Gbenga Akinnagbe (“The Following,” “The Wire”) stars with Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Alfre Woodard (“State of Affairs,” “12 Years a Slave”) in “Knucklehead,” a hard-hitting gritty urban drama, peppered with levity and humor, and the feature debut of writer-director Ben Bowman. The closing night selection at the TCL Chinese “Dances with Films” Saturday, June 6th at Gbenga Akinnagbe head shot small.jpg8pm, the long-in-the-making passion project for the principles is a perfect story for your outlet.
Featured in Newsweek and the New York Times, we are coming to you to set an time for you to interview the film’s impressive director (Bowman) and star-producer (Akinnagbe). Of extraordinary interest is the unique angle of a Caucasian director (Bowman, left) successfully delivering an excellent cinematic look into inner-city challenges its low-income African American inhabitants are facing as seen through the protagonist’s eyes (Akinnagbe).
Gbenga Akinnagbe, best known for his performance as the loyal friend, caring mentor and prolific hit man “Chris Partlow” on the legendary HBO series THE WIRE. He currently portrays the character “Tom” on Fox’s THE FOLLOWING with Kevin Bacon, as well as “Pastor Isiah Easton” on CBS’s “THE GOOD WIFE” and “Kelly Slater” on Showtime’s hit series NURSE JACKIE. In 2014, he starred as “Erik Ritter” opposite Kiefer Sutherland’ on Fox’s 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY. Gbenga also enjoys a successful career in feature films,including the critically acclaimed THE SAVAGES (Fox Searchlight) in the role of “Jimmy” opposite Laura Linnea and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
Knucklehead is a hard-hitting gritty urban drama, peppered with levity and humor. Gbenga Akinnagbe (“The Following,” “The Wire”) stars with Emmy Winner and Oscar Nominee Alfre Woodard (“State of Affairs,” “12 Years a Slave”) in the feature debut of writer-director Ben Bowman.
Independently produced on an ultra low budget, it is a long-in-the-making passion project for the cast and filmmakers. Featured in Newsweek, the New York Times and on Indiewire.com, Knucklehead has received an overwhelmingly positive critical and audience response.
Mentally disabled Langston Bellows (Akinnagbe) is left without a protector in Brooklyn’s public housing projects when his brother (Amari Cheatom “Night Catches Us”) is shot. Now under the control of his violent mother (Woodard) Langston must take his future into his own hands. He sets out to find the one doctor he believes can cure him, a celebrity magazine columnist who touts questionable prescription drug cocktails.
If Langston can become “mentally excellent,” it will mean moving into an apartment of his own with his girlfriend, who may herself be a creation of his wishful thinking. Landing in the unscrupulous world of pharmaceutical marketing, the search for his mysterious doctor and hero leads to some unwanted discoveries. Langston strives for independence from his prior life; from his mother, from his neighborhood and from his fractured mind — while all around him people are not who they seem.
Festival Screenings over the next week:
Saturday, June 6 8PM @ TCL Chinese Theatres at 18th “Dances With Films” Festival
Friday, June 12 6:50 PM @ American Black Film Festival, AMC Empire 25, Theaters 12/13
Saturday, June 13 7:05 PM @ San Francisco Black Film Festival, Buriel Clay Theater
To watch the high quality video of our interview with Gbenga Akinnagbe and Ben Bowman about Knucklehead please visit our Facebook page or our YOUTUBE Channel