Besides looking like him, what mannerisms did you have to master?
The walk, the wobble, mastering the shield, knowing when to use the left hand, how to talk to people, how to talk down to Kim, how to treat my moms, knowing when to be Christopher, when to be Biggie Smalls, when to be Notorious B.I.G. And knowing how heavy he was as Notorious and not to move too much. Knowing how to move and that I could be much faster when I was Biggie. Knowing his voice differences, too. So, there was a whole lot involved in preparing for the role.
What was it like working with such a great cast?
Oh, man, that was a blessing working with Derek Luke playing Puffy and Anthony Mackie playing Pac. Plus, they were veteran actors. I was new to the game and they coached me through it. That was the best thing about it, having their support.
You know, Jennifer Lopez became a superstar after playing a murdered icon, Selena, in a bio-pic. This could happen for you, too. Are you planning to concentrate on movies now?
I’m focusing on acting right now, but I’m trying to do a little of both.
So, who do you think shot Biggie?
Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know nothing about that.
Have you gotten any feedback from anybody portrayed in the movie?
Definitely. I got a lot of help and feedback from Faith [Evans]. I also got a lot of support from Lil Cease, Mrs. Wallace and the members of the Junior M.A.F.I.A.
What’s up next for you?
Like I said, acting is my newfound love. So, hopefully, some other things will come.
