The dynamic between all the cast members is quite positive. The sixth film in the legendary movie series features some familiar faces such as the original Shaft, Richard Roundtree and Samuel L. Jackson who was the nephew of Shaft in the 2000 version of the series. New characters are introduced as Jessie T. Usher portrays playing the son, John Shaft III, Regina Hall takes on the role of the ex-wife and Alexandra Shipp plays Shaft III’s love interest.
The cast tackled many different topics during the course of the interview, and also allowed the live audience to ask questions. Jackson gave his insight on the world from his perspective. When discussing working when he was younger compared to now, he said, “I get up and go to work, but not now you get up and turn your phone on and get monetized.”
Sway asked the new faces how they felt about joining such a legendary franchise, Shipp responded, emphasizing on her own struggles stepping onto the set.
“Totally, I think that’s a big fear when coming on a franchise like this. [A franchise] That has many deep roots in our culture and it means so much to so many people and as actors, we’re people pleasers. All we want to do is make people pleased with our work and things that we do and it’s constantly going through my head, ‘Did I just look weird opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Richard Roundtree? Am I the person that’s gonna hold us back from success?’ But then I have to be like ‘No because no one is looking at you girl, they’re looking at Sam and Richard.’ I don’t think we can make this movie bad because they’re so incredible.”
Shaft is now in theaters.