It’s always nice to hear a story where someone tells Hollywood to go f*ck itself. Which is, quite literally, what James Patterson did when executives asked him to re-write his iconic Alex Cross character as a white man. And now Cross television star Aldis Hodge — who plays the titular character — is speaking out about what it means to have kept Alex Cross a Black man.
Speaking with BuzzFeed, Hodge explained that he was “shocked, impressed, and proud” when he heard the author of the wildly successful Alex Cross novels was asked by some Hollywood executives to sign a seven-figure deal — but only if he changed the character’s race to white.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last month, Patterson explained the story as such:
“Here’s an interesting thing about the Hollywood ‘Cross’ stuff. When I wrote the first Alex Cross book, I didn’t have a lot of money and Hollywood came calling — knock, knock, knock, knock, knock. They offered seven figures, and I did not have a lot of money. They said, ‘We just want one change; we want Alex to be a white guy.’ And I said, ‘F*ck you.'”
He went on to add that, “it was painful, but I did it,” adding that because of that, the adaptation rights to Alex Cross’ universe did not sell right away. But, of course, they eventually did — resulting in several successful films starring Morgan Freeman (1997’s Kiss the Girls and 2001’s Along Came a Spider), and even a 2012 film starring Tyler Perry as the titular detective.
Hollywood’s Long History With ‘Alex Cross’ And What The New Series Is About
In the new Prime Video series, written and created by Ben Watkins, actor Aldis Hodge takes over the role of Alex Cross, solving crimes in Washington, D.C., alongside fellow officer and best friend John Samson (played by Isaiah Mustafa). Aldis went on to explain that jumping into Cross’ storied shoes was not a job he took lightly, adding that he was, “proud to be with a team that believes in the same values that I do, especially when it comes to the representation of the culture.”
“Stepping in his shoes is just another opportunity to disprove stereotypes, represent the truth of who we are, and help continue to open up doors of opportunity,” Aldis added. “That’s what it means to me.”
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The well-reviewed series is already racking up accolades and impressive streaming numbers — over 40 million viewers in 20 days, according to Amazon — since its premiere last month. For Hodge, it’s about more than just eyeballs on the screen, it’s about the importance bringing a character like this to the screen means to the wider world. “For me to step into these shoes, any time I step into a position of power or representation, it feels like a privilege and a responsibility that I’m honored to even be tasked with,” he explained. “I just want to carry that the right way.”
Seems like many people agree that he is — including the author himself, James Patterson.
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Cross follows the titular Alex Cross, a detective and forensic psychologist particularly adept at understanding and analyzing the minds of killers and their victims. Cross uses this prowess to bring murderers to justice.
Release Date
November 14, 2024
Creator(s)
Ben Watkins
Cast
Aldis Hodge
, Isaiah Mustafa
, Juanita Jennings
, Alona Tal
, Samantha Walkes
, Caleb Elijah
, Melody Hurd
, Jennifer Wigmore
, Eloise Mumford
, Ryan Eggold
, Johnny Ray Gill
, Stacie Greenwell
, Mercedes de la Zerda
, Sharon Taylor
, Dwain Murphy
, Karen Robinson
, Matt Baram
, Siobhan Murphy
, Jason Rogel
, Chaunteé Schuler Irving
, Ann Hamilton
, Ashley Rios
, Richard Waugh
Franchise(s)
Alex Cross
Seasons
2
Writers
Ben Watkins
Directors
Craig Siebels
, Nzingha Stewart
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