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Presents
Starring
Donald Faison, Mike Epps, Wood Harris, Yasmin Deliz, Cisco Reyes, and Mos Def
Directed by Benny Boom
Written by Blair Cobbs
Running time: 1 Hour, 28 Minutes
Rated: R
Available on DVD September 22, 2009
Publicity Contact:
Home Entertainment Publicist
Emily Alonzo
416-646-2400 x113
[email protected]
www.e1filmsmedia.ca
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Synopsis
When two bumbling criminals (Mike Epps and Wood Harris) accidentally receive
a package of grade-A cocaine, they think they've hit the jackpot. But when they try to
cash in on their luck, it triggers a series of events that forever changes the lives of ten
people in Next Day Air, an uproarious action comedy featuring an all-star cast including
Donald Faison, Mos Def and Debbie Allen.
Directed by music video legend Benny Boom (Scarface: Origins of a Hip Hop
Classic), Next Day Air stars Mike Epps (Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins), Wood Harris
(“The Wire”), Donald Faison (“Scrubs”), Omari Hardwick (“Saved”), Emilio Rivera
(“Weeds”), Darius McCrary (“Family Matters”), Cisco Reyes, Yasmin Deliz, Mos Def (16
Blocks, The Italian Job) and Debbie Allen (“A Different World”). Written by Blair Cobb,
the film is produced by Scott Aronson (Furnace) and Inny Clemons. Executive producers
are Steven Belser, Shaun Livingston, Steve Markoff (Alpha Dog), Bruce McNall
(Weekend at Bernie’s) and Bryan Turner (Friday). Director of photography is David A.
Armstrong (Saw). Bruton Jones (Lakeview Terrace) is the production designer. Editor is
David Checel (Stomp the Yard). Costume designer is Rita McKee (All About Us).
Original music is by The Elements (Universal Remote).
Smalltime hoods Brody (Mike Epps) and Guch (Wood Harris) have seen better
days. But when a wacked-out courier named Leo (Donald Faison) accidentally brings
them a box containing 10 kilos of high-quality cocaine meant for their next-door
neighbors, it sets in motion a hilarious and harrowing chain of events that could cost all
of them their lives.
Brody and Guch immediately arrange to sell the coke to Brody’s drug dealer
cousin (Omari Hardwick) and his tightlipped bodyguard (Darius McCrary). But when the
intended recipients of the package, wannabe gangster Jesus (Cisco Reyes) and his
feisty girlfriend (Yasmin Deliz), realize the box hasn’t arrived, they set out on a desperate
search to find it before ruthless drug kingpin Bodega Diablo (Emilio Rivera) notices it’s
missing.
But it’s too late. Furious over the loss of his shipment, mob boss Bodega will stop
at nothing to get the drugs back. With Brody and Guch’s deal about to go down, all
parties are on a collision course that’s almost certain to end in heavy gunfire. And
whoever’s still standing when the smoke clears could walk away with nearly a million
dollars in cash and drugs!
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ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
Producer Scott Aronson of Melee Entertainment read the script for Next Day Air
on a Friday and optioned it the following Monday. “Next Day Air was one of the first
scripts I read after starting Melee,” he remembers. “I read it a couple times over that
weekend, and each time it got better. The script is smart and funny, and I thought it had
the potential to attract a huge audience.”
“It’s got a lot of layers,” the producer continues. “It’s essentially a comedy, even
though it has some heavy elements. This is the kind of movie that if you see it a second
or third time, you hear jokes and double entendres that you didn’t see before.
Next Day Air is not just screenwriter Blair “Butta” Cobbs’ first feature film; it is the
first screenplay that he has ever written. Cobbs didn’t set out to write a feature film. All
he wanted to do was come up with a scenario for a short film that would showcase his
work as a director after he finished film school. The idea for the story came to him in a
burst of inspiration. “I was talking to my wife and it just hit me,” he says. “I saw the whole
story from beginning to end and all the characters in seconds.”
Putting his vision down on paper took a bit longer. “The script took me two
months from beginning to end, just pounding it out every day,” he remembers. “This
script started out at twenty pages, but as I was writing it, it just got longer and longer until
it was a seventy page ‘short.’”
The film’s journey from page to screen took another unusual turn when Cobbs’
wife introduced him to actor and producer Inny Clemens. “She was at a restaurant and
Inny started talking to her,” remembers Cobbs. “Next thing, she calls me and she says
‘There’s this cool dude down here I want you to meet. He's an actor, and he’s interested
in the movie that you're writing.’ From that point on, my whole life changed.”
Clemons and Cobbs established their own production company, Secret Society
Films, and began shopping the film around Hollywood. “We got film rights through their
company,” says Aronson. “Inny was the first one to see the potential in the script.”
The writer refers to Clemons as his ‘Samwise,’ a reference to Lord of the Rings.
“When Frodo couldn't carry the ring any further, Samwise picked up him and the ring and
took them to the top. Inny was the first one I gave the script to. He was the one who
said, ‘We're going to get this made.’ I met all these people through him and he got me an
agent. When I got discouraged, he made me keep going. This whole movie really came
from him.”
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Next Day Air also marks the feature film debut of director Benny Boom. Boom’s
work with recording artists like 50 Cent, Nas, Snoop Dogg and R. Kelly has made him
one of the most respected directors working in the music video arena. Aronson, who
started his career in the music business, was impressed by Boom’s technical prowess,
as well as his take on the script.
“We interviewed a lot of directors, some of them big names and some up-andcomers,” he says. “One of the things we could see from the videos and commercials that
Benny shot was that he is able to get a lot of production value out of a relatively small
budget.”
And, the producer says, Boom came in with a clear vision for the film that
intersected with his own. “It’s always trouble if you’re not on the same page with your
director,” he says. “Benny was the first one who came in and pitched in the same voice
that I had in mind for the film.”
The script called for a realistic approach to action sequences tempered with
hard-edged humor. “It has a lot of Tarantino and Guy Ritchie type elements to it,” says
Aronson. “Movies like True Romance, Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
and Pulp Fiction are very popular with our target audience. I knew if we made a film with
a similar feel and had it take place in South Philly, there would be a strong response to
that.”
The producer points to the success of other former music video directors,
including F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job, Be Cool) and Antoine Fuqua (Training Day,
Shooter) who have made the transition to features as an indication of Boom’s potential.
“A lot of people are familiar with Benny’s work,” he says. “They're all going to be
checking out his first movie. It should put him in that sphere of the other great directors
that have come out of the video world.”
While Aronson was confident in the director’s ability to deliver the film he wanted,
the first time screenwriter found handing his first script over to be nerve-wracking. By the
first week of shooting, though, Boom had won his unwavering trust. “Just seeing him talk
to the actors, I knew he was the right director,” says Cobbs. “I would be watching a take
and thinking it wasn’t playing out right. Without me saying anything, Benny would give
them exactly the adjustment I had in my mind. He always kept my original vision for the
script intact.”
Cobbs’ passion for writing should keep him working for a long time. “I have so
many different ideas for movies,” he reveals. “I have notebooks just jammed full of ideas
and quotes. Writing is not the difficult part. Keeping it real is.”
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ABOUT THE CAST
The rich characters and authentic Philadelphia atmosphere of Next Day Air are
familiar to Benny Boom and Scott Aronson, who both went to college in the City of
Brotherly Love, but they were drawn from the real life experiences of Blair Cobbs, who
grew up there. “Butta is a young, very authentic guy,” says Aronson. “He’s a kid from the
streets who figured out how write a good screenplay. A lot of the people and a lot of the
story were not imagined.”
Cobbs admits that some of the character names are cribbed from old friends and
that he based some of the situations on real events. Everything in movie could have
happened, he says. “I get tired of seeing movies that aren’t real. You know, I didn’t set
out to write a comedy. I just wanted to tell a story. I put in the names of my friends so
that they would know how cool they are with me, so cool that they made it into a movie.”
The script was written as an ensemble piece, with Leo, played by Donald Faison,
as the central figure around whom the other characters revolve. Faison lobbied hard for
the role. “Donald was passionate. He invited us over to his set so he could plead his
case and it was compelling. It’s rare to find an actor who’s that passionate about a part.
He turned out to be a great choice.”
Still, Leo was never intended to be the main character, which meant that equally
skilled actors needed to be cast in the other roles. “Casting is about 95 percent of
making a good movie,” says Aronson.” I think there are 11 major roles in this movie. The
casting process was vigorous. We had a lot of people read for a lot of roles.
“You can only attract a strong cast like ours if you have a good script and
everybody we saw had read it and responded to it. Every one of the actors did it
because they loved their roles.”
Cobbs never anticipated getting that kind of response for his first screenplay.
“With the incredible people that we have in this cast, this whole movie became magic
right in front of my eyes,” he says. “I mean, Debbie Allen is in my movie!”
The commitment and enthusiasm that Cobbs and Boom brought to the project
impressed actress Debbie Allen enough to convince her to join the cast. “You can't make
a movie unless you're passionate,” she says. “It's just too hard. And these guys have a
lot of passion.”
Because of her personal commitment to helping the next generation of AfricanAmerican filmmakers, Allen agreed to play Leo’s mother. “I always want to be there to
help young brothers take their first steps,” says Allen. “These are voices we need in this
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industry. My character is a wonderful mother who loves her son and wants the best for
him. I felt I could bring that positive image to life.”
Allen predicts a bright future for Cobbs and Boom both. “I'm sure I'll work with
them again,” she says. “Blair is so adorable and so excited, which says a lot.
“And Benny is just delightful. As a director, he was very caring and gave me a lot
of freedom to find the character. He’s so experienced in the video world, and I'm happy
that he got this opportunity to cross into the real storytelling world, with dialogue and a
lot more action.
It is likely she will work with them again, because Boom has a reputation for
loyalty. This is the fifth time Emilio Rivera, who plays drug boss Bodega Diablo, has
worked with him. “We met when Benny was doing “Mob Deep Part One,” says the actor.
“He always said, ‘If I've ever got something for you, I'm going to get you in,’ and he did.”
Bodega Diablo is the meatiest part Rivera has had to date and he enjoyed the
opportunity to indulge his dark side. “It’s the first time I’ve played the main bad guy,” he
says. “When I was a kid and we played cops and robbers, I always wanted to be a
robber. The bad guys are always more fun.”
Growing up in one of the rougher neighborhoods in Los Angeles gave Rivera all
the grounding he needed to create a realistic portrait of the gritty character. In fact, he
says, if he had not become an actor, he might have gone down that road himself.
“Finding the character was not that hard for me,” he says. “All I had to do was just go
back in time. I had a lot more fun with in the movie, though. Back then, people were
really getting hurt, and now, it’s all make believe. And I don't have to worry about the
cops looking for me.”
In a world full of tough guys, Cobbs introduced a female character who gives as
good as she gets. Chita, played by Yasmin Deliz, is the volatile, Santeria-practicing
girlfriend of an equally explosive drug dealer. “I created this character as someone that
other women would look up,” says the writer. “She had to be somebody of substance,
not a dippy broad or groupie. Yasmin is like fire in the role.”
Deliz has been a successful reggaeton singer-songwriter, a VJ on mun2, the
Latin music television network, and the star of her own reality show, “The Chicas
Project.” In Next Day Air, she tackles her first acting role. “I’ve known Benny a while and
he asked me to audition,” she says. “I never expected to be acting in a film. In fact, I’ve
always told people I'm not an actress, but now I am. It makes me feel like anything is
possible.”
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Deliz’s years growing up in Queens gave her all the inspiration she needed for
the role of a streetwise drama queen. “I just thought back to my fast days and my
boyfriends in New York. I can get rowdy when I get worked up about something, so I dug
into the Queens in me.”
Still, she was nervous about her acting debut, but she says that the cast and
director gave her all the support she needed. “Everybody was amazing. The rest of the
cast took me under their wing and gave me little tips and advice. Benny never made me
feel like I was doing something wrong. He encouraged me, and talked to me about my
motivation. I would love to do another movie with him.”
The character is a dedicated follower of the Santeria religious practice, which
gave Deliz pause when she first read the script. Santeria, which originated in the
Caribbean when African slaves incorporated their traditional beliefs with their masters’
Christian tenets, is steeped in ritual, magic and mystery. “At first, I had a problem with
the Santeria rituals Chita has to perform,” Deliz admits. “I didn't want to mess with magic,
even white magic like that. But Chita doesn’t have those reservations.”
Neither does Chita’s boyfriend, Jesus, played by Cisco Reyes. “Jesus has got a
spicy little relationship with Chita,” he says. “The two of them together are fireworks - it's
like Abbott and Costello. Yasmin and I had that chemistry.”
Reyes was initially attracted to the project by the opportunity to work with Boom.
“When I heard Benny Boom was doing a flick, I had to be a part of it,” says Reyes. “And
then when I read the script, I felt passionately that nobody could have written a better
role for me. I just I had to have it.
“I have never laughed more reading a script,” he adds. “It's just a lot of funny
situations. The dialogue just rolls off your tongue.”
Wood Harris plays a hapless, would-be drug dealer named Guch. “As in ‘Gucci,”
he explains. “Back in the day, Guch was sweet, but now he’s washed up and desperate.
When the wrong package is delivered to him, it's like Christmas.”
“The best thing about Next Day Air was the people making it,” says Harris. “It
was great to work with Benny and Butta. This is a comedy, but keeping it authentic is
always the most important thing. Having a director and writer who are both from Philly
and know the place makes it feel so organic.”
Harris gives a great deal of credit to Inny Clemons for his role in getting the film
made. “The movie was a lot of fun to make, but it’s the bigger story that gets me,” he
says. “This was not an overnight thing, but Inny’s perseverance helped make this
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happen. That part of the story puts a big smile on my face and it makes me feel good
just to have been a part of it.”
At his first audition for the part of Buddy, Darius McCrary read a scene with
Omari Hardwicke, the actor who would eventually be cast as Buddy’s boss, Shavoo.
“Our characters are best friends,” says McCrary. “They’re in a dangerous business and
they watch each other’s backs. We felt the chemistry right away. We both left there
thinking that if we weren’t going to do this movie together, something else was about to
happen. Omari and I developed a camaraderie and a mutual respect.”
Even before casting began, the buzz surrounding Next Day Air was attracting
attention from actors, including Cassedy Good, who plays Cass, a street corner hustler.
“I heard that Benny Boom doing this big-time movie,” he says. “It was going to be a
comedy similar to Friday and those other legendary comedies set in the hood and it
would be crazy movie with a crazy cast. I’ve been around Benny for years and I've seen
him grind his way to the top, so I was excited that Benny was doing the movie. I want to
graduate from doing music videos to doing movies too, so this was the perfect
opportunity for me.”
When Blair Cobbs considers the film’s extraordinary ensemble cast, he still
shakes his head in wonder. “The way it all came together was magical. We had some
ups and downs with this movie, but every time that we hit a bump, something amazing
would happen. When we lost an actor, out of nowhere, Mos Def came through. It's been
a humbling experience and I'm still basking in the love of it. The whole experience was
something to I really embraced.”
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ABOUT THE CAST
DONALD FAISON (Leo) currently stars as Dr. Christopher Turk on the Emmy®nominated comedy series “Scrubs.” Faison has received three NAACP Image Award
nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and was awarded the
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series honor at the first-annual BET Comedy
Awards in 2004.
Faison recently starred opposite Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker in the romantic
comedy Something New. His additional film credits include the following: Amy
Heckerling’s classic cult comedy Clueless, Remember the Titans, Waiting to Exhale,
King’s Ransom, Uptown Girls, Josie and the Pussycats, Double Whammy (an entry in
the 2001 Sundance Film Festival), Can’t Hardly Wait, Big Fat Liar and Juice, among
others.
Faison’s additional small screen credits include two seasons as Tracy on the J.J.
Abrams drama “Felicity,” “Clueless,” for which he reprised his role as Murray from the
feature film of the same name, “Party of Five,” “Sister, Sister” and “New York
Undercover.” Faison also hosted the Spike TV series “The Playbook,” the ultimate guide
for guys, designed to show them how to navigate the trickiest situations, scenarios and
circumstances.
A New York City native, Faison began his acting career as an enthusiastic fiveyear-old attending the Children’s School of Intuitive and God-Conscious Art. His passion
and talent led him to study theatre at the Professional Children’s School, where he
developed into an amazing actor.
In addition to his television and feature film work, Faison is an avid basketball
player and is currently exploring writing and producing.
MOS DEF (Eric) is regarded as one of the most insightful artists of our time. A
musician, activist and actor, he has captured the attention of critics and audiences alike
with a celebrated body of work that crosses all artistic genres from music to the
Broadway stage, film and television.
In 1996, Mos Def became an underground favorite in the hip hop world, which
led to his legendary collaboration with Talib Kweli. The duo formed Black Star, whose
debut release would become one of the most critically acclaimed hip hop albums of their
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generation. The following year, Def released his solo debut, “Black on Both Sides,”
which was certified gold and credited by critics as bringing hip hop back to its soapbox
roots.
In 2004 came “The New Danger,” Def’s highly anticipated and critically acclaimed
sophomore solo album. Met with praise from both critics and fans alike, the collection
was hailed as “Ghetto rock and righteous hip hop” by Rolling Stone and received a fourstar review in the magazine. The first single, “Sex, Love and Money” earned Def a 2005
Grammy nomination for Best Alternative / Urban Performance.
Def released “True Magic” in late 2006, which brought the artist another Grammy
nomination for Best Alternative / Urban Performance for the album’s first single,
“Undeniable.”
As with his music, Mos Def has demonstrated insight and passion in his acting
career. He has appeared in a variety of film and television projects including features
Monster’s Ball, The Italian Job and the critically acclaimed HBO movie “Something the
Lord Made,” for which he received nominations for a 2004 Emmy Award for Outstanding
Lead Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie, a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by
an Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie and a NAACP Award. Def has also appeared in the
feature films The Woodsman, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, 16 Blocks, Dave
Chappelle’s Block Party and Michel Gondry’s Be Kind Rewind.
Def made his Broadway debut in 2002 in the Tony-nominated, Pulitzer Prizewinning “Topdog/Underdog” and re-teamed with playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and
director George C. Wolfe for the Off-Broadway play “Fucking A,” for which he earned an
Obie Award.
In addition to his acting credits, Def has served as the host, music supervisor and
co-executive producer for the long-running HBO series “Def Poetry.” He has also served
as a writer, producer and actor on the MTV sketch comedy series “Lyricist Lounge.”
Def is the architect of a book project called Black 2.0, a heavily illustrated and
innovatively designed compendium of significant moments and movements, artifacts and
icons of the past 35 years of black culture. He has also collaborated with Converse to
design a signature line of sneakers featuring laser-etched pictures of the Brooklyn
Bridge and Manhattan skyline. They are now available in stores. In the summer of 2008,
the artist announced a deal with Undrcrwn to design a limited collection of apparel.
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MIKE EPPS (Brody) has generated an extraordinary amount of buzz among his
peers and within the industry for being one of the funniest comic actors to emerge in the
Hollywood scene as of late. 2008 was an impressive year for Epps. In February, he
appeared in the ensemble comedy Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins opposite Martin
Lawrence, James Earl Jones and Joy Bryant. In April, he was seen in the indie film The
Grand, directed by Zak Penn and starring Woody Harrelson and Cheryl Hines. Epps also
wrapped production on his next feature, reteaming with Ice Cube to star in Janky
Promoters, a comedy about two shady concert promoters who get into hot water when
their chance to book a superstar rapper goes awry. The film is due in theaters March
2009.
Epps recently reprised his role as L.J. in the futuristic action-horror franchise
Resident Evil: Extinction, which placed No. 1 at the box office for two consecutive
weeks. Epps also had a small but dramatic role alongside Don Cheadle in Talk to Me
and appeared with Will Smith in Hancock.
When Epps isn’t filming, he’s often traveling around the country with his comedy
act, “The Mike Epps on the Edge Tour,” performing to sold-out theaters and arenas
across the country. Last year, his one-hour comedy special “Inappropriate Behavior”
aired on HBO and was one of the network’s top-rated one-hour specials of the year.
Later that fall, Epps transitioned to hosting duties as the new host of HBO’s “Def
Comedy Jam.”
Since 2000, Epps’ comedic film roles have exploded. In 2002, he was seen
starring opposite Ice Cube in All About the Benjamins. Epps also reprised his role as
Day-Day in Friday After Next, the third installment of the Friday series. In 2003, he
appeared in The Fighting Temptations, alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce
Knowles, and in 2004 he was seen in the blockbuster sequel Resident Evil: Apocalypse,
starring Milla Jovovich.
In 2005, Epps provided comic relief as a loud-mouthed garbage man in Roll
Bounce, a film set in the late 1970s about the roller-skating lifestyle. It also starred Bow
Wow, Chi McBride and Nick Cannon. Epps went on to play a pivotal role in the romantic
comedy Something New, starring Sanaa Lathan as a black career woman who
unexpectedly finds love with a white working-class man, played by Simon Baker. Earlier
that same year, Epps starred in two classic remakes. First, he was seen in the wellreceived comedy Guess Who, starring Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac. He then starred
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in the remake of The Honeymooners as comedy legend Ed Norton alongside Cedric the
Entertainer as Ralph Kramden.
A native of Indiana who has steadily climbed his way up the stand-up comedy
ranks, Epps’ comedic talent was first recognized by a national audience in 1995 when he
appeared on the Def Comedy Jam Tour and HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam” broadcasts.
Epps moved to Los Angeles after his successful performance at the 1999 Laffapalooza
festival in Atlanta.
During a performance at L.A.’s Comedy Store, Epps caught the attention of Ice
Cube. This led to him being cast in the co-starring role of Day-Day in his feature film
debut, 2000’s hit comedy Next Friday. Epps has also appeared in Bait with Jamie Foxx,
How High with Method Man and Dr. Dolittle 2, providing the voice of Sonny.
Epps currently resides in Los Angeles.
WOOD HARRIS (Guch), a product of Chicago’s notorious West Side and deeply
influenced by the paradoxes of the inner city, is best known for his gritty, complex
performances. Harris portrayed the cunning and ruthless Avon Barksdale in HBO’s
original television series “The Wire,” an international sensation praised as “the greatest
dramatic series ever produced for television...brilliant and superbly acted.”
While he was in high school, the age of hip hop was dawning and music became
Harris’ primary means of expression. The young artist formed the rap group Fruit of the
Mind and began to produce and perform original music.
While earning a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from New York University’s Tisch
School of the Arts, Harris became well known in New York’s underground poetry scene.
Together with contemporaries Saul Williams, Mos Def, Talib Kweli and others, the group
became innovators of a distinctive oratory style of poetic rhythm and delivery derived
from black culture, high art and hip hop.
During his tenure at New York University, Harris landed his first major film role in
the basketball drama Above the Rim, starring opposite Tupac Shakur, and was cast as
the lead actor in Morningside Prep, a short film directed by filmmaker Malcolm Lee. In
Morningside Prep, Harris played an unforgettable character named Derrick “D-Train”
Trainer, a performance that netted him a New York City First Run Film Festival Best
Actor Award.
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Harris has appeared in many theatrical stage productions, including the leading
role of Levy in August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” the New York City Negro
Ensemble Company’s “A Soldier’s Story,” Shakespeare in the Park’s “Troilus &
Cressida” and the original Off-Broadway production of “Waiting for Lefty,” directed by
Joanne Woodward and starring Marisa Tomei.
His film work includes roles in the Oscar®-winning drama As Good as It Gets and
Woody Allen’s Celebrity. After appearing in the hit Remember the Titans, Harris was
recognized with NAACP Image Award and Blockbuster Movie Award nominations for his
performance as Julius “Big Ju” Campbell. Harris received more critical acclaim as a
leading man when he portrayed legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix in the Showtime original
movie “Hendrix” and depicted the compelling odyssey of Ace in the feature Paid in Full.
Since wrapping production on the final season of “The Wire,” Harris has worked
nonstop in front of the camera and behind the scenes on numerous film, television and
music projects.
CISCO REYES (Jesus) was recently seen guest starring on TNT’s hit drama
“Leverage,” with Timothy Hutton. On the big screen, he co-stars with Ice Cube and Mike
Epps in the upcoming feature comedy Janky Promoters. His other film credits include
Freedom Writers, Johnson Family Vacation, Feel the Noise and the recently completed
indie horror film Marco Polo.
Reyes is the youngest of seven siblings and his father hails from Puerto Rico and
his mother from Trinidad. Raised in New York, Reyes attended Baltimore’s Morgan State
University and studied the theatre. Upon moving to Los Angeles, Reyes immediately
found work in television. In addition to a recurring role on “Everybody Hates Chris,” his
other credits include “ER,” “Numb3rs,” “Las Vegas,” “Day Break,” “CSI: Miami,” “CSI:
New York” and “The Parkers.” He also appeared in Spike Lee’s acclaimed telefilm for
Showtime, “Sucker Free City.”
Reyes is a gifted voiceover performer and has given voice to video game
characters in “Scarface,” 50 Cent: Bulletproof” and “SWAT 4.”
When not acting for film, television or the stage, Reyes enjoys sailing, skiing,
martial arts and billiards, among many other interests. He currently resides in Los
Angeles.
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YASMIN DELIZ (Chita) left home at sixteen for California to pursue her music career.
By that time she was already a world traveler, having been born in Caracas, Venezuela
and growing up in Jamaica Queens, New York. As an adolescent she was influenced by
stars like Mariah Carey, Julia Roberts and J Lo. At ten years of age her parents were
supportive of her dream of becoming an entertainer, although each gave her a warning:
finish school and "stay true to yourself"
Currently, Yasmin hosts “Crash Y Yasmin Uncensored” on Mun2, Telemundo’s bilingual
music network; and this summer, she stars as "Chita" in Summit Entertainment’s feature
film “Next Day Air.”
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ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
BENNY BOOM (Director) is one of the top music video and commercial
directors in the industry. His extensive experience, tireless work ethic and creative
genius have led him to produce some of the most groundbreaking and attentiongrabbing videos of the new millennium. From 2003 to 2006, no director made more
music videos than Benny Boom.
Formally trained at Temple University’s School of Radio, Television and Film,
Boom honed his skills working under such directors as Hype Williams, Little X and Paul
Hunter. In 2000, Boom directed his first music video and the rest is MTV history.
To date, Boom has directed more than 100 inspiring music videos for artists such
as P. Diddy, The Pussycat Dolls, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, Keyshia Cole,
Akon and Robin Thicke. In between videos, he also directed commercial spots for
Honda, Jeep, Sears, Gatorade, Jolly Rancher candies and Reebok.
By all accounts, Benny Boom is poised to make an impact on the Hollywood
landscape. His ability to consistently exceed expectations makes him one to watch in
coming years. Currently, the young director is developing several feature film projects.
BLAIR “BUTTA” COBBS (Writer) hails from “Philly” and brings with him the
undeniable swagger that has made the City of Brotherly Love famous. After graduating
from New York Film Academy, his ambitions led him to Los Angeles, where he began
his journey to follow in the footsteps of great writer-directors such as Spike Lee and
Quentin Tarantino. Hooking up with producer Inny Clemons in 2002, Cobbs and his new
partner established a film company, Secret Society Films, that would earn them respect
within the industry.
SCOTT ARONSON (Producer) is the Chief Operating Officer of Melee
Entertainment, which he founded in 2002 as a joint venture with music mogul Bryan
Turner and DreamWorks.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Aronson returned to his
hometown of New York City to enter the film business. After working on several features,
he eventually settled in as a production manager for commercials and music videos.
Seeking new challenges, Aronson left NYC for San Francisco to attend the University of
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California’s Hastings College of the Law. After graduation, he spent the next three years
as a litigator in Los Angeles.
Aronson’s involvement in copyright litigation led him to a 16-year stint in the
music business, primarily as a senior executive at Interscope, Sony and EMI. He did
Suge Knight’s first major music deal with Sony in 1991, which provided the funding to
record Dr. Dre’s seminal LP “The Chronic” and the subsequent formation of Death Row
Records, which, only coincidentally, followed him from Sony to Interscope and finally
EMI.
Aronson now resides in Sherman Oaks with his wife, an attorney, and their three
children.
INNY CLEMONS (Producer) is a Chicago native who graduated from Northern
Illinois University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre. He immediately
moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a working actor. After two years
of working in television production, he finally got an opportunity to star in a new
television series for PBS, “Common Ground.” This led to Clemons landing a recurring
role on the critically acclaimed CBS series “Judging Amy.” Combining a decade of acting
and production experience, the future looks bright for Clemons and his production
company, Secret Society Films.
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Credits
Directed by
BENNY BOOM
Written by
Blair Cobbs
Produced by
SCOTT ARONSON
INNY CLEMONS
Executive Producers
BRYAN TURNER
SHAUN LIVINGSTON
STEVE MARKOFF
BRUCE McNALL
STEVE BELSER
Director of Photography
DAVID ARMSTRONG
Production Designer
BRUTON JONES
Editor
DAVID CHECEL
Costume Designer
RITA McGHEE
Casting by
ROBI REED
Music by
THE ELEMENTS
Music Supervisor
PAUL STEWART
Co-Producers
DONALD FAISON
MELINA KEVORKIAN
GERALD RAWLES
Line Producer
MICHAEL WILLIAMS
DONALD FAISON
MIKE EPPS
WOOD HARRIS
OMARI HARDWICK
DARIUS McCRARY
CISCO REYES
With
DEBBIE ALLEN
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And
MOS DEF
EMILIO RIVERA
LOBO SEBASTIAN
MALIK BARNHARDT
LAUREN LONDON
And Introducing
YASMIN DELIZ
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Unit Production Manager
First Assistant Director
Second Assistant Director
Leo
Brody
Guch
Shavoo
Bodega
Buddy
Jesus
Chita
Rhino
Hassie
Eric
Ms. Jackson
Ivy
Wade
Derrick
Hector
Carlos
Cass
Deuce
Shavoo's Girl
On Scene News Reporter
Michael Williams
Nicholas Lee
Elion Olson
CAST
Donald Faison
Mike Epps
Wood Harris
Omari Hardwick
Emilio Rivera
Darius McCrary
Cisco Reyes
Yasmin Deliz
Lobo Sebastian
Malik Barnhardt
Mos Def
Debbie Allen
Lauren London
Jo D. Jonz
Shawn Michael Howard
Peedi Crakk
Lombardo Boyar
Barry "Cassidy" Reese
Inny Clemons
Alexandra Merejo
Sundy Carter
Fine Woman 1
Trinidad Mann
Fine Woman 2
Ravyn Douglas
Old Man 1
Old Man 2
Madison Shockley
Kevin Benton
Security Guard
Brizona Gayles
Bank Manager
Gerald Rawles
The Elevator Guy
Kera
Kera's Friend
Clarence B. Douglas, III
Shannen "Lacey" Franklin
Christina Ly
Stunt Coordinator
Julius LeFlore
Stunt Performers
Kurt Lott
Marcus Salgado
Josephe Tureaud
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Stand-ins
Production Supervisor
Camera Operator
First Assistant Camera
Second Assistant Camera
Additional Second Assistant Camera
Film Loader
High Speed Camera Technician
Video Assist
Additional Philly Camera
Still Photographer
Chief Lighting Technician
Best Boy Electric
Set Lighting Technicians
Key Grip
Best Boy Grip
Dolly Grips
Grips
Production Sound Mixer
Boom Operator
Armonn Livingston
Don Wilson
Eric A. Haynes
Daniel Stilling, SOC
Richard E. Garcia
Steve Hertler
Louis Normandin
Victor H. Avila
John Wagner
Ignacio Martinez, Jr.
Darren Malone
Adam Taylor
Armando Salas
Bill Persaud
Dessie Coale
Blane Dydasco
Bill Fernandez
Mike Gioulakis
Ryan "Sparky" Lynch
Greg Flores
Keith Mentze
Danny Roberts
Gor Haroutunian
Graeme Dickson
Jerremy Hamm
Enrique Rico
Anthony Ryan
Michael C. Moore
Veda Campbell
Klair Ethridge
Reggie Dunn
Utility Sound Technician
Michael Gilday
Tim Jones
Costume Designer
Costume Supervisor
First Set Costumer
Rita McGhee
Jo Rosen
Dionne Barens
Key Makeup Artist
Assistant Makeup Artist
Nikki Carbonetta
Steve Costanza
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Additional Makeup Artist
Makeup Effects Artist
Key Hair Stylist
Assistant Hair Stylilst
Property Master
Assistant Property Master
Armorer
Set Designer
Set Decorator
Lead Person
Shopper
On-Set Dresser
Swing Gang
Production Accountant
First Assistant Accountant
Production Coordinator
Assistant Production Coordinator
Office Production Assistant
Second Second Assistant Director
Key Set Production Assistant
Set Production Assistants
Script Supervisors
Shannon Pezzetta
Danielle Noe
Lisa Buford
JoAnn Gerard
Dort Clark
David Frappier
Mike Tristano
Anna DeCoster
Elizabeth "Lulu" Stewart
Marcel A. Restrepo
Tamra Stern
Natasha Gerasimova
Ricky Bartlett
Russell Drake
Brent Guido
Nicholas Rake
K. Lenna Katich
Christian C. Malouf
Eric A. Haynes
Jonathan Rothell
Harry Tran
John D. Horlick
Aaron Penn
Tansey Allen
John R. Carpenter
Carolyn W. Golden
Shelly M. Heyward
Juwan Lee
Elisa A. Forni
Kris Smith
Storyboard Artist
Ruby Flores
Location Manager
Jeff Crandell
Assistant Location Manager
Jasmin Paris
Construction Coordinators
General Foreman
Paint Foreman
Propmaker
Christopher Garr
Dante Thomas
Jose Miranda
Steve Koia
George Ferganchick
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Set Painter
Laborer
Special Effects Coordinator
Special Effects Foreman
Assistant Special Effects
Transportation Coordinator
Transportation Captain
Transportation Co-Captain
Drivers
Studio Teacher
Melee Executive
Assistant to Mr. Aronson
Assistant to Mr. Clemons
Assistant to Mr. Boom
Catering by
Craft Services by
Set Medic
Eduardo S. Alvarez
David Alvarez
Tom Ceglia
Albert Lannutti
Chris Bailey
Chris McGuinnis
J. Smith
Jay Wylie
Andy Spilkoman
Andrew Guaderrama
Anthony M. Guaderrama
Jerry L. Knight
Michael B. Lepayese
David Queirolo
Mike Regen
Katharine Chang
Rick "Panama" McClymont, Jr.
Darryl "Lucky" Rodgers
Cast and Crew Motion Picture Catering
Simply Delicioso
Maria Yolanda Del Pilar Perez
Matthew Gabler
Security Coordinator
Roy Roman Ruiz
Animals provided by
Animal Coordinator
Animal Savvy
Sarah Clifford
Animal Handlers
Extras Casting
Casting Assistant
Electronic Press Kit
Ken Moordigan
Erin Shelley
Diana Smith
Sande Alessi Casting
Doran Reed
Derrick Clemons
Post Production Supervisor
J.M. Logan
Post Production Accountant
Marilyn Penn-Lindley
Assistant Editor
Assistant Editor
Thomas Han UL Park
Asim Matin
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Music Supervisor
Paul Stewart
Sound Supervisor
Chris Reynolds
Foley Artist
Dialogue Editor
Foley Editor
Re-Recording Mixers
Foley Recordist
ADR Recordist
Sound Editor
Audio Post Production Services by
Monique Reymond
Thomas A. Harris
Tom Balazs
James Young, C.A.S.
Chris Reynolds
Tom Balazs
Nick Beljic
Michael Ferdie
Chace Audio -- Burbank, CA
Visual Effects by
23D Films, Inc.
VFX Supervisor for 23D FILMS, Inc.
VFX Producer for 23D FILMS, Inc.
VFX Compositor
VFX Compositor
Joe Russo
James A. Fino
Justin Cook
Ben Ceccarelli
Color Correction & Visual Effects by
COMPANY 3
Co3 Executive Producer
Producer
On-Line Editor/VFX Artist
VFX Artist
Co3 Technologist
Co3 Assists
Colorist
Completion Bond provided by
Insurance Services
Production Legal Services Provided by
Rights and Clearances by
Stefan Sonnenfeld
Chocez Peterson
Salvatore Catanzaro
Dave Neuberger
Mike Chiado
Todd Crawford
Jorge Tanaka
Dave Hussey
Film Finances, Inc.
DeWitt Stern Group, Inc.
Reder & Feig, LLP
Glenn D. Feig, Esq.
Tara A. Senior, Esq.
Noor Ahmed
Hollywood Script Research
23
"CEREBRO ORGASMO ENVIDIA & SOFIA"
"AGUANILE"
Written by Martin Buscaglia and Gonzalo Brown
Performed by Martin Buscaglia
Courtesy of Lovemonk Records
Written by Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe
Performed by Marc Anthony
Courtesy of Sony BMG Music Entertainment (US
Latin) LLC
By arrangement with Sony BMG Music
Entertainment
"EL DIA de MI SUERTE"
"I GET MONEY"
Written by Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe
Performed by Marc Anthony
Courtesy of Sony BMG Music Entertainment (US Latin)
LLC
By arrangement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Written by C. Jackson, W. Stanberry, Kirk
Robinson
Performed by 50 Cent
Courtesy of Shady/Aftermant/Interscope Records
under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Published and administered by Universal Music
Corp. (o/b/o itself and 50 Cent Music)
(ASCAP)/Songs of Universal, Inc.
(o/b/o itself and First Priority Music
Publ.)(BMI)/Hot Buttermilk Music, Inc (ASCAP)),
Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved.
Contains elements from "Top Billin". Written by
Kirk Robinson and performed by Audio Two.
Produced under license from Atlantic Recording
Corp, by arrangement with Rhino Entertainment
company, A Warner Music Group company.
"COCAINE"
Written by Robin Thicke and James Gass
Performed by Robin Thicke
Courtesy of Interscope Records under license from
Universal Music Enterprises
The Producers Wish to Thank
Seth Willenson
Mathieu Ratthe
Keenan Townes
Peter Marshall at DeWitt Stern Group, Inc.
Melissa Madden at Hollywood Production Center 2
Lori Killam at Panavision
Chris Rogers at Cinelease
Austin Lander at Lacy Street Production Center
Platinum Motorsport
Lorett Bayle at Eastman Kodak
Peter Marshall at DeWitt Stern Group, Inc.
Gianto Watches
Gail Porter
Gordon Bobb
Tajamika Paxton
Mike Elliot
Christine Clemons
Nikki Diesel
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Horace Alsbrooks, Jr.
Stock footage provided by Veer, Sony Pictures Stock Footage,
and Paramount Stock Footage Library
© 2008 Melee Entertainment L.L.C, A-Mark Entertainment, LLC and Rock Capital Holdings, LLC.
All Rights Reserved.
The characters and incidents portrayed and the names herein are fictitious.
Any similarity to the name, character, or history of any person is
entirely coincidental and unintentional.
This motion picture photoplay is protected pursuant to the provisions of
the laws of the United States of America and other countries.
Any unauthorized duplication and/or distribution of this photoplay may
result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.
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