Inny Clemons
Actor and producer Inny Clemons has been stepping into some big shoes throughout his career. Recognized for his buzzing contributions to the entertainment industry, Clemons stars in Apple TV’s miniseries, “The Big Cigar” where he portrays American comedian and actor, Richard Pryor. Previous to this role, he produced the critically acclaimed feature film “A Lot of Nothing,” which premiered at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival. Directed by Mo McRae and established for it’s daring, provocative and satirical take on the story of police violence, this thriller-comedy is available for rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. Apart from also being a father, Clemons’ valued acting skills are acknowledged in films such as “Straight Outta Compton (2015)”, “Vital Signs”, “Next Day Air (2009)”, and “Sneaker Heads.” In essence, Clemons’ ability to captain both sides of the camera make him a distinguishable figure in the world of film and television.
What kickstarted your career in the film industry?
I would have to say the first feature film that I produced, “Next Day Air (NDA)” was the project that kickstarted my film career. I produced that film alongside Scott Aronson from Melee Entertainment. We initially shot the film with Paramount and then later sold the film to Summit Entertainment where Rod Friedman was running that studio. He had previously been at Paramount and remembered us from when we initially started the journey with NDA. My partner at the time, Blair Cobbs, was the writer of the film and under our production company banner, we went out and recruited Benny Boom to direct. It was an experience that taught me so much, so yeah, I would say that is the project that kick started my career in film.
What advice would you give aspiring producers who are looking to make an impact in the industry?
Hmm that’s a tough question because it's a unique time in the film and television industry, where very few projects are being bought right now. The town is kind of at a standstill, so perhaps the most important advice would be to follow your passion and have perseverance.
If you have a passion project, a short film, a TV show that you're developing...stay busy because when the time comes you want to be able to push forward a fully developed idea. So, if that's a proof of concept for a short film that you've done or a script that you have written and developed or developed with a writer, be ready to go for when things get back to normal.
What was your initial reaction to being offered the iconic role in Richard Pryor?
I would say it was kind of a two-pronged reaction. First, when my friend Don Cheadle told me he thought I should audition for it, it was pretty shocking because just knowing the story, the size and scope of the role, the implications of what playing Richard Pryor on screen means—that's serious business. A few people have taken a swing at it and the results are what they are, but it was a tad intimidating initially. Though, I was really excited to jump in and start the work and to prepare for the audition. My second reaction was feeling grateful when I learned I landed the role!
Did you undergo any challenges while capturing Pryor's unique persona? And if so, what were they?
Yeah, I think the entire process was challenging. Kind of stepping into the spirit of Richard Pryor and channeling that man's kind of unique and iconic way of existing, was a very singular experience. Any actor who has, you know, done any form of method, I'm trained in Meisner, which is a bit different than, most other techniques, helped me to focus on living in his shoes and in his spirit as much as possible. To tap into the everyday persona of Richard Pryor, as the scenes in the project were not of him doing any sort of standup or performing, was my focus. So yeah, the entire process of preparing for the role and living in the role for three months was challenging and gratifying.
Has your role as Richard Pryor had any impact on your career or how you perceive comedy?
The respect and positive feedback I've received thus far from my peers, which is kind of what you hope to achieve, has been humbling and invaluable. To have your own community of actors and performers and directors and producers acknowledge your hard work and effort is what it’s all about. And if there are future roles that come from this, that also is great and is always a goal. I don't feel playing this role had any bearing on how I perceive comedy, but it definitely gave me a new found respect for Richard Pryor and the things he went through as a young Black man in Peoria—navigating the terrain of Hollywood and ascending to become one of the top paid actors, artists and comedians of his time.
An article by The Guardian claims that Hollywood can't be trusted to tell the stories of black radicals. Do you believe this is an accurate review of the show?
Of course not. I absolutely DO NOT believe that or agree with the article from The Guardian. These particular filmmakers, Janine Sherman Barrois and Jim Hecht and everyone else—all the directors, from Don Cheadle on down, handled it with care. In the film and television business one has to take different approaches to telling a story, most certainly a story about a Black revolutionary like Huey P. Newton and the story of the Black Panthers. Sometimes you have to Trojan horse it, per se, and sometimes you have to do something in this manner, like tell the story of a caper of Huey P. Newton and how Bert Snyder befriended him and supported the Black Panthers. It's an extremely important story that needed to be told, so the filmmakers and Apple handled it with care and with integrity. All said, I strongly disagree with The Guardian's claim.
How might acting in a series based on real life events differ from the roles you have played in the past?
I would say from the research perspective, when you're playing someone who is real, like Richard Pryor or who is an icon, you have to be very specific about getting it right. And for me, it was about making sure that I was honest and truthful in the moments that I was on screen and make sure I did my due diligence in terms of watching and reading everything that I could on Richard Pryor. And then trusting my training and my craft to sustain me for the ride of the project.
Were there any scenes from The Big Cigar that you found rewarding or difficult to film?
I would say one of the most rewarding scenes was one between me as Richard and André Holland as Huey P. Newton. We were in a car in broad daylight and Huey was on the run and they were speaking about how he was hiding in plain sight, how he must be extremely stressed and the pressure must be really difficult because of past people in the movement, the civil rights movement, revolutionaries who had been assassinated because of what they were trying to preach to the people and the truth they were trying to unveil. It was a real moment and a real connection between André and I as our characters, and I think that scene was great. I also like the scene where Huey calls his father on a public payphone and Richard has to distract police officers walking by, so they won’t notice Huey on the phone. You get to see a bit of Richard’s humor in that scene, it was fun. So yes, those two scenes are the ones that were extremely rewarding. There weren’t any difficult scenes really, the cast and crew were incredible, so it was all pretty straightforward.
Overall what do you hope audiences will grasp from the mini-series, The Big Cigar?
I hope audiences walk away informed and with a newfound respect for Huey P. Newton and the Black Panther Party—who they were, what their purpose was, what they were able to accomplish. Realize that Bobby Seale, Huey P. Newton, these men were icons in their own right, not just Richard Pryor being an icon in comedy, but they were icons in the revolution and in the civil rights movement.
Inny, you produced the feature film “A Lot of Nothing,” which premiered at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival. What was your creative inspiration during the production process?
My inspiration was to take the audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. We deal with racism, sexism, stereotypes—the whole nine. There is a healthy amount of levity in the film as well. The job of the filmmaker is to hold a mirror up to society and show the best and the worst that society has to offer.
A lot of nothing has been critically acclaimed for its daring, provocative and satirical take on the story of police violence. What are your thoughts on this?
We've had and still have a huge issue in this country with police brutality and specifically police brutality against Black and Brown people. I think there is a culture of policing that needs to be completely re-examined and restructured. The bar should be raised in terms of what it takes to be a police officer, and high-level education requirements.
You’re recognized for acting in films such as Straight Outta Compton, Sneakerheads and Men in Black International. Is there a specific type of role that you tend to gravitate toward and if so, why?
I would say no, there’s not a specific type of role that I gravitate to. I usually get in where I fit in. I pride myself on being an actor that can wear many different hats and kind of play any role. A chameleon, if you will. Sam Rockwell is a great example, his career is something to aspire to. If I’m called on to be the lead, then I’m definitely prepared and ready to do that as well.
Your career consists of a blend of acting and executive responsibilities within production. How do you balance these dual roles?
Like I said, When I'm producing something, my first responsibility is to be the producer of that project. And usually that's a creative producing position, which means everything creative from the page to the screen. Most times it's being involved with the acting as well. I'm also an acting coach, so I've produced and been the acting coach on a number of films with director F. Gary Gray since Compton. On the film, “A Lot of Nothing”, I worked closely with Mo McRae the director, with the actors on set, and in the audition process. It comes naturally for me to be honest.
Do you have any upcoming projects that you can tell us about?
Yes, I do. I launched my new production company, Protest Pictures in 2023, along with my partner, Michael Hammond. We have a number of scripted and unscripted projects in the works.
We’re currently deep in the trenches, filming an unscripted project in the auto racing space, which is really exciting. We’re also developing an original concept of mine that we're producing with Mark and Dorothy Canton, along with June Ambrose and Anthony Hemingway. I am super excited about that one as well. We have a few things on the slate for 2024 and beyond. So...everyone should keep a lookout for Protest Pictures.
CREW CREDITS:
Talent: Inny Clemons
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz
Photographer: David Higgs
Fashion Stylist: Dominique Dawson
Groomer: KT Chandler
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Brya Sheridan, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
RADAR Created by Ayoka Lucas
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