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2016 BET Experience - ABFF Encore @ BET Experience Screening 'Destined'

Global Grind got to chat with Cory Hardrict about his dope new movie Destined and he cemented our theory that in addition to being a great actor, he’s a pretty amazing person and dad.

The Chicago native plays both leads in the highly anticipated film that has successfully made its way through the 2016 festival circuit, earning Cory many awards including the “Grand Jury Award for Best Actor” at the American Black Film Festival. If you aren’t up on game just yet, Destined explores fate by telling the parallel stories of Sheed and Rasheed; the same man’s destiny changed immensely after the tiniest incident. And prophetically enough, Cory can relate.

During our brief conversation, he talked about what it took to channel both characters for the film, growing up in Chi-Town and how his experiences made him tougher, what it’s like to watch he and wife Tia Mowry‘s adorable mini-me Cree grow up, and more. He also touched on playing Haitian Jack in the upcoming Tupac Shakur biopic, All Eyez On Me.

All in all, it’s clear Cory is the leading man to watch. Check out some of our chat below.

On the challenges in switching from Rasheed the architect, to Sheed the drug lord:

We shot Rasheed first so I could concentrate on one character, then we went over to the drug lord’s character. It was still kind of challenging. I had to make sure both characters – who were completely different – were still grounded and real. I pulled it off! (laughs).

On growing up on the South Side of Chicago and how that shaped his own Destiny:

When you’re a kid, you don’t really realize the circumstances of your surroundings…until you get older and think ‘Wow, I used to live in that environment and that world.’ That’s all you know, so you just adapt and enjoy life and you live… and you have that whole ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality. You know what it takes. Growing up, I learned a lot. If it wasn’t for Chicago, I don’t think I would’ve been able to succeed in Hollywood. I use those same values I had growing up there and I apply them to my life here to move in the direction I want to go in. It was great, though. I loved growing up in Chicago.

On playing Haitian Jack for All Eyez On Me:

I had several conversations with Jack. I wanted to go to the source to portray a guy who’s still alive. You hear all the stories and people were saying different things about him, but I wanted to speak with the man himself, because that’s the only way I can portray him in the film – and it was very helpful. Like I said, he was a cool guy. I took what I took from him and he gave me his blessing. I added what I knew (as far as my acting style) to his voice pattern and personality. I would say this movie will probably be the biggest movie of the year and one of the biggest of the last ten years; it’s very emotional, it’s very heartfelt, it’s real. There are some amazing characters in the movie. It’s going to be great and I get to show the world what I can do on the big screen, so that’s a blessing. Benny Boom directed one hell of a movie. 

On his favorite Tupac songs:

I love the Makaveli album, I love “Me Against The World,” that was probably one of my favorite songs…”Death Around The Corner,” I mean I just love Tupac. 

On his dream acting roles:

I don’t really have a dream role. I just pray to God that I can keep doing what I love to do and continue trusting people with my work. I just want to keep telling the truth, keep telling the truth that’s relatable to somebody I know. I always want to make sure that it comes from that place. I really just want to touch people. Kind of like how Denzel plays characters that you’ve always believed and it’s always real.

On what it’s like to watch his mini-me Cree grow up:

Aw man, it’s crazy. I love my son to death. He has a beautiful spirit. He has my personality and a lot of his mom’s as well. I’m blessed every day to just look at him. I was just playing with him. I look forward to every day with my son; that’s who I live for. He’s growing up to be a great person!

Check your local film festivals to see Cory prove what he’s made of in Destined and stay tuned for more on All Eyez On Me.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Cory Hardrict Dishes On ‘Destined,’ The Upcoming Tupac Biopic, & Fatherhood  was originally published on globalgrind.com