Fishburne As Thurgood Marshall
2008-04-18
By Gil Robertson IV
Over a 35-year career, Laurence Fishburne has built a diverse body of roles that range from his debut performance in the film classic “Cornbread, Earl and Me,” to big screen blockbusters like “The Matrix” trilogy. Returning to the stage this spring in the title role of the Broadway production “Thurgood,” based on the late Supreme Court Justice and Civil Right icon, the actor is preparing to tackle one his most challenging parts to date. Ebonyjet.com recently spoke with the actor as he prepared for the role.
What inspired you to take on this role?
Well, everything! Growing up what I knew of Thurgood Marshall was of his role on the Supreme Court. He was someone who I always admired, but I really didn’t know a great deal about him. With this play I portray Marshall talking about his boyhood experiences on to his appointment to the high court, so I got a chance to learn a lot more about the man then I ever knew before. For instance, I didn’t know about the role he played in Brown vs. the Board of Education. He started his journey with a goal of becoming a lawyer and ended up becoming one of the most influential men in American history. The life he led was very interesting, and I think people will find fascinating.
How have you prepared for this role?
I spent a great deal of time reading everything that I could to find about this man’s life – his upbringing and his adult life, so that I could understand his motivations for doing things in a certain way. He had deep beliefs and never strayed far from the core principals he learned as a child in Maryland. I also met and spoke at length with people who knew and worked with him to really frame how I should present him on stage. One of my mentors was his teacher at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, which really reinforced my confidence to play the part convincingly. Overall, I think I came away with a real connection with Marshall and his sense of purpose.
As an actor how have you managed to build such a diverse body of work?
Well it’s all in the choices you make. What motivates me as an actor is taking on roles that are relevant to my life, something that challenges me, and says something about the human spirit. I’ve been very deliberate in taking roles that appeal to me and I have been lucky of course to have good people to help me make decisions that have enhanced my career. I have also been fortunate to also work with people who are serious about the work that they do.
What do you want to leave people with as they leave the theatre?
My goal is to evoke a sense of Marshall as a man in his professional and private life. I want audiences to leave the theater feeling invigorated by his life and inspired to follow in his footsteps by living their lives connect to their beliefs. I want audiences to know that the reason Marshall took on many of the challenges he did with his life is because of his deep belief in the ideas and principals that America was founded on. Most importantly I hope people recognize the power that they have to make a difference and become a role model for others much like the Marshall himself.
"Thurgood" at the Booth Theatre 222 West 45th Street (Between Broadway and 8th Avenue) New York, NY 10036. Previews start April 13th and the limited engagement begins on April 30th.
Gil Robertson IV is an A&E journalist and bestselling author. His work covering the entertainment industry has appeared in numerous publications that include the LA Times, the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Black Enterprise magazine.
