Q&A: Clifton Powell, actor

Q&A: Clifton Powell, actor

To use a term coined by my colleague Ben Steelman, Clifton Powell is one of those "him-agains," actors you instantly recognize but can't always name.

A 20-year film industry veteran with credits in such movies as Dead Presidents, Menace II Society, Woman Thou Art Loosed and Ray, and who has played numerous TV roles, Powell was in Wilmington several months ago to film the romantic comedy Love for Sale for local production company Swirl Films.

On Thursday, June 12, at Odell Williamson Auditorium in Supply, Powell is again hooking up with Swirl's Eric Tomosunas to present the play The Man of Her Dreams by Donald Gray. Powell is directing and starring in the play, which has similarities to the urban dramas toured by the writer and actor Tyler Perry, who turned many of his own plays into popular films. The Man of Her Dreams also stars Jackee Harry (227, Sister Sister) as the wife of a senator (Powell) who must confront a number of family problems, and the gospel singer Shirley Murdock.

During the June 12 performance, the play will be taped for a direct-to-DVD release by Swirl Films. The cast will stick around after the performance for autographs and photos.

I caught up with Powell on the phone recently while he was in Los Angeles, where he lives.

You were just in Wilmington doing 'Love for Sale.' How did that go?

It was great. Working with Russ (Parr, radio personality and the film's director) and Eric (Tomosunas) and everybody. There's nothing like Southern hospitality.

Looking back over the course of your career, and particularly over the last two years, it seems like you stay pretty busy.

I travel. I'm a worker for hire (laughs). I've been a working actor and I'm just really grateful to all the people of all colors that have supported my career over the years. It's been a wonderful journey, but I tell ya, it's not over yet. I'm recreating myself as a director now, and this opportunity we have to come down to Wilmington next week and do this faith-based play to DVD, it's just a blessing to be able to create and to find outlets for your creativity.

Tell me a little bit about the play, 'The Man of Her Dreams.'

The Man of Her Dreams is really a family drama that has faith-based undertones. It has comedy and music, but it's a different kind of piece, it's very dramatic. It's very heart-wrenching in some places and it's funny as heck in other places. It's about a family and some of the drama that goes on in the family. I don't want to tip my hand, because there are some twists and turns that this thing takes and the audience gets pulled in, but we took this show out on the road a few years ago, man, and it was such a hit. It was the first play I thought about when I wanted to direct my first one.

Aside from Jackee and Shirley Murdock, who else is in the cast?

Chrystale Wilson who played Ronnie in The Players Club, Buddy Lewis, Christopher Williams, Dave Hollister, Drew Sidora. So we have a wonderful cast and I'm looking forward to it.

Are you or the playwright, Donald Gray, inspired at all by the work Tyler Perry has done?

Tyler started on the urban circuit and built up a wonderful following and just, you know, did his thing and transferred that into movies television. And that's what our plan is, to segue this into movies and television and keep on moving.

Without giving away too much of the story, tell me a little bit about your character and what he's all about.

Well, I play the patriarch of the family, the senator. He's up for re-election and he's had some family issues and some family secrets that come out and kind of derail his marriage and his campaign. So you have to stay tuned, but it's kind of juicy.

Anything else you'd like to say?

Just back to Man of Her Dreams, I want all the guys to come out. Sometimes I feel like the guys don't want to come out because they feel like they're going to get bashed, but everybody gets a little something in here. The guys get it, the girls get it, but it's really more about family and making choices.