Up-and-Comer of the Month: “Sleight” Star Jacob Latimore Has More Tricks Up His Sleeve, Including Kathryn Bigelow’s “Detroit”
0SLEIGHT star Jacob Latimore may play a street-smart magician in J.D. Dillard’s impressive directorial debut, but he’s hardly a one-trick pony.
The charismatic 20-year-old is a multi-talent who got his start in the music business before discovering his passion for acting. A natural-born performer, it wasn’t long before he was sharing the big screen with Will Smith and Forest Whitaker, who helped prepare him for his biggest role yet in Sleight, which finally hits theaters on Friday after premiering at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
Sleight was acquired by Blumhouse’s specialty label BH Tilt and WWE Studios, who held off on releasing the low-budget indie movie in order to raise awareness, knowing it had breakout potential. Described as a cross between Iron Man and Chronicle, the film finds Latimore playing Bo, a young man who turns to dealing drugs in order to provide a better life for his sister. When he gets caught up in a turf war, his sadistic boss (Dulé Hill) kidnaps the young girl, forcing Bo to use his special skills to get her back.
It’s rare for an actor as young as Latimore to hold the screen as well as he does in Sleight, but that’s a testament to his poise in front of the camera. Pardon the pun, but Bo is a tricky role, yet Latimore nails the character’s desperation and determination. It doesn’t hurt that the smooth-talking actor appears skilled in the mysterious art of sleight-of-hand, where distraction is the name of the game.
Latimore has a bright career ahead of him and he’s in higher demand following his breakout turn in Sleight, with key roles in Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit and Rick Famuyiwa’s upcoming Showtime series The Chi. Fortunately, Latimore was able to take a break out of his busy schedule to talk to the Tracking Board about how he balances his film and music careers, which actors he looks up to, and his preferred superpower.
You’re only 20 years old but you already have a handful of movie credits, including franchises like Ride Along and The Maze Runner. When did you know you wanted to become an actor, and how did you get your start in the business?
Well, my Dad and uncles have been making music together since they were my age, so I started off doing music, and moved to Atlanta to work with different producers and songwriters. Eventually, I met a talent agent who started me off doing commercials and voice-over work before I did Vanishing on 7th Street. I also guest starred on One Tree Hill as a kid, and that was sort of my foot in the door. I met with a few different producers and directors, and they said ‘you can really do this thing!’ Then I did Black Nativity with Forest Whitaker, and after that, it just didn’t stop.
Tell me about that first meeting with J.D. and how he pitched you on this character.
Honestly, it was during pilot season and as an actor, you’re always excited to see what you want to go in for. Then I got sent Sleight, which stood out because the balance of reality and fantasy was really cool. It was so different from what I was reading that I really wanted to go in and audition. So I met with J.D., and the audition scene was the one where Bo talks about being inspired by magicians at a young age. I got a callback in the next week or two and did a chemistry read with Seychelle [Gabriel]e. It was as simple as going into the audition and being interested in the script. That’s when I really started to figure out who Bo is.
I wouldn’t say Bo has superpowers, but clearly he has ‘abilities.’ If you could choose to have any superpower, what would you choose and why?
I would definitely love to teleport, so I could be someplace at the drop of a dime, or the snap of a finger. I’m just getting tired of going through TSA all the time!
From an actor’s perspective, is there a difference working on a tiny, low-budget indie like Sleight and a big studio movie?
There’s a difference. With a smaller budget and a smaller crew, it’s a little bit more intimate and more personal on the set. On a big set, the director has a million things to worry about, but this one was more intimate, so I actually had time to sit down with J.D. and talk about the character. You can do that on big movie sets, but it’s different when the focus is more narrow.
What has been the biggest ‘pinch-me’ moment of your career so far?
Collateral Beauty was that pinch-me moment. I was standing toe-to-toe with Kate Winslet and Helen Mirren and Edward Norton. That was probably the most surreal moment of my career, to be in the room with all of them at the same time. Normally there’s one or two, but when there were five or six huge stars and me, it was definitely a pinch-me moment.
Are you disappointed when one of your films fails to connect with critics, like Collateral Beauty?
It didn’t really affect me much. I didn’t see what the media’s problem with the movie was, but when I talk to the general public, it’s totally different. I’m not sure what that issue is, but fortunately I don’t have to worry about that as an actor. I’m on social media on Twitter and Instagram, so I feel what the vibe is and that is what is important to me.
Which actors do you look up to, and whose career would you most like to emulate?
I really like Will Smith and Jamie Foxx’s careers, where they can still continue to do music. Justin Timberlake walks that line too, and Usher. Shia LaBeouf and Denzel Washington have also had great career trajectories that I pay attention to.
J.D. just closed a deal to co-write and direct a remake of The Fly at Fox. Have you two kept in touch, and do you think there could be a part for you in that movie?
We didn’t talk about having a role in it per se, but he’s excited. I think it could definitely happen.
Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit looks amazing. Can you say anything about your role?
It’s a movie based on the Detroit riots and an incident that happened at the Algiers Hotel after a miscommunication with the National Guard. I can’t talk about my character because Kathryn may call me and slap me through the phone, but she’s very interesting to work with and very astute. It was an awesome experience. We didn’t get the full scripts, we all just read parts of it, so most of us [actors]didn’t know what was going to happen to the other people until she said so. She likes it like that, and that was awesome.
You’re a musician as well as an actor. Do you prefer one career over the other, or would you love to continue doing both going forward?
A couple of years ago, I might’ve said “music,” but after working with Will and Kathryn, it sort of took my love of acting to a new height. I’ve always loved performing, whether it was in a movie or onstage or in a studio, so overall, I look at it the same way. I just love to perform.
What’s next for you?
I’m actually in Chicago right now shooting the pilot for The Chi. It’s me, Jason Mitchell, who’s in the Detroit movie with me, and Alex Hibbert from Moonlight. We’re just in Chicago having a good time. I also just wrapped an indie called The Candy Jar with Sami Gayle. I’m just excited about staying busy, man.
Jeff Sneider | Editor in Chief