRING IN The CHI TO WEST SIDE STORY
By Dina Morrone
Curtiss Cook is the star of Showtime’s The Chi, and upcoming film, West Side Story by Steven Spielberg.
After receiving a full-ride scholarship to London’s prestigious Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Cook began his career on Broadway performing in shows like The Lion King and Miss Saigon.
With encouragement from his family to audition for film and television roles, Cook embraced the love and support, took the leap, and never looked back. He has since worked on countless projects, including, Arbitrage, The Interpreter, Shutter Island, FX’s Mayans M.C., NBC’s Manifest, Netflix’s House of Cards, and Narcos, and Marvel’s Luke Cage, to name a few.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started in your theatre career?
Thank you for allowing me to speak with you and your readers today. I came to New York from London, England, where I had studied drama at Mountview Theatre School. After some time, I got married and had/have three amazing children. My marriages did not work out (as some do), and I was then a single father of three. Broadway had not come calling at that point, and money was very tight. As a result, we were evicted from our apartment. I had to go on public assistance, all while still trying to forge ahead with my acting career. After sticking with it, I can say that Broadway did finally come calling. My three children are now grown, and I am re-married to a wonderful woman and have twins who are 16yrs-old. Life is good. No one said it was going to be easy. But I am truly grateful!
You are outstanding in your role in The Chi. Please tell are readers about your character.
Thanks for asking. I play Otis “Douda” Perry, a businessman on the Southside of Chicago, who also happens to be the leader of the 63rd street mob. He’s very ambitious and ruthless at times, and in this third season, he’s running for Mayor. *SPOILER ALERT* He wins! So, let’s see what’s in store for Chicago now.
Which role did you find more challenging, the one in The Chi or the one in the Sci-fi drama Manifest?
I don’t know if I would say that challenging is the word I would use, but the beauty of it all is the opportunity to show and use my craft in such an array of characters! I get to go from a slick, well-mannered gentleman/mobster to a Jamaican violinist who has been missing for 8yrs looking for his son. Come on. This is an actor’s dream!
Of all the characters you have portrayed over the years, which one do you feel is most like the real you?
Good question, I don’t know. I mean, when I watch my work, I immediately see me, and nothing else at times. And when developing each character, that’s where I start from, me. It’s a tough question to answer. If I were forced to answer, I would probably say Marcus Edison from Freeform’s The Bold Type, and Terry Womack from Netflix’s House of Cards.
What advice would you give to someone struggling to make it in the entertainment business, and what is the true path to success?
Well, of course, if I had the answer to the true path to success, I would be a billionaire, haha! In any case, I would tell anyone who is struggling to stay the course! If this is something you genuinely feel is for you, stay the course and keep collecting as much knowledge as you can.
Do you think social media plays a significant role today in celebrities’ lives?
Of course! I think social media plays a significant role in life. Period. Who would have believed ten years ago that the President of the United States would be tweeting, and everyone would be listening to it as if it were the New York Times or some other prestigious outlet? In many ways, social media has equaled the playing field for the good and the bad.
Your new film, West Side Story, directed by Steven
Spielberg, will be releasing in 2021. Please tell us
about your character?
Yeah, this is once again one of those pinch-me moments! I can’t say much about my character, Abe, at the moment, but it was an honor to work with Tony Kushner and Steven Spielberg, who had the wherewithal to include black characters in this iconic musical. I am truly fortunate in that I get to bring Abe to life and help introduce this classic story to an entirely new generation.
How are you coping with the pandemic?
I’m coping as well as can be expected. We all have our good days and bad days. Of course, I am missing work, yet I am grateful to spend this time with my family.
Is there a charity that is close to your heart, and why?
I always feel that charity is a private matter, but a cause that I was just made aware of that I am lending my voice to is called THE BLACK AND MISSING FOUNDATION. The organization focuses on the many black people that go missing every year that the press and media and law enforcement somehow don’t report on. Getting as many eyes on this foundation and sharing what they work towards will truly help someone in the end.
Is there a dream role for you in the future?
I would love the opportunity to bring to life John Stewart, aka the Green Lantern from the DC superhero universe!
Special thanks to :
Curtiss Cook
Eric Hobbs & Parrish Lewis Photos
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