Gary Langfield 
True Star recently had the opportunity to interview actor Marques Houston, most notably known for his roles in the sitcom “Sister Sister” and the movie You Got Served, about his latest project Run. Houston and director Chris Stokes have partnered up to create this urban sci-fi flick hitting theaters August 29th.
In this era of non original stories being told in Hollywood, Stokes and Houston have created a completely fresh movie designed to push the boundaries for Black storytelling. The plot for Run follows a young lady (played by Annie Ilonzeh), who leaves her fiancé at the altar and takes a spontaneous girls trip, when suddenly they have to deal with an alien invasion.
Even with such science fiction involved, Houston who co-wrote and produced the movie, emphasized, “We wanted to make a real film that everybody can relate to.” A big chunk of making a film relatable comes from performances, and after talking to Ilonzeh we knew the film was in good hands.
When asked about getting ready for the role, Ilonzeh said, “Being with my girls, Erica Mena, Erica Pinkett, Drew Sidora and Claudia Jordan, we all were in this together collaborating…let’s make this super realistic.”
The realism makes the movie very engaging as well. Part of the fun in horror is to yell at the screen, but this movie makes it really fun because the characters are actually competent. Ilonzeh said, “Nobody’s tripping over the littlest pebble, but we’re still yelling at the screen.”
An all Black sci-fi movie such as Run makes a creatively progressive statement. Houston said, “I wanna make sure we can see ourselves in these kinds of movies.” The film completely redefines what an urban movie can be by telling a bold story unapologetically.
Urban movies mostly revolve around street life like Paid In Full and In Too Deep, but this movie opens the doors for Black people to be in more creative stories. It expands our horizon, and your support can make the movie’s impact even greater.
Houston said, “The more successful we are with these urban movies the more successful we are in Hollywood.” Going to the theater and showing out for this movie will provide major opportunities for Black creatives in the near future. Houston added, “This film opens up doors for other filmmakers or talented young artists who are trying to get into acting, producing, writing or directing.”
Go to the theater and check out the movie to support. As Houston pointed out, “A win for us is a win for the culture.”
By Gary Langfield Jr.
Instagram: @ima_menace21
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