russell hornsby – a role model
the highlife
Actor
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| photo by steed media service |
Russell Hornsby is one of the few black actors who can say he’s been getting work consistently for 20 years. An accomplished film, television and stage thespian, the star of ABC Family’s “Lincoln Heights” just wrapped up his third season. While he’s appeared in everything from 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin’ ” to ESPN’s “Playmakers,” Hornsby say his current role as patriarch Eddie Sutton on “Lincoln Heights” has made him the most proud.
Recently, rolling out caught up with Hornsby to discuss his character on “Lincoln Heights,” and why the community needs more people like Eddie Sutton.
–gavin philip godfrey
What is it about Eddie Sutton’s character that enables him to connect so well with the black community?
Eddie Sutton is in the mold of the old black man who’s tough, but loving at the same time. … I think that’s what draws people to Eddie Sutton because there’s truth in that this is a character where I am a reflection of who we are in our society, in our own culture.
Coming up in a single-parent home, did you know any Eddie Suttons in your childhood that you used for inspiration with your character?
I really adopted a lot of my uncles — my uncles live in the Roxbury section of Boston and one’s a judge and the other one is a constable. They left home to go school, go to college, get an education and after they received their degrees they said, ‘I’m coming back, I’m coming back to my people.’ They deal with these hard times day after day, but they’re still there, they’re still in the community, they have a presence there and people can see them on a daily basis. I really took those images and influences of them serving their community.
