Culturally, there are so many expectations around black masculinity that trap young men in these hyper-masculine molds and stifle genuine emotional expression. He is an actor and producer, known for Moonlight (2016), The Retrieval (2013) and The Equalizer 2 (2018). I knew this character, so if anything, they just told me to really trust myself and follow my instincts and the relationship that me and Denzel had developed with the characters, to focus on that and play in that world. Congrats to ‘Moonlight‘ Star Ashton Sanders who booking a Lead Role in The Equalizer 2 with Denzel Washington, from his Self Tape Audition at The Creation Station Studios! Director Antoine Fuqua reunites with Denzel Washington in this sequel to 2014's The Equalizer. Credit: We were building on that progressively, and I think that played a big part in that it made it more authentic, more real. And that’s fine. The film is the fourth collaboration between Washington and Fuqua, following Training Day (2001), The Equalizer, and The Magnificent Seven (2016). More Details. I think it’s important to try to change that narrative and change the representation of exactly what something is supposed to be. Miles is probably going to be in college in a year or two, and at the beginning of the film I’m not sure if he knew that was an option for him. Denzel and I were definitely zoned into our character’s spaces. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What was your path to The Equalizer 2?ASHTON SANDERS: It’s funny, I had initially met Denzel on a red carpet, doing press for Moonlight. SHOWX (554), Fri, Feb 12 For the upcoming "The Equalizer 2" (in theaters this July), Ashton takes on yet another major role, acting alongside the legendary Denzel Washington. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. He’s for the people. When Miles meets McCall, he’s about to get caught up in this cycle of inner-city gang violence, torn between pursuing an education and linking up with those already affiliated with gangs. We’re on the same page.”. Ashton Sanders was born on October 24, 1995 in Carson, California, USA. Ashton Sanders, Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington. Every scene we shot, we started to realize more about these characters and their relationships in the film. In approaching the Antoine Fuqua-directed project, Sanders says he quickly sensed the greater importance of Miles as a character, seeing him as symbolic of young black men across the country struggling to break vicious cycles of poverty and inner-city gang violence. Washington resumes his role as Robert McCall: a retired CIA Black Ops operative who works as a security guard and moonlights as a vigilante. 2/5 stars . on this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. More TV Shows & Movies. Ashton Sanders with Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 2. Ashton Sanders on getting mentored by Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 2. It was definitely a very delicate thing. US Movies, Action & Adventure, Action Thrillers, Crime … ... played by Ashton Sanders. Coming Soon. JOIN NOW. Denzel Washington has been on quite the run over the last few years with Oscar-nominated turns in films like Flight, Fences, Roman J. Israel, Esq. Sometimes people are vulnerable. The Equalizer 2 DVD 2018 A Védelmező 2 / Directed by Antoine Fuqua / Starring: Denzel Washington, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo We would set things in play, then he’d give me the freedom to fill out the space, play with the words, so on and so forth. I would think he trusted me with the character, with Miles, and after a moment, just with Denzel, it was the flow, an understanding of like, “Yeah, okay. Was there a sense when you were filming that you could bring your own ideas into this character?Yeah. Check out our February TV calendar for the biggest TV premieres this month, including "Clarice," "Superman & Lois," and "Strip Down, Rise Up.". We put each other in these boxes, but we’re all so human as well. Celebrate Black History Month with IMDb's exclusive galleries, recommendations, videos, and more. It is the sequel to the 2014 film The Equalizer, which was based on the TV series of the same name. Watch all you want. You get it. Denzel Washington again proves over and over that he is America's best actor, if not one of the best in the world. It follows retired U.S. Marine and former DIAofficer Robert McCall as he sets out on a path of revenge after one of his friends is murdered… The white-collar white guy is supposed to look and act like this, Miles is supposed to act and look like this, or you know, this straight black dude is supposed to act like this, this woman, this race, so on and so forth. Denzel and I both knew that’s what we were trying to create, and so everything kind of happened authentically. Ashton Sanders on getting mentored by Denzel Washington in. … "Moonlight" actor Ashton Sanders talks to Variety about his roles in "Equalizer 2," "Captive State" and "Native Son." Spread the love with EW's Valentine's Day gift guide. Watch offline. I mean, can you blame him after the last film? 5:25 AM PST Denzel Washington Pedro Pascal Ashton Sanders Orson Bean Bill Pullman Melissa Leo Jonathan Scarfe Sakina Jaffrey. Photograph: Glen Wilson/Sony Pictures. “Miles represents hope in the hood,” says the actor, 22. Can you talk about shooting that sequence?That’s one of the most pivotal moments in Miles’ life. — Ashton came in and dropped an awesome performance! There’s one at the midway mark when McCall storms into a housing project to pull Miles away from a gang initiation where he’s being asked to make an incredibly dark, life-altering choice. As McCall squares off with new adversaries and hunts in the shadows to solve a friend’s murder, he faces few challenges more daunting than that of keeping Miles on the straight-and-narrow. Sanders made his film debut in The Retrieval, directed by Chris Eska. “He’s this good kid who’s hanging around the wrong people, because of his lack of a father figure or a father force.”. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Is it important to you as an actor to depict that?We all have perceptions or boxes that we put each other in. Starring prolific talent Denzel Washington in the first ever follow-up to one of his films, The Equalizer 2 sees retired DIA agent Robert McCall set out on a path of … Available to download. The Hollywood Reporter caught up with the Oscar winner at the premiere of the follow … I went in knowing what I was representing, knowing where he was coming from. Starring - Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman. Ashton Sanders shines in Equalizer 2. Miles wasn’t necessarily looking for a father figure in McCall, because he’s still dealing with his own emotional trauma, with his father and older brother not being there. However unbeknownst to him, he doesn’t just have himself to worry about. The Equalizer 2 is filled with beatdowns and bloodletting, but some of the action sequel’s most potent sequences involve neither. Equalizer 2 sees Denzel Washington reprising his role as Robert McCall, a retired CIA black ops operator who is much of a loner. He is an actor and producer, known for, Thu, Feb 11 Miles represents hope in the hood. That’s how people are. Denzel Washington again proves over and over that he is America's best actor, if not one of the best in the world. Amazon.com: The Equalizer 2 [4K Ultra HD] [Blu-ray] [2018]: Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Orson Bean, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Jonathan Scarfe, Sakina Jaffrey, Kazy Tauginas, Garrett Golden, Antoine Fuqua: Movies & TV Denzel and I, we both worked really well off each other, and there was a definite mentor relationship. He’s always fighting for the right thing. What was it like to work with both Denzel and Antoine, two very established talents?Obviously, I had a lot of respect for both Antoine and Denzel before going into the project. Antoine, Denzel, and I would do [the scene] a couple of times. It was cool, you know. Central to the plot this time around is the bond formed between retired CIA black-ops agent Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) and a neighborhood kid named Miles (Moonlight’s Ashton Sanders). He’s this badass modern-day superhero, and I think it’s pretty cool what he’s doing for the people, in the movie and in his life. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Coming soon. Ashton Sanders; DeadlineNow; Denzel Washington; The Equalizer 2; 3 Comments Sidebar. Antoine gave me a lot of freedom to explore in-scene. Starring: Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders. Roman J. Israel, Esq. Or are you building an extended clan? Ashton Sanders, Actor: Moonlight. Denzel Washington Feted With Lifetime Achievement Award by American Film Institute Entertainment Ashton Sanders & KiKi Layne Talk Updating Richard Wright Classic, ‘Native Son’ Glen Wilson/CTMG, Ashton Sanders on getting mentored by Denzel Washington in. News of the World. Miles is trying to find himself and deal with himself, as we all are in our daily lives, and we all have moments of vulnerability, whether it’s that we can see the vulnerability on our sleeves or whether we catch a glimpse. Then we just started getting to work. Having that kind of repartee really bolsters your scenes with Denzel. Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Ashton Sanders in The Equalizer 2 (2018) He portrayed the teenage version of the character Chiron in the Academy Award Best Picture-winning film Moonlight. Denzel Washington and Ashton Sanders in The Equalizer 2 (2018) The film stars Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman, and Orson Bean in his final film role. Being a trained killer seems lonely. It’s still kind of there in a sense. But in both The Equalizer 2 and Moonlight, your characters stand in opposition to that by openly showing vulnerability. The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 11, 2013. Denzel Washington Pedro Pascal Ashton Sanders Orson Bean Bill Pullman Melissa Leo Jonathan Scarfe Sakina Jaffrey. Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Ashton Sanders in The Equalizer 2 (2018) A new movie starring Denzel Washington hits theaters this weekend, but does "The Equalizer 2" live up to the original? on Which is why I think it’ll be really relatable, because it is real. He’s this good kid who’s hanging around the wrong people, because of his lack of a father figure or a father force. A Civil War veteran who travels from town to town reading the news undertakes a perilous journey across Texas to deliver an orphaned girl to a new home. Genres. How did you approach that character and tension?This relationship with Miles specifically wasn’t anything that was too unfamiliar for me. Is that distinct from your Moonlight family? Coronavirus Crisis Fall 2020 Premiere Dates Launch dates …