Actor Curtiss Cook talks season five of Showtime's 'The Chi,' his historic role in 'West Side Story,' and his son following in his acting footsteps.

Between Bells

Actor Curtiss Cook Talks Humble Beginnings and Season Five of 'The Chi'

come back between Bells Friends taking place on the south side of Chicago. Showtime's original series. The shy has returned for its fifth season, The dramatic center. The drama centers around the lives of a group of Chicago resident to bond together all in the name of redemption. Created by Lena Wait. It stars our next guest actor, Curtis cook. Welcome back to the show Curtis so excited to have you. The series returned to Showtime in late june so far. We're seeing your character take back the Windy City. How would you describe this new season? Wow! Um first off, thank you so much for having you guys so much and it's so cool to be here. I would describe this season as a season of love, the season of Finding who and what you are and how hard it is to love and how how difficult it is to love. And if you can and continue to, especially my character do that because he's not really known for crescent and huddling and being cuddly. So, um watching him go through this, this season is gonna be, it's gonna be a major journey. So, I want to talk about an article that you did? A recent article where you said your character's decision to leave temporarily was an evolution of him in the past few seasons. So what's it been like to take over this role and of course carry it through season after season cause you're right, he's not the cuddliest guy. Right? It's been um it's been a journey and I and I and I'm very grateful to Lena wait and Showtime and the writers in on the shy who have allowed this character not to be one dimensional because he could have very easily just been this evil guy, you know, twisting his mustache and always doing good. But we we see him go through um trying to take care of this young boy because it's a good thing. We see him trying to take care of this city because it's also a good thing for the city and and but in his own way, it's not that he's not being the gangster or you know what I mean? He's he's he's challenging all of those things and trying to make them as reliable and as relatable as possible. So it's been it's been an amazing journey and and you're gonna be surprised what happens this season with them. I won't ask for any spoilers even though I'm dying to ask. But there's so many fans out there, I have to ask, will there be a season six? Where would it go from here? I I don't I don't have that information that's above my pay grade, but but but hopefully there is and hopefully Duda is still there and he and he comes back to Perry um the way that is lined up and the things that are gonna happen towards like coming into the season episode five and throughout It lends itself to to a season six I say. And and and there's plenty of story in the city of Chicago and in this community and what's happening and how relevant it is to what's happening today and what could be happening in the future as well if you're not busy enough. You also start in steven Spielberg's adaptation of West Side Story. We love it here. That that's amazing. You played the first black character featured in this film. That's a huge feat. First I want to congratulate you on that. What did it mean for you to have a role in this film? Hannah. It was amazing. First of all to even get to speak and talk with Mr Spielberg, you know what I mean? Uh down to Earth guy, understandable guys, very relatable directly and straight to the point he allows you to come onto the set and do your best work and that's what anybody asked for, right, just to come in and be yourself and live in that character. And I was so blessed when they said, hey, we would like for you to join this party. Um and the show did really well. I mean the movie did really well and and I thought I I thought I had it had it all once I had worked with Scorsese and shutter Island, I was like, oh, I can die or even, you know, but it was like, hey Mr Spielberg must have, I was like, hey, I think I'll take that call. I think I think I'll pick up the phone and go do that movie. Yeah, you are a veteran actor. Do you think Hollywood is in a better place when it comes to diversity and inclusion? Well, I think that it continues to make steps and moving and moving in the right direction. Um better is a is a difficult word sometimes, but I think that the steps that are being made are necessary and I'm and I congratulate them for continuing to make those. I just learned this about you today, you were a single father of three when you were auditioning for roles for broadway. What inspired you to continue acting through this journey because I imagine it wasn't easy being a single parent with three Children in this business, especially very, very, very difficult. It was a lot of things inspired me. My Children actually inspired me looking at them and not being an example of of giving up or stop doing what you love and and having to be difficult. Um I inspired myself. Um um my parents had a very supportive team around me. It was, it was I was down and out. You know, I remember that day when that landlord came and knocked on the door and said and it was the marshals and said, you know what I can stand at the store for as long as you need me to, but once you step across this threshold, you cannot come back in and you need to make an appointment to come and get your stuff out. But once I once you leave out you cannot come back and this is out of the blue. And so I'm thinking of what to grab, what to take and what to do, and it's like three Children and a dog, and I'm like, ah but we made it through, we prevail, we push through in my Children Curtis sizes and Kimani and in Harlem and jade, um the twins who weren't there at the time, but now they're here. Um they are all incredible people, and I think it's because we all fought and we all figured out a way to make it through together, and that's the testament. I want to talk about one of your Children Curtis cook Jr he's followed in your footsteps also an actor. What does that mean to you? I remember Curtis told me initially, he's like, dad, you know what, I want to be an actor, and I was like, are you serious? Are you serious? I mean, you've you've seen the rough times, dude, are you serious? Like, Yeah, it means a lot to me. And it also means a lot to me that he's I appreciate his skill, I appreciate his talent, what he's doing. Look at him looking good man, I am. And and he takes it seriously. It wasn't just because my dad's doing I'm gonna do it too. No, he's doing the work as well, so I'm very proud of him, he's he's giving me one of my grandchildren, congratulations. So I'm proud of him and ISIS has given me my other grandchild. So I love them dearly out there with all five of them. You're such an inspiration for people who are watching who maybe want to get into your field or just they're struggling to get to where they want to be. What would you tell them? What advice would you have? Um It's always hard because you know, people have different journeys and different paths and all that, but I I I cannot stress enough to do the work to do the work. I mean and and don't think it's all glitz and glamour, There's hard lifting and hard work that you have to do study um read experience travel. I know it's harder to travel today because of Covid and whatever travel as much as you can interact with as many people as possible. But I would say make sure you are studying and doing the work because it shows up when it's supposed to show up and when you do the work. I'm inspired just talking to you. It's such a pleasure actor Curtis cook right here in the studio, you can watch the series including season five of the shy on Showtime and watch West Side story. It's incredible