E-mail a friendLarenz Tate
airdate September 5, 2005
One of today's most promising actors, Larenz Tate has had turns as music legends Quincy Jones (Ray) and Frankie Lymon (Why Do Fools Fall in Love) and starred in Crash, one of the year's most talked-about films. Tate made his pro acting debut in The Twilight Zone-The Series and his film debut in Menace II Society, followed by a starring role in The Inkwell. He added exec producer to his credits for the indie Love Come Down and, with his brothers, has a production company, Tate Men Entertainment.
Larenz Tate
Tavis: Actor Larenz Tate has been a busy guy of late. He's scored big roles in back-to-back acclaimed films, 'Ray,' which I've been watching every day...
Larenz Tate: Yes.
Tavis: ...on HBO now.
Tate: Yes.
Tavis: 'Crash' comes out on DVD this week. He was also in that. You can also know him, you know him, of course, from 'Menace II Society, 'Love Jones,' one of my favorite movies of all times, 'Why do Fools Fall in Love?' His latest project is a new video game called, bam, '187: Ride or Die.' And if that weren't enough, Larenz, believe it or not, finally turns 30 in a couple of days.
Tate: Yeah.
Tavis: Larenz, happy birthday, early.
Tate: Thank you, brother.
Tavis: Nice to have you here.
Tate: TS, I appreciate the love, man.
Tavis: You finally about to turn 30, man?
Tate: Yeah. You know, most people think I'm turning 40 because...
Tavis: Yeah, see, I was like, 30?
Tate: Yeah, you know...
Tavis: This Negro's lying. He ain't just turning 30.
Tate: I have to, I have to admit that the big 3-0 is happening...
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: ...and most people think that I'm a lot older than I actually am.
Tavis: Because you started so young, that's why.
Tate: Because I started, like, when I was about 10 years old.
Tavis: Right.
Tate: I started in '85. So, you know, you could, I guess I could safely say I've been in the game for, you know, almost 20 years.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: So, yeah, so most people, when I tell them that, man, I'm, I'll be 30, they're like, yeah, right. You know? They say, you look 12.
Tavis: What's, you do. And you do look great. You do look great.
Tate: Thank you.
Tavis: What's been the challenge, what's been the challenge of starting so young and still being around at 30? Because there are a lot of cats who you can name and I can name...
Tate: Right.
Tavis: ...who came in the game...
Tate: I, yeah.
Tavis: ...in '85 who ain't around no more.
Tate: Right. I talk about that all the time. I mean, the reality is that the business is just not, you know, cut out for everybody. Most people will not survive a long career in this industry just because the industry's always changing. People who are at the top, one day eventually won't be there. And, for me, I was able to fortunately sustain a, a comfortable, you know, career in Hollywood, and it's been tough. It wasn't always good. You know, I started out early on doing commercials and television and, you know, my first big break was 'Menace II Society.' But fortunately, you know, I didn't get pigeonholed in that character. I went on to do movies like 'Inkwell,' then 'Love Jones,' and 'Dead Presidents,' and different kinds of things just so I wouldn't, you know, be held. But, you know, if I had that formula or the answers to how to make a successful career, you know, most of us would be Denzel Washington.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: You know, it's just, you know, he's sort of one in a million. And again, it's a tough business.
Tavis: You got a lot of good work, and you just listed a bunch of films, I listed some other ones, other films earlier, but you've also had some slow periods here and there.
Tate: Yes.
Tavis: Were, was there ever a time, with all your immense talent, looking back on your body of work now at the grand old age of 30, was there ever a time when you said, you know what, maybe I need to get out this game? And I know there had, during those slow periods, how do you sustain yourself during that?
Tate: You know, fortunately, I saved my money.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: I was doing television for a long time...
Tavis: I ain't mad at you. Hey, I saved my money. That's the best answer.
Tate: Yeah. Yeah.
Tavis: I saved my money.
Tate: Yeah.
Tavis: So during the slow periods, I was still eating.
Tate: Yeah, I was, I was still able to eat...
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: ...and my mother and father were really supportive of me saving my money, and they encouraged me to save my money...
Tavis: Right.
Tate: ...just in case of a rainy day. And I invested my money early. You know, I bought a home when I was 22, 23. I bought a crib, and, you know, I've been able to have that foundation, because, you know, again, my mother and father, my brothers always encouraged me, like, hold your money. Save your money. You never know. And I'm not a really flashy, show-off kind of guy, so I decided to just save the money that I was making early on. I had, was doing the television show with the late Redd Foxx and Della Reese, which was called 'The Royal Family.'
Tavis: Sure.
Tate: I was about 15, 16. Then I went off and did the, a TV show called 'South Central.' I was about 17, 18. And those were some decent checks for a brother who was 16, 17 years old. And, you know, as opposed to going to spend my money on cars and jewelry and all that stuff, I saved it. I mean, I rode around in an '85 Volvo for years, you know what I'm saying, and I, it was something that I bought off my mother.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: I copped the, the Volvo off moms, I said, yo, I'm gonna get this fixed, and it's all good. And I was, I was that guy. And people always said that you sort of live below your means. It's just like, yo, Hollywood, I don't never know when a check is gonna come. You know, that's why, you know, I'm trying to do different things, like we talk about the video game, '187: Ride or Die.' You know, you have to sort of diversify yourself a little bit and open yourself up to different things.
Tavis: Let me, let me hit this '187: Ride or Die,' then I want to move to 'Ray' and 'Crash'...
Tate: Right.
Tavis: ...these two movies I referenced earlier.
Tate: Yeah.
Tavis: You've been a busy guy of late. I mean, you got some other stuff...
Tate: Right.
Tavis: ...that's about to drop.
Tate: Yeah, yeah.
Tavis: ...that I want to get to. Larenz, busy guy at 30. He ain't slowing down. '187: Ride or Die.' What's the game about, and you know I got a critical question for you. Tell me what it's about, first of all.
Tate: Well, essentially, it's about a young guy that I play in the thing by the name of Buck. And he's basically an individual who's caught in between two, two rivals, the East Coast and the West Coast. And it's a streetcar racing game with different elements. You have the bad guys, and I'm basically just caught in the middle of trying to, you know, I'm caught in the middle of trying to represent each bad guy. And, you know, we have Guerilla Black, who's a rap artist, who's in it, and a few other people, man. And, you know, it's a, it's just a crazy, crazy ride. It's, think about a real street version of 'Fast and the Furious.' You know what I mean? Something to that effect. And it has, you know, some awesome, you know, action sequences and some, some fun stuff, man. It's a great video game. And I just wanted to do something different, you know?
Tavis: Yeah. It is different, but to somebody's mother or grandmother who's watching now who loves Larenz Tate...
Tate: Right.
Tavis: ...and loved you in 'Ray,' they like, the last thing my kid needs is another video game that's got violence in it. To them, you say what?
Tate: It's not for kids.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: It's rated "mature." It's for adults. And I would much rather see, you know, people live their, you know, sort of frustrations or some of these wild things that they have in their minds, I would rather them play it on a video game than actually go out on the streets and, and lay people down...
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: ...you know, with gun violence and what have you.
Tavis: And actually do a 187, yeah.
Tate: Yeah, I'm definitely not promoting that.
Tavis: Right.
Tate: You know, if anything, it's, you know, you have so many different kinds of games, you have combat kind of games, and it's a very competitive thing. Let's not forget about the competitiveness of the cars and the racing, and that is the focal point. It's just that we wanted to open it up a little bit and have some, some things that would, you know, feel a little gangsta about it.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: We want to, (unintelligible) add the gangsta element to it because it's big and that's what's selling as well. But I would not encourage anybody who is under the age to go and pick that up. It's definitely mature. And it's something that I, you know, I would encourage people just to, to watch out for, and watch what their kids are doing.
Tavis: Yeah. I started our conversation at the top by mentioning 'Ray,' which is now on cable.
Tate: Right.
Tavis: I said HBO. I hope it's HBO, 'cause, whatever it is...
Tate: No, it's been on everything.
Tavis: It's on everything.
Tate: It's on...
Tavis: But I've been, I've watched it like five times...
Tate: Right.
Tavis: ...in the last week on cable.
Tate: It's that kind of movie.
Tavis: It's, I, I was about to say, it is that kind of movie.
Tate: Right.
Tavis: From your perspective, since you were in it, playing a young, handsome Quincy Jones, I love the Q. He's a great guy.
Tate: Love Q.
Tavis: So, since you're on there playing Q in this movie, what is it from your perspective about that movie that every time I see it come on, I stop, no matter where it is, and I'm with it.
Tate: Well, first of all, I mean, the movie itself was unexpected. People did not know this man's life, we're talking about Ray Charles, and all the things that he had to go through. And from beginning to end, it was just a powerful, powerful film. It was beautifully crafted. And we don't get a chance to see us, as African-Americans, often enough doing these kinds of movies, man. And so, I think it's one of those movies. Just through and through, a solid, great story, a lot of different surprises about, you know, this man's life and the people who surrounded him, the Quincy Joneses of the world. And I think the cast had a lot to do with the movie being so powerful.
Tavis: It was a great cast.
Tate: Yeah. I mean...
Tavis: From Jamie on down, yeah.
Tate: Jamie to Regina King and, and so many people who stepped up. And, again, the cast was just phenomenal. And it's one of those movies that you can go through so many different levels because it has the drama, but it also has that music element to it. And sometimes younger people tune in because they're not, they're not sure that, you know, that this is Ray Charles, as far as some of the music they probably have heard before, so they tune into it. Again, it was just a, a roller coaster, man. We had a great time.
Tavis: When 'Crash' came out, I was so enthralled with the messages that that movie was trying to deliver that we did two nights on (unintelligible).
Tate: Right. I remember.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: Yeah.
Tavis: It's the only show that I spent two nights talking about...
Tate: Right. Exactly.
Tavis: ...because I was fascinated by the issues that that movie raised as one who lives and works here in Los Angeles.
Tate: Right.
Tavis: 'Crash' comes out on DVD now.
Tate: Right.
Tavis: You had a major, you had a major piece in it. Did you enjoy doing that?
Tate: I enjoyed it, man.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: This movie was one of those actor pieces. This was a, an actor's film, because it allowed us to really let go and surrender to the characters and to the roles. This movie was, again, beautifully crafted by, you know, Paul Haggis, who wrote it, Don Cheadle, who...
Tavis: Produced it, yeah.
Tate: ...you know, as a producer. He was a quarterback the whole way, getting all of us actors involved. And it was one of those movies that was extremely unapologetic. You know, it was in your face, and it was honest, and oftentimes Hollywood won't allow these movies to be made. And so, I was just really happy to be a part of a movie that we were able to just be unapologetic and to reveal things about ourselves. A lot of us have some hang-ups. A lot of us pretend to be a certain way in front of, you know, some of our colleagues or people where, you know, have to have your table manners all, all right. You want to say all the right things. But then, you know, when you go home and, behind your closed doors...
Tavis: It's (unintelligible).
Tate: ...what you really think...
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: ...that movie took us behind, you know, the mind state of most people, and especially here in LA.
Tavis: Yeah. Before I let you out of here so you can start your 30th birthday celebrations early...
Tate: Yeah.
Tavis: September the 8th?
Tate: Yeah.
Tavis: September 8th is your actual birthday...
Tate: Yes.
Tavis: So you got a few days to get the party started.
Tate: Yeah. We gonna do it.
Tavis: Yeah. I'm sure you will. The way you celebrate your 30th birthday is by doing another movie, 'Waist Deep'...
Tate: Yeah. I'm doing...
Tavis: ...and, and television, I'm hearing.
Tate: Yeah.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: I have a, I'm doing a film right now along with Tyrese Gibson. Tyrese is phenomenal in this movie.
Tavis: Out in 'Four Brothers' right now.
Tate: Yeah, he's out in 'Four Brothers.' He's phenomenal. We're having a great time. Meagan Goode, who I've worked with in the past, is in this film as well. And rap artist The Game, who's doing a phenomenal job. You know, these are guys who both come from the, the music industry, but they've been able to make the transition, and we're 100 miles and running with that, man. So, 'Waist Deep' is big, and it's being directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall. And also, I have a television show, because, again, I got to keep the paper rolling.
Tavis: I see.
Tate: You never know, so...
Tavis: Right.
Tate: ...I'm doing something on CBS...
Tavis: Got...
Tate: ...called 'Love Monkey,' man.
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: Yeah, I'm, I'm trying to get this money, man.
Tavis: Yeah. From 'Love Jones' to 'Love Monkey.'
Tate: I'm (unintelligible)...
Tavis: I ain't mad at you.
Tate: And I'm not crazy about the name, 'Love Monkey,' but they, they, the check is hot.
Tavis: Yeah, yeah.
Tate: So they said, and they said the check is hot. I said, how much am I...
Tavis: Yeah.
Tate: Okay, sign me up. Let's go. Got to get this paper.
Tavis: Got to keep, got to keep gassing that Volvo.
Tate: Let's get this together.
Tavis: And the price of gas is high.
Tate: I've upgraded, though, now.
Tavis: Oh, you ain't got the Volvo no more?
Tate: Yeah. I ain't got the Volvo no more. I've upgraded.
Tavis: I ain't mad at you. I ain't mad at you.
Tate: Yeah, yeah.
Tavis: You deserve it, though.
Tate: I appreciate that.
Tavis: Happy birthday again.
Tate: Thank you, brother.
Tavis: Larenz Tate. Busy guy. I love this cat. That's our show for tonight. You can catch me weekends on PRI, Public Radio International. Check your local listings. See you back here, though, next time on PBS. Until then, good night from LA. Thanks for watching and, as always, keep the faith.
Tate: Right.
Back to September 5, 2005