Tyrese Gibson on 1992: Real-Life Experience Behind the Role of Mercer

What concerns did you have about taking on the role of Mercer? I didn't have any concerns. I'm just out of place with the things that we do creatively, and we're not doing it if it doesn't feel right. What am I saying? What am I doing? What is the dynamic between me and these other characters? What is this world? What are we doing? And my mom raised me to believe that there's a lot of love in the word no.

So when movies don't make sense, I just say no. But 1992 made all the sense in the world. I lived it. April 29, 1992, I was there. I was protesting, looting, rioting. I was out there. I was scared as hell, but I was there. And, you know, when you live in the ghetto, in the hood, it's like a boiling plate. And then when these specific events happen, the heat turns all the way up, and it just goes crazy.

So I was just really just happy to survive it. I remember we went at least five weeks without seeing the sun because there was so much black smoke, and ashes in the sky from everything burning. So, yeah, this wasn't acting for me at all. This is reacting. And my son played by Chris, Christopher Emmanuel, we really, we were dancing. You know, it's like, who are you and where did you come from?

And he's trying to insert his alpha, but my alpha out trumped his alpha. And it was just like, no, we're not friends. I'm your father. And I know I just got here, but this is where we're going. And it's not up for discussion. Get in the car. You know, that relationship, I feel like Mercer kind of kept some things very close to the vest because he would tell his son to do things, but he wouldn't necessarily tell him why or what his previous experience was and how he was trying to keep his son from that.

Did you feel that while you were making the movie? Yes. And that was very intentional. Because the spirit of discovery, when you're raising a child, a teenager, I have a 17-year-old and a five-year-old, you can talk till you're blue in the face. You sometimes just got to let them get in the sandbox and go see for themselves. And I just knew there's something in him just wanted to fight me and rebel against everything I told him to do and not to do.

So go ahead, do it. And I told you, what was going to happen? And now he's coming back like, help me, God, I didn't know it was going to be that great. Yeah. So it's very, very, very interesting. Even the dynamic between Ray Liotta, rest in peace, and Scott Eastwood, totally different father-son dynamic. But to see that duality in one film and, you know, proudly, this film happens to be the most diverse cast in the history of South Central LA films.

So it's really, really interesting. Yeah, and I did talk to Scott about working with Ray and the father-son relationships in this film, but just parent-child. And the fact that you were saying, you know, the fact that you were saying, you know, you're going to tell your kid, not to do it, but they'll do it anyway. I've certainly had that experience.

And I think a lot of people have, and they will relate to it. So thank you so much for your time. Thank you for this film. I think it has a lot to say, and I really appreciate it. So it comes out August 30th. We can't wait for people to see it. And I'm dropping my double album on August 30th, too. Labor Day Weekend. It's called Beautiful Pain. Executive produced by legendary David Foster and my producer, Brandon Bam.

I'm Hodge. It's all live. It's about my divorce and me being blessed to find love again, which is the title, Beautiful Pain. So go to Tyrese.tv, pre-order it, so we can get that double vinyl delivered to your front door on Labor Day Weekend. It would be my honor to have you guys to take that journey with me as well. ♪ you Thank you.