Kevin Costner re-teams with the writer and director of The Upside of Anger, Mike Binder, for his latest film, Black or White. In it, he plays Elliot Anderson who, as the movie starts, is widowed after his wife is killed in a car crash. This is only the latest tragedy to befall Elliot though, as he also lost his daughter to drugs years before, and all he has left in terms of family is his granddaughter, Eloise (Jillian Estell).
In the process of dealing with his own grief, he is forced to contend with Eloise’s African-American grandmother Rowena (Octavia Spencer), who wants her back in the custody of her father Reggie (Andre Holland), a known drug addict that Elliot blames for the death of his daughter. Before he knows it, a custody battle heats up and Elliot becomes determined to keep Eloise living with him, as he feels he provides a safer environment than either Rowena and Reggie could.
The press day for Black or White was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California last week and it allowed me the opportunity to speak with Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer and Anthony Mackie, who plays Rowena’s lawyer, Jeremiah Jeffers. All three actors were happy to talk with me about their new film, as we discussed why it was so difficult to get financing, the reactions that they’ve seen so far, why they signed on and much more.
Check it all out in the video above and be sure to catch Black or White when it hits theatres this Friday.