Idlewild - Andre Benjamin interview
Compiled by Jack Foley
ANDRE Benjamin talks about the challenge of making the first OutKast movie, Idlewild, as well as the future of OutKast.
Q: You guys have sold almost 30 million records. What did you find out about the movie business that differed from the record business? Are you ready to make movies?
A: Everything we do, we try to be true to ourselves. We also know that what we create, we want to sell, so we want people to come to the theatre. We also want people to say that this is a necessary film and needed to be made. At the end of the day, if no one comes to see this, we’ll know that we had a great time doing it, and that somebody will be influenced by it.
Q: Can you talk about the cultural synergy in the film, from 1930’s Cab Calloway and Bessie Smith to modern hip-hop? What were your influences in layering the music, culture and dance?
A: When Bryan was writing the script and set it in the 1930’s, he knew that he would be taking the audience into a whole new world, style-wise. In the times we are living in, especially for black people, you don’t get to see people with class too often. It was a good choice on his part to showcase all of this, especially the music.
We knew that it was the 1930’s, and we kept that in mind when we were writing and producing. But we also knew that we were Outkast and we had a responsibility to our fans. We had to make sure there was modern music as well. We pushed the boundaries and added some newness to the musical style of the 1930’s. We really brought it to now. You do have Big Boi break out rhyming. Cab Calloway did rhyme back then. I think the reason musicals don’t work is because of the music. People don’t want to listen to the music of old. They want to hear the music of now, and that’s why this makes sense.
Q: How much are you like your character in the film?
A: I think that this might be closer to my real Andre Benjamin personality because when people see me, they see me from Hey Ya and Roses, with all this energy. In real life, I don’t dance around all the time. We’ve known Bryan since we gave him his first shot at directing one of our music videos. He knows our personalities and our lives. He knows things about us that the people don’t see, and he pulled from those parts and created these characters.
He wrote this script and then gave us the room to play in these characters, which showed a side of me that people don’t get to see. I don’t mope around like Percival all the time. In every character you play, you have to find a jumping off point that makes it real to you.
Q: It is said that the two of you are opposites but the music brings you together. Is that a fair assessment?
A: Sometimes that’s the case but people like to put us in categories and pigeon hole us, like Big Boi does this in the group and Andre does that. Of course, we each have a persona that we let people see but we switch roles all the time. In the movie, Percival and Rooster might have characteristics that were taken from our book, but they are extreme versions. You don’t go into the theatre and see André 3000 acting like a fool. We were in character in the 1930’s.
Q: What do you think setting the film in the 1930’s lent to the story?
A: Well, you got to leave this world and go to another world. I have always been a fan of the 1930’s style, especially in terms of the way men dressed. I loved showing up on set and listening to the music of the era, especially Cab Calloway and watching films like Stormy Weather. Because it was a different time, I had to learn how to walk and even sit differently. Men didn’t slouch. They sat up straight with their chest poked out. They exuded class. Now everyone is laid back – maybe on Sunday you dress up. Then, everyone dressed up and on Sunday they would relax. That is what I love about making movies – you get to live out certain fantasies.
Q: Have you thought about having more training as an actor?
A: I have mixed thoughts about the studying thing. I think there are techniques that you can learn about lighting and hitting your mark. But I have learned that it’s something innate in you that makes you who you are. Johnny Depp doesn’t need a class. He just has something about him. There are classes that can teach you to speak up and project, but what people buy into, I find, is that which makes you who you are. I am sure there are some vocal classes that could be important. We are both from the South where you might need to get an accent down.
Q: Did you have the same level of confidence in movies that you do have playing music?
A: I never thought about it like that. We’ve wanted to do a film since the beginning but it was the success of Speakerbox/The Love Below that gave us this chance. We never had time to think about what would happen if we failed.
Q: What is confidence to you?
A: Confidence is knowing who you are. You don’t have walk with a limp and have every word come out of your mouth be a lie. That’s not it. Everybody has something to work with, and you have to work that thing. If you know that your hair looks best parted on the side, then let it work for you.
Q: You guys didn’t have many scenes together. Did that reflect a decision to keep your personalities more separate?
A: Both characters were really tight and they didn’t have to be in the same space. That’s the way it is for us. We’ve been friends since the 10th grade, before we even started doing music. We were just kids getting into music and getting on girls. That’s always going to be there.
Q: Can you address the future of OutKast? Ever since the release of your last album, people have been suggesting that you two are drifting apart and might go your separate ways.
A: As far as the future of OutKast, we are not saying what we’ll do next. We only know what we are doing now and that’s promoting Idlewild. As far as the rumours go, we have been doing this for 13 years and we haven’t shot anyone or killed anyone or slapped anyone. I haven’t slept with Paris Hilton. So what can they talk about with us?
When Andre says that he doesn’t want to go on tour or be part of a major record label, that’s just a personal choice. We both understand each other. We’re not breaking up or drifting apart. We hang out but don’t live in the same house anymore. It’s like a brother you grow up with, it’s time you find your own house and your own family. I have my son, and it’s a new game. We still trip out like it’s 10th grade.
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