INTERVIEW: Algee Smith on JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

(Originally published in THE KNOWN)

This isn’t the first time that Algee Smith has had the performative challenge of embodying immeasurable trauma on screen. From the true portrayal of discriminatory violence by the hands of police in 2017’s Detroit, to the fictional yet raw look at the complexities of adolescence in the digital age with HBO’s Euphoria. 2021 sees the rising star returning to historical thrillers with socio-political insight with Judas and the Black Messiah, where Smith plays Jake Winters: a person whose detailed history maybe vague, but their actions speaking louder than most recounted words can manage.

Jake Winters died in a police shootout that was an indefinite spark for then FBI director

J. Edgar Hoover’s move to murder Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party. But in that defining moment, a tense and desperate standoff with police, Jake Winters decides to make his definition of revenge a reality. Not knowing what move could be next, unable to even begin to process the destruction that the government and Chicago police have done to his home, friends and livelihood. He makes a choice, one that ends up defining him, whether he likes it or not.

Algee Smith didn’t initially want to take on more characters that are at the receiving end of such abuse, with these horrific scenes on screen being experienced exponentially by Smith, as noted in a Variety article from July 2020.

“I had to take Ambien while I was shooting Detroit because I couldn’t sleep, because you’re hearing that [abuse] 12 hours a day, and then you’re just yelling and crying. But you do it for a reason. That’s why we are actors, that’s why we put ourselves in that position, to feel for people” (Smith).

Nobody should have to take Ambien to take on a role, let alone a job. Actively illustrating the mistreatment at the hands of police in both Detroit and Judas and the Black Messiah was clearly not an easy gig. Hell, it’s not even a gig; he is immersing himself not only in the character, but the real person and the struggles they sadly endured. Algee Smith is showing the commitment of an Oscar-winning performer who is fully aware of the immense impact of their character within the full scope of the film.

I got the chance to talk to the actor during a press junket for Judas and the Black Messiah. Going in depth with the climactic scene for his character, and the film at large, felt like the only route to go with my question for Smith.

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JOHN: The moment that struck me was a climactic moment where he (Jake Winters) is about to be killed by the police. Essentially, he has this moment of self-realization knowing, “I’m about to become this statistic that I fought so hard not to become.” He needs to take revenge, and avenge his brother. But, you look at Fred Hampton, who is spending 5 years in prison, making that ultimate sacrifice. Now it’s not as glamorous as your sacrifice, but it’s still there. It’s a very conflicting moment to see your character do what he set out to do, but also see the very detrimental consequences of this. Can you talk about that decision and how you portrayed that moment and that confliction with your character?

ALGEE SMITH: I think I’d first have to say that there isn’t one of those two sacrifices that are necessarily greater than the other. There may be one that’s a little more extreme, but I think the word “greater” is tough. Chairman Fred even knew that he’d have to lay down his life soon. I think him being in a jail cell was even just as great as the complication in Jake Winters’ mind of the complexity of this decision that he was having to get ready to make.

For me personally, that was a thought. If Jake Winters had that thought of “am I about to become another statistic?” he retaliated. He wasn’t acting as a Black Panther in that moment, he was acting as an angry black teenager that just saw the detrimental death of his friend, his headquarters being blown up. Everything that he puts his life into and wants to learn about shatters in front of him.

I think in that moment he has a thought of “either I can keep running all of my life, or I can do what I think is right in this moment. I can retaliate, I can avenge what I feel like is right to avenge.” But it is a tricky thing, the mindset of that: a 19 year-old having to even think that. Having to even be in that mindset of “wow, I can keep running and being hunted for my life or I can do what I think is me taking a job.” I think it’s very complex.

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Another huge thanks to Algee Smith, Dominique Fishback, Daniel Kaluuya, and Lakeith Stanfield for speaking with me the other week about the film. Make sure you check out the film on HBO Max, available now.