The Cast of 'Baby Boy' Keep It Real
Director John Singleton made a name for himself in Hollywood with 1991's "Boyz N the Hood," a film that took an uncensored look at life on the streets for a young, black man. Now, a decade later, Singleton returns to the Hood he grew famous off of-and remains close to- with Columbia Pictures' 'Baby Boy,' a film that not only bookmarks Singleton's own career as a filmmaker, but also bookmarks how life on the streets has changed in the new millenium.
"It was very important, just for my own soul to come back to the neighborhood to do this film," Singleton says. "I still live nearby from where I shot and I get a lot of love when I walk down the street."
'Baby Boy' focuses on Jody, a 20-year-old man (Tyrese) who refuses to grow up. A baby boy living life on the streets, Jody is dragged-yelling like a child-into adulthood when he slowly realizes that the only choices a boy in the hood has at his age is to become a man and live or die being a gangster. Although Singleton's been stereotyped with making 'black films,' Singleton is convinced that he latest film will attract people of any race and color.
"The whole idea of this cat who can't leave his mother and has these fears of being killed, it's such a universal concept. Everyone has told me from other countries that have seen it that the whole baby boy syndrome occurs in Latin cultures, in Italian cultures, in Jewish cultures… nobody wants to leave their momma," Singleton states.
Although Singleton admits he can't relate to the film's main character Jody-- he actually refers to Jody as his ID-- Guess?-model-turned-R&B singer Tyrese could relate to the world Jody is coming from. Besides the fact that both Tyrese and Jody are close in age, Tyrese insists that their similarities don't end there. It was this common bond that helped Tyrese get through his first feature film without the help of any acting coaches.
"I was looking forward to doing this movie because Jody is Tyrese-- I just don't have kids," Tyrese says. "Jody is a side of Tyrese that I have put to rest. All I had to do was wake him up to do this movie. Sure, I can't say that I have ever been in a gang, because I haven't. I can't even say that I am the hardest dude on my block. However, I walk the same walk and talk the same talk. I will do things that if I know I can get away with, I will do them."
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