"I made a bridge between music and film," RZA said.
RZA is in the upcoming movie "Derailed" also starring Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston hitting theaters Friday, Nov. 11. The film follows a man named Charles (Owen) who has a normal Chicago commuter life, but the day he misses his train he meets Lucinda (Aniston). As things progress they eventually find themselves at a hotel, despite the fact that they are both married with children. Then a man named La Roche bursts in demanding money for blackmail from both Lucinda and Charles. Unwilling to pay, Charles asks for assistance in killing La Roche from his friend, Winston, played by RZA.
Originally RZA was approached only to score the film.
"I had been scoring films for a while, including the 'Kill Bill' movies with Quentin Tarantino, and the director of 'Derailed' asked me to do it for this."
However, RZA found it hard to focus on the pieces that he needed to deliver for the film and decided to pass on it. But the soundtrack will be released on RZA's record label.
"I was then handed a few scripts and saw that 'Derailed' was one of them, and my agent said I had to audition for it." RZA was also looking at the script for "Four Brothers," starring Mark Wahlberg, but decided to pass and take on "Derailed." "I was not cast the first time around. I got it on the second try," RZA said.
In trying to "bridge the gap between music and film," RZA still has many ambitions for the future. "I want to direct more films. I did a few of my own music videos and directed the Bobby Digital stuff, but I want to do more of that."
Acting as Winston, he is concerned with how the audience will take to him. "If they hate me, then I'll take it as failure, but I will continue to learn and improve my skill. But if they like me, then I got it made," RZA said.
RZA is new to the Hollywood scene and has many people that he wants to work with.
"I want to work with Don Cheadle, and I don't care if Robert DeNiro shoots me, man, I want to work with him," he said.
RZA found that it was important to have this role because he found it was a very different character than his own personality. "My agent made me pass on so many great roles because he doesn't want me to be another black man." he said. "He wants me to be the man who happens to be black, and that is why it's important to be a character actor. You need to try and avoid being type cast."
In trying to compare Derailed to some of his other projects like "Bobby Digital" or "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai," "There is no comparison," RZA said. "'Derailed' is a psychological thriller, nothing like the kung-fu movies I've done in the past."
Upcoming projects for RZA are a new album that will be released in 2006 that he says is "the best hip-hop album," but there was no mention of any film involvement as of yet. "It depends on how the audience takes to me in 'Derailed.'"
There has been mention of a possible movie concerning the Wu-Tang Clan. "I have the story outlined and ready for selling, but I want Hollywood to come to me. It isn't a priority right now, but I do want to get it done before we are all too old to play ourselves."
In trying to hone his skills as a director, he has taken on Quentin Tarantino as a mentor. "You have to humble yourself to a greater authority. You have to find a good master and keep studying the art of it. That's why Quentin is my homeboy."
Derailed opens wide on Friday.
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