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Do you think you
will become role models as a result of
this film?
Sean Nelson: Uhhh…I think so. We’ll have
a good affect on the teenagers that
watch it. They definitely can take notes
from this guy’s character (Pooch Hall)
because he’s on the straight and narrow.
He’s definitely focused. And my
character…he has some good points.
What are they?
Sean Nelson: What are my good points?
Well he really does care about his
family even though it may not show all
the time. He doesn’t really know how to
go about it. The guidance isn’t there
anymore. His mother who he felt was his
best friend is gone. So he doesn’t have
her to tell him what’s really the right
way to go about things. So he’s just
taken it upon himself to make those
decisions.
Is his pain mostly because he doesn’t
have his mom?
Sean Nelson: Oh yeah. Definitely. He was
away while his mother died. So it was
like he couldn’t go, well I think they
let him go to his mother’s funeral, but
he couldn’t be there when it actually
happened. He blames them too like maybe
they (the brothers) could have done some
things you know? But I think they can
take some choices from Charlie as well
because life is about choices and what
you do with them.
Pooch Hall: On some of the promos
they’re showing him like he’s a thug.
Oh, he’s doing this and he’s doing that,
wow. And at the same time that’s not
always true. Cause he respects me and he
respects family. That’s why he’s always
so torn that I don’t think he’s going to
put himself in a situation where he
wants to go back. So, it’s about choices
and it’s a choice that Charlie makes as
the middle brother to say I’m gonna do
this or I’m not gonna do this.
Pooch, what did you draw on to play the
caregiver? Do you have any experience?
Pooch Hall: I have lots of experiences
with that, that’s why I’m Tyree (lol).
Walking into the room, at the original
audition, looking at the material. I
just read it and was like, this is me.
Being the second baby, I have 3 older
sisters and a younger brother. And when
my sisters got older and they all did
their own thing. And my parents are
divorced so we lived with my father and
he worked construction so he wasn’t
getting home till like 6:30, 7. At that
point and time. I’m coming home like
2:30, 3. So, I got to make sure the
chores is good and make sure my brother
is doing the right thing and not ripping
and running the streets. Then prepare
whatever meal my father said. You know,
leave this out to thaw, I need you to
start thawing this. And so I think
having that and bringing it to, you
know, the Miracles’ Boys is a cake walk.
Cause I was already doing it. I’ve
already done it. So that’s what’s up.
How did you start in this field?
Pooch Hall: I’ve acted my whole life.
Kind of clowin’ you know. But
professionally, umm, 2000. Cause I went
to school to do math but I didn’t
graduate. I went to play football to be
honest. But I did what I had to do to
play but entertainment was something
that I always did. So, I kind of fell
into the whole acting thing kind of by
doing theatre, got an agent, came out to
NY, and got a bigger agent. Now I’m here
with the-N doing this Miracles’ Boys
thing. And it’s all good.
And what about you Sean?
Sean Nelson: I actually started out
young. I really was performing in
kindergarten. I was singing. I just went
to a school to learn how to act, play
the piano and dance. But it was all
going to be about singing. It was like I
needed to know all these other things
too to be able to perform. And then I
just got more into the acting thing. And
then a lot of musical theatre; non
paying work. I had my first paying gig
when I was about 10 in an off Broadway
play. And it was then when I knew this
is what I wanted to do. I was like…you,
you get paid for this? (lol). And so I
kept going, got myself an agent.
And your mom?
Sean Nelson: Oh yeah, my mom was there.
It was kind of the woman who got me my
acting classes; she gave me a list of
agents to call. Or whatever it was. I
don’t even remember the process. But
soon after I had an agent.
What was the name of the place where you
went to school?
Sean Nelson: It was Lola Louis
Performing Arts Studio. She taught us
out of her house. Out of her apartment.
It would always be a bunch of kids
packed in the living room.
Where is this located?
Sean Nelson: In the Bronx. I’m from The
Bronx.
What did you draw on for your character?
Did you have people in mind?
Sean Nelson: One of the things that I
definitely connected with him (Charlie)
was that my mother passed away too. But
I was kind of a lot older than he was
when it happened. So I kind of know what
it’s like to lose that person, so you
seem like your doing everything to
please them. And when you lose them then
what’s the point? Definitely, you know,
I derived a lot from that.
Are you really playing the guitar?
Sean Nelson: Yeah. It’s a little bit
tweaked. But I am playing the guitar.
What did Spike Lee bring to the table
that you benefited from?
Pooch Hall: Going to the mini series we
had a weeks worth of rehearsals and what
he did was he just kind of helped us
identify with the character and to make
sure that we had the tools and the
strength to continue on with these
characters. Because there was a lot; it
was a quick turn around He helped us
build the characters. It wasn’t hard for
us to turn over episodes 1 thru 6. As we
did, we got better. So, as we had closer
to Spike, I was so much better as an
actor going thru the whole miniseries.
Really understanding who he (Tyree) was
and going back to the source material,
and reading the book by Jacqueline Woods
and making sure I knew the material
front and back. It just kind of put the
point on my character.
Was this the first time you worked with
a series of directors?
Sean Nelson: Yeah. We had an all star
directed group here man. All these cats
I saw, in one form or another, growing
up. And we definitely, like Pooch said,
had our characters nailed down in the
rehearsal process. So once we brought in
the different directors, it was just
them bringing in their different flavors
into what was going on. It was just the
characters put into different
situations. So, it wasn’t that hard to
keep the consistency.
Was there any episode where it became
very difficult?
Sean Nelson: Not difficult. I mean there
were different obstacles. I don’t think
there was any episode where it was that
hard to get into. One scene that I did
have a little trouble at first, I
thought I might have had a little
trouble more than I did was the scene
where I was supposed to show kind of
emotion. I don’t even think I was
suppose to cry but I had to find that
emotion when I was getting arrested and
you know, the mother was there and she’s
watching me being taken away. It’s kind
of like we’re always joking around on
set. But when that kind of had to come
we were like …
PH: It was business. All business.
Sean Nelson: And then it was kind of
like, maybe I can’t do it. But when I
got there, it went just like that. I
think it had a lot to do with Spike and
things like that.
Pooch Hall: I can honestly say, working
with Spike and being a black actor and
being a fan of everybody’s work coming
up. You’re like I wanna work with that
guy. You see all these different people
doing their thing and I’ve seen Sean
throughout. But I never really got to
work with him. And Mr. Duke said you and
Sean have a real special thing
happening. This meant a lot to me
because I’m a huge fan of Mr. Duke. And
Julito and I having huge chemistry right
out the gate. I mean, we met at the
pilot presentation in the lobby and hit
it off right out the gate. So, working
with Sean and Julito. I’ve learned a lot
from them. Sean did a lot of projects
where I watched and respected and said,
yeah maybe one day. And so it came to
this day when I worked with him (Sean)
and then with Spike, Mr. Duke, Ernest,
then Levar and Neema. That’s a dream
come true for me as an actor. So I’m
blessed as an individual and I’m really
lucky to work with all these guys.
Did you both get to improvise at all?
Sean Nelson & Pooch Hall: We improvised
all the time.
Sean Nelson: There were times were we
were able to have a lot of fun with it.
And even in the rehearsal process, go
through scenes and then I’d put the
script down. And even if you don’t
remember it, whatever comes out comes
out. But sometimes you keep some of the
stuff that wasn’t in the script.
Pooch Hall: It’s about the moment. And
what your eyes say. Not so much the
words. And like I said it’s a dream come
true for me. Coming out of this project,
I’m a better listener. I’m an all around
better actor I’m quick on my feet. And
having a great chemistry with Julito and
Sean. They said action and you know,
it’s all good.
What do you want viewers to walk away
with?
Pooch Hall: I want them to walk away
with the understanding that what ever
decision that you make…it’s your
decision. And that you are in charge of
your destiny.
Miracles Boys premieres on Friday,
February 18 th on the N. Check your
local listings.
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