BOSSIP Exclusive: Russell Hornsby Talks Exoneration Efforts On “Proven Innocent” And Playing Strong Black Husbands [VIDEO]

Source: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for SCAD aTVfest 2019 / Getty

“Proven Innocent” Airs February 15 on FOX

Over the weekend, Bossip had a chance to take part in SCAD aTVFest in Atlanta, where we had the opportunity to screen the first episode of FOX’s new show “Proven Innocent,” which just so happens to star one of our favorite actors, Russell Hornsby. Check out our interview with Hornsby below, then watch a First Look at the show.

BOSSIP: Tell us about your role in “Proven Innocent” and what drew you to it?

Russell Hornsby: “My character Ezekiel Boudreau, Easy for short, you know what drew me to him was the character himself, he’s a lawyer who is doing right by his family, who is doing right by his community, but still essentially struggles with finding what his purpose is. In what he did with freeing this woman Madeline Scott, he found himself and he found his purpose, he found his passion and his drive — to help people. It also gave me, it gave Russell, an opportunity to bring another kind of manhood on display. And that was important to me. This man who was bright and intelligent, still stands strong and tall, also loves his family, loves his his wife.

You know, I’m a throwback. So like I said I was raised in the time when both men and women were made of steel. A mentor friend of mine laced that on me a few years back. It means different things at different times but the imagery is now we can be that, but also that we are malleable. We’re not stubborn. The fact that we’ve gone to school. We are educated and we understand our culture and who we are. That we know how to love our women and that we can be passionate and sensitive and engage and all of that. We still have the steel that’s present though. But I’m still an upright man. So I want to show all of that.

BOSSIP: “That is also true for the character that you played in “The Hate U Give,” Maverick Carter — as well as your character in “Seven Seconds.””

Russell Hornsby: “Look at the dynamic though. We’re talking three, even four if you look at “Lincoln Heights,” we’re talking about four different kinds of men.”

BOSSIP: You’ve been married for a long time too.

Russell Hornsby: “I’ve been married ten, we’ve been together fifteen. So look at that dynamic, we have this brother who has been to prison, a brother who is a police officer, a brother who loses a child, now he’s diminished but he doesn’t lose his manhood. That’s important. Then you have Ezekiel Boudreau, with the same thing. Those characterizations are important. The representation is important and I’lm all for that. As an actor and as an artist, I know how to be malleable and change and transform because I’ve been surrounded by all kinds of men. All different kinds of men raised me and stuff like that so that’s why I feel that way.”

BOSSIP: Any Oscars favorites? Do you feel like the Academy has done a better job about the diversity of nominations?

Russell Hornsby: The reality of it is that, people will get what’s coming to them and what they deserve and what they’ve earned and I think it’s constantly important that, yes we do these awards, but the more important thing is for the work to speak. And is the work a work of distinction. That’s my kind of submission, I can look at the work and the people nominated and be lauded and celebrated, but the work not be there, so therefore you can’t engage in who should and who will win, you just have to ensure that the work will stand and that’s how I roll.

We love talking to Russell Hornsby and can’t wait to watch this newest project! “Proven Innocent” airs at 9pm EST/PST on FOX.

Hit the flip for a first look at “Proven Innocent”