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Youll never forget Clarence Maclins smile.
But as the film continues, Maclin gently lets Divine Eye open up.
(Nearly all the cast are alumni of Sing Sings RTA program.)
This work is meaningful and is necessary, he says.
Were not just trying to blood-suck the people out here.
Thats not what we do.
You are mentioned inEsquires The Sing Sing Follies story.
Do you remember that moment?Man, I do remember singing Happy Birthday.
I remember not having a feeling of being locked in or caged anywhere.
It was a feeling of freedom.
When I think of RTA, theres so many fond memories.
Mosi Eagle, hes in the movie, hes in the play.
Big E, hes in the movie, hes in the play.
It was a beautiful thing to watch.
I just want to do whatever he doesnt want to do.
The only direction in that whole scene was that Brent was gonna lead the instruction and thats it.
That particular exercise was constructed to decompress after we do so many shows.
When its over, the cell comes back clink, clink, clink, bang.
[Pantomimes pulling a cell door closed.]
Youre reminded that youre back in prison, and we recognized that this crash was like a depression phase.
A lot of things can happen to an individual when hes depressed in a cell by himself.
And Ill see you guys in the morning, you know?
He wouldnt ask for help for nothing, but hes always theretohelp.
Many of your scenes are with Colman.
Clint and Greg were very open about that.
These are things you may have to do in a split second.
This is where the training comes in, this really good training that I received from so many people.
This is why I have a problem when they say, Youre just playing yourself.
It seems to take a lot away from the people that trained me.
What was important for you about honoring that past version of yourself?
All I really did was lay out stories to them and tell them how things used to be.
I had to go back to where we were at that time and the things we used to say.
Thats where we get beloved from because thats an actual true story.
Thats one way we tried to make a change, by changing the way we identify ourselves.
You take a lot away from them when you just say that I walked up there and played myself.
In prison, the toughest guys are the most guarded because we love hard as well.
Its a balanced thing.
And to violate that love is a terrible thing for us.
Is it fair to call that moment a flex?[Laughs.]
Its kind of like a flex, but its a flex you might not want to flex around everybody.
Do you remember the first time you readKing Lear?I dont remember the first time I read it.
That can change the whole sentence or the whole paragraph.
Its a study thing.
Its, Were locked in for 30 days and were not going nowhere.
Great time to pull out Shakespeare.
I like to work backward from certain things, go from the last line.
What was it like to act that moment?
Thats why I poured so much into it.
In the films final scene, you pick up Colmans character after hes released.
Its such a joyous, emotional scene when you two greet each other.
When your brother is only expecting to see a bus and you see your brother standing there.
Thats what we all want to be able to do, once we build those bonds and those relationships.
Its not just a bond with me.
He bonded like that with each and every one of us.
Were gonna always consider him the brother.
Did you film that at the end of production?
Did it also have all the emotional swell of finishing the film?It did.
Colman didnt know I was gonna hug him, thats a fact.
He thought it was gonna be like, Alright, we out.
He didnt know how he would react if it was any jot down of physical contact.
The whole dam might burst open.
He wasnt really ready to do that right then.
Of course, Im gonna grab you, though.
Im gonna do it.
[Laughs] It was my choice, and Greg was in on it too.
