#INTERVIEW: “WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP”

By Mr. Will Wong

Based on the 1992 film of the same name. Director Calmatic‘s WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP adaptation is about to arrive on Disney+, ready for a new generation to embrace this Sports Comedy about unlikely friends and perseverance against our crippling obstacles.

We got to sit in a press junket with the stars of WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP and Calmatic. Joining us were:

Jack Harlow (“Jeremy”)
Sinqua Walls (“Kamal”)
Teyana Taylor (“Imani”)
Laura Harrier (“Tatiana”)
Calmatic (Director)

L.A. native Calmatic believes there’s a version of Los Angeles which the world hasn’t yet, which he is ready to show in his adaptation of WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP.

Calmatic: “There’s a whole L.A. the world hasn’t seen yet. It’s the L.A. I grew-up in. It’s also a very influencial part of L.A. that hasn’t been seen. Just the way we walk, the way we talk, the way we play Basketball. Like I always say, James Harden went to Audubon Junior High. That’s a very specific junior high and if you see the way he played and he be doing this little weird step-backstep, you’d say ‘That’s some Audubon shit!’. I think the way Russell Westbrook played, he went to Henry Clay Middle School and it’s that crazy middle school where the kids are just running out of control. It’s really about showing the world my L.A. and hopefully we can keep it flowing.”.

Sinqua Walls actually had a college basketball background back in San Francisco. He talks about bringing this into Jamal.

Walls: “Honestly, I think this was the most important part. To make this authentic with Basketball and I think that is something that Chuck (Calmatic) truly cared about and he was very critical about. I always talk about how a lot of the Movie moved in a space where we had to do it in single takes and a lot of the movements don’t work unless someone authentically can play Basketball at a level – that makes the most sense. It was important to ensure that was infused naturally. It was fun to just step-in and use things I’d already done for many years. Chuck knows I’d been playing ball since I was six years old.”.

Teyana Taylor is having a career year following her retirement from Music, already having won lots of acclaim for her performance in “A Thousand And One“. She also happens to be married to NBA star Iman Shumpert. So if anything she would be a subject matter expert on Basketball.

Taylor: “I was like, ‘Alright! Iman‘s coming to set today! We gotta be on-point!’. To be able to sit back, watch it and bask in it was amazing. Sinqua is great. Jack is great. I’m impressed. The expert is impressed.”.

She also makes an analogy about being a team mate in life on the streets, but also in life.

Taylor: “No matter how much love is there, you have to hold each other accountable. That’s the best form of love. It’s one thing to be a team mate on the streets, but to be a team mate in life is the biggest sport. That’s how I look at it.”.

Walls compares what’s different from the 2023 version of WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP, from its 1992 predecessor.

Walls: “To go back to what Chuck was talking about, it’s the way we shot L.A. and the intricacies of that. ’92 did some great things with Venice and Street Ball, but one of the special things genuinely, is that this brother can shoot L.A. better than anybody else. He knew spaces for us to unpack. That’s what really updates it for now because you see parts of L.A. that weren’t in the original, but you see the people, the culture, the colours. If you grew-up in L.A., you’ve seen the way someone from Watts, Compton, Gardena, Crenshaw, how they really move. This time around, the City is its own character that lives in the story.”.

Hip-Hop star Jack Harlow talks about his first time starring in a movie as first movie role here as Jeremy.

Harlow: “I enjoy Grape Street a lot and Purple Town, I hear that’s what they call it. That was a cool learning experience. I’m thankful I joined a group of people that were so humble, willing to learn and be patient with me. They wanted to teach. I felt like I arrived into an egoless environment as the least-experienced person and everyone just let me shine, try things and gave me the room to give my opinion. If I felt strongly about something that didn’t mean it was gonna go that way, but Calmatic would hear me out, and vice-versa. I was honoured I could come into my first one and people cared what I thought. Shout out to everyone for making it such a seamless experience.”.

He also comments on the late Lance Reddick, who stars in the Film as Benji, Kamal’s father.

Harlow: “I had one or two days with Lance. I was really taken by his presence and the energy he had playing Benji. It just felt so real. In fact, it’s hard for me to separate in-between takes and what was going on on-camera. He just had a warmth the character he was portraying had. Kind as hell, it’s as simple as that.”.

Walls: “He was super-generous, especially the hospital scenes. He had Jell-o or something and was supposed to be in his chair going through his illness. He accidentally hit the wrong Jell-o and I remember he’d break character and go ‘My bad, man!’. He’d laugh too and go right back into character. That’s a pro right there. That’s his legacy. He was really well-trained, really well-studied.”.

Laura Harrier talks about inhering the role of Tatiana, based on Rosie Perez’s unforgettable Gloria in the original film.

Harrier: “It was definitely very big shoes to walk into. She’s (Perez) a presence and an Actress I’ve always looked-up to. She had such an iconic role in the original, I wanted to try and not reference any of that. I didn’t want to do a re-creation of that. I wanted to give Tatiana her own character, her own person and my own interpretation of who she was. We’re drawing bits and pieces of the original film, but it’s definitely its own thing and its own retelling.”.

WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP arrives May 19, 2023, on Disney+.

(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios)

#FIRSTLOOK: “WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP” TRAILER

A new trailer and poster for 20th Century Studios’ “White Men Can’t Jump” are now available to download and share. The all-new comedy begins streaming on May 19, 2023, exclusively on Disney+ in Canada.

Synopsis:

“White Men Can’t Jump” is a modern remix of the iconic 1992 film that celebrates the streetball hustling culture of Los Angeles. Sinqua Walls stars as Kamal, once a promising player who derailed his future in the sport, and multi-platinum rap superstar Jack Harlow makes his movie debut as Jeremy, a former star of the game whose injuries stalled his own career. Juggling tenuous relationships, financial pressures and serious internal struggles, the two ballers—opposites who are seemingly miles apart—find they might have more in common than they imagined possible.

Directed by Calmatic, the movie also stars Teyana Taylor, Laura Harrier, Vince Staples, Myles Bullock and Lance Reddick. The film is written by Kenya Barris and Doug Hall. “White Men Can’t Jump” is produced by Kenya Barris and Paul Hall; it’s executive produced by Blake Griffin, Ryan Kalil, Noah Weinstein, Calmatic, Doug Hall, E. Brian Dobbins and James Powers.

Are you ready to see Jack Harlow in his acting debut?

(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios/Disney)

#FIRSTLOOK: “WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP”

20th Century Studios released a first-look image and TV spot from “White Men Can’t Jump” today, also revealing the release date for the all-new comedy, which begins streaming on May 19, 2023, exclusively on Disney+ under the Star banner in Canada.

From 20th Century Studios,’ the all-new comedy “White Men Can’t Jump” is a modern remix of the iconic 1992 film that celebrates the streetball hustling culture of Los Angeles. Multi-platinum rap superstar Jack Harlow makes his movie debut as Jeremy, a former star of the game whose injuries stalled his career, and Sinqua Walls stars as Kamal, once a promising player who derailed his own future in the sport. Juggling tenuous relationships, financial pressures and serious internal struggles, the two ballers—opposites who are seemingly miles apart—find they might have more in common than they imagined possible.

Directed by Calmatic, the movie also stars Teyana Taylor, Laura Harrier, Vince Staples, Myles Bullock and Lance Reddick. The film is written by Kenya Barris and Doug Hall. “White Men Can’t Jump” is produced by Kenya Barris and Paul Hall; it’s executive produced by Blake Griffin, Ryan Kalil, Noah Weinstein, Calmatic, Doug Hall, E. Brian Dobbins and James Powers.

(Photo/video credit: Disney+)

#SPOTTED: JACK HARLOW IN TORONTO AT HISTORY

Louisville’s Jack Harlow is going places fast. The 23-year-old Rapper has shot to stardom with Lil Nas X Collabo “Industry Baby” reaching #1 on the Billboard US Hot 100 Chart. His 2020 single “What’s Poppin” also reached #2 last year on the same chart. Above this, he’s selling-out arenas both sides of the border with his The Crème De La Crème Tour.

The Tour hit Drake‘s HISTORY last night, the venue just having launched last week. Drake even came out to show his support at the show last night, and following the gig, picked him up in his Maybach, bringing him and his entourage out in Yorkville for a late night dinner.

A few lucky fans got the Selfie with Harlow at the venue coming out in his SUV, out of hundreds who waited at the back for a chance to meet him.

We were able to get Harlow to look over for a quick Snap with us, which we’re grateful for, as he laid-low pretty much most of this Toronto visit. He’s come a far way since his last show here at the intimate Velvet Underground 2019.

Cool also meeting Supporting Act, THE HOMIES!

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Harlow‘s next stop on his Tour is Cleveland tonight, wrapping in Indianapolis, with one more December show in L.A.

Stream his Album, THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY here.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Music/Mr. Will Wong)

#NEWMUSIC: SAWEETIE (FT. POST MALONE, DABABY + JACK HARLOW) “TAP IN” (NSFW)

This jam is pure-fire! Saweetie has stamped herself as one to watch her hit My Type blew-up on TikTok and now she follows- up with a banger in TAP IN, a new version featuring an all-star slate including Post Malone, DaBaby and Jack Harlow! The Track already got nominated at the VMAs for Song of the Summer and this new collaboration should help push it to the top!

Check it out:

Warner Music Canada will release her debut Disc this Fall, PRETTY B*TCH MUSIC. Music includes new tracks with Timbaland and Danja.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Music)