“Rob Peace”, based on Jeff Hobbs’ 2014 New York Times bestselling novel “The short and tragic life of Robert Peace”, tells the story of a brilliant boy from Newark, NJ named Rob Peaceplayed by Jay Will. Rob is torn between his father’s dark past and his bright future. Raised by his devoted mother, played by Mary J. BligeRob risks everything he works for to free his imprisoned father, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Ejiofor, the writer and director, reveals how much he was moved by working on the film. “It’s about family, community, brotherhood, friendship, and I think those things were incredibly important to Rob Peace. I wanted to highlight that. I really hope that audiences take away from the film what an extraordinary life he led, what extraordinary challenges he overcame and how he tried to rise above it,” he says. “What always fascinated me about Rob was how much he had to juggle at any one time, how much he had to take on, so to speak. I found that incredible. That drew me into the story.”
Ejiofor takes on the role of Skeet Douglas with great commitment, spending a lot of time with Jackie Peace, Rob’s mother, to really get the essence of his characters and those of his co-star. “I met Jackie early on and we had a chance to sit down and talk,” he tells BET. “When she first saw me, she exclaimed, ‘You look just like Skeet!’ and then ran upstairs to get an old photo of him.
He adds that he also spent a lot of time at Yale University, the school Rob attended. “For Skeet in particular, I went through all of his letters and court records about his case and what happened and tried to find his voice in there,” he says.
Known for his striking portrayal of Solomon Northup in 2013’s “12 Years a Slave,” for which he was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award, the London native has proven his exceptional acting chops time and time again. Still, Ejiofor admits that juggling the roles of actor, screenwriter and director presents its own challenges. “As a performer, I can communicate in a way that is difficult to express with words,” he says. “Actors are intuitive and once a scene starts, everyone senses which direction it is going. The way you act sets the tone and the whole cast and crew pick up on those cues, which ultimately shapes the scene.”
Ejiofor continues, “Sometimes it can be a surprisingly interesting advantage just to be able to play a scene with people you know, and there was a lot of that in this film. Just being able to play those scenes adds so much to the communication as a director. That’s what I love about it.”
The 47-year-old actor speaks enthusiastically about his experience working with Mary J. Blige on “Rob Peace,” praising her as an “incredible” actress who delivered a “brilliant” performance. “I mean, as everyone knows, she’s an icon,” he says of the R&B legend. Blige’s dedication to the project deeply impressed Ejiofor, especially during the challenges. “We had started pre-production a few years ago, but like everyone else, we were crippled by the pandemic. There was a two-year hiatus followed by the struggle to get the film back on track. Through all of this, Mary J stayed true to the film. She stayed with us,” he recalls. “I have a lot of respect for her for everything she did. The story really moved her and she was able to connect with it on a deep level.”
Rob Peace hits theaters Friday, August 16. Watch the trailer below.
