Roger Guenveur Smith

This is a fine actor. He should be a leading actor. He is versatile and solid.
    
His credits include supporting roles in several (five or six) Spike Lee films.
    
Though I despised the character, Smith was compelling -- if not maddeningly annoying -- as a mentally challenged man (Smiley) in Do The Right Thing.
    
Smith was cast in Get on The Bus as Gary, an L.A. police officer who rides with other black men to D.C. for the Million Man March. I liked him in this pic, too.
    
I especially liked him in Eve’s Bayou. Though the role was small, he gave us his cool and controlled rendition of regular-guy-turned-jealous-husband, Lenny Mereaux. Smith was very good in this film.
    
I was disappointed with his role as Big Willie Smith in He Got Game. His dialog sounded wooden and unrealistic. Fortunately, it was a small role. Thank goodness. I was starting to feel embarrassed.
    
But he was mesmerizing in A Huey P. Newton Story (a made-for-TV film) which he not only starred in, but wrote. He was charismatic and vulnerable in the role. He was patient. It was a great role. The role allowed him to emote and reveal a multifaceted, multidimensional character. The character was helpless, conflicted, angry, sad, fearful, stoned, hopeful, cynical, sarcastic and at one point, dancing. It was a very strong and noteworthy performance. What a perfect chain-smoker, I thought. Dude didn’t miss a beat. Never even coughed. The smoke never even got in his eyes. He used that prop (cigarettes) brilliantly. His use of the prop was very impressive. Others might have sloppily mishandled the prop. Others might have lacked the dexterity and commitment to character, to optimize the use of the prop. Smith is a professional, though.
    
He’s a very good actor, who should have won a major award by now. Everyone should know his name. I hope to see him in quality roles in the future. I’d like to see him in lead roles.

Comments

[jazzyphile]

His performance as Huey Newton was more than impressive.

I saw HN once at a party while attending college (UC Berkeley). It was a party at a prefessors house. Activist Angela Davis and writer James Baldwin were also in attendance.

At one point AD and JB were dancing. I glanced over at HP and he was cracking up as JB danced around like a french gypsy or something. It was too funny.

[theblackactor.com]

@ Jazzyphile

Wish I coulda been a fly on that wall. LOL.