CEDRIC I’d developed three other pilots for CBS. They passed on all of them. [Laughs.] Then they sent me this one. It was written from Jim’s point of view and none of the other characters were really developed. I said, “If I can tell you my side of it, then we got a story.” Jim and I met based on that partnership and I realized, “Oh, this could actually be very interesting.” We shot the pilot with [the actor] Josh Lawson. He is great. Then the network goes, “This isn’t our guy, we want this other guy.” And I’m like, “I’ve never met this other guy!”
GREENFIELD Making a pilot is never a seamless process. If it is, it usually tanks. [Laughs.] Cedric and I met, and what I wanted for the show, being the white guy, was for him to be in charge. He was like “Yeah, man, yeah.” The scenes between Calvin and Dave [require] a real partnership. Mostly I was happy to know he wasn’t just taking the job because he was broke. [Laughs.]
CEDRIC I have a lot of cars!
So, what is funny about gentrification?
GREENFIELD It’s the looming fear in the show, but the show isn’t necessarily about gentrification. It’s about the fear that this might be the beginning of that process.
CEDRIC And the two families interacting with that tension. But we aren’t [showing] stereotypes. Max’s character comes to my character’s house. I tell him to get out. Why? Not because my character is “mad.” That’s the stereotype. It’s just, “I don’t want you in my house.” [Laughs.]
GREENFIELD What I love is that there aren’t many “jokes” in the show. [The humor] comes from those moments, then allowing for emotional beats. You leave the audience confused. “Why am I not laughing? Oh, they’re being real right now.” It earns you equity for later episodes. You understand the characters and what’s meaningful to them.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/28/arts/television/cedric-the-entertainer-max-greenfield-the-neighborhood.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Speak Your Mind
You must be logged in to post a comment.