Eric D. Hill is one of the stars of Brotherly Love, a feature film about the pressures a rising high school basketball star is faced with while trying to achieve his dreams. The Bronx, New York native set down with rolling out recently to discuss his starring role in the film.
“My character is Sergio, who is the younger sibling of June ([Cory Hardrict] and the twin sibling of Jackie [Keke Palmer]. Sergio is the No. 1 high school prospect in the nation mostly likely to go to the NBA,” Hill told rolling out.
Hill’s character is extremely relatable for him in terms of his athleticism on the court. Back home in New York, Hill played on his high school varsity team as a sophomore.
It is clear that Hill doesn’t need acting lessons for playing basketball on-screen, but he did give us some insight on how he prepared for his role in the film overall. “Honestly, I spoke with the director a lot because this is his brainchild. I wanted to make sure the character I played was in tune with what he wanted. I took things scene by scene and tried to get the most out of every opportunity in which Sergio shared the camera with family or a friend,” said Hill.
The story is set in the rough streets in Philadelphia where his family is trying to survive. Hill had to find a dark place within himself to bring out what the character is feeling emotionally and mentally.
The feature was filmed in less than a month, which Hill mentioned can be extremely stressful. The upside for him was working with such a brilliant cast that he was already acquainted with prior to filming. The star even got the opportunity play alongside a few of his childhood friends. “The beauty of this cast is that there is a certain element of professionalism that everyone brought to the table. The fact that we were all genuine people who wanted to make sure we put our best foot forward and give our all made us all connect and gravitate toward we each other,” said Hill.
According to Hill, he became close with the entire cast, including those he met for the first time, like superstar actress Keke Palmer. “ The first thing Keke did when she saw me was hug me. She walked in the door and said hello to the people she knew. It was like a reunion for her. From that moment I knew I was going let my guard down. When she embraced me, I knew things would be great. Keke and I connect on so many levels that it just made things so perfect because I look at her as a little sister.”
It goes without saying that this has been an incredible experience for Hill to be able to work with so many established veterans in the entertainment industry. Hill tells us that he is currently working on getting other projects to further his dreams in acting. –lauren martinez
You can catch Eric D. Hill and the rest of the star-studded cast of Brotherly Love in theaters nationwide April 24.
