Daveed Diggs was focused on not “chopping off heads” during the Nickel Boys' exclusive POV shoot

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Daveed Diggs was focused on not “chopping off heads” during the Nickel Boys' exclusive POV shoot

Nickel Boys follows two black teenagers, Elwood Curtis and Turner, as they face the brutal conditions at Nickel Academy, a reform school for boys. Their friendship offers a glimmer of hope amid systemic racism and violence.

Daveed Diggs portrays Elwood as an adult in the film, which tells this story in a unique way that captures multiple points of view (literally). Diggs is an experienced actor, known for his roles in Hamilton and Snowpiercerjust to name a few. Nickel Boys is now playing in New York theaters and opens in Los Angeles on December 20.

SscreenRant interviewed David Diggs about Nickel Boyswhich is based on a book inspired by a true story. He discusses what it was about this project that made him want to be a part of it, as well as the challenges he faced because of the point-of-view filming style. Diggs also details what he hopes viewers take away from the film and discusses whether or not he would return to his film. Hamilton roles must be made a suitable film.

Daveed Diggs was trying to be “an effective cameraman” filming Nickel Boys

“I wanted to make sure I wasn't cutting off their heads.”


Two men hugging each other in Nickel Boys
Image courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

ScreenRant: This is a unique way of filming, so how do you approach acting when your face and much of your physicality won't be on camera?

Daveed Diggs: Yeah, for me, I was just trying to be an effective videographer, which I've never had to do before. So yeah, for me, it was just experimenting a lot with equipment and a monitor and trying to get some kind of basic understanding of how it was going to move and what the posture would be like, what I could do. How much story could I tell that didn't feel completely unnatural?

It was very technical on my part and mostly I wanted to do justice to my various scene partners who were giving these incredible performances, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't cutting off their heads.

Point of view footage was the last thing that attracted Daveed Diggs to Nickel Boys

“If I hear something I don't understand, that's what I want to do.”


Elwood in close-up with neutral expression in Nickel Boys

ScreenRant: What was it about Nickel Boys that made you want to be a part of it?

Daveed Diggs: Everything. I was a fan of the soap opera. Then they sent me the script and the screenplay, I thought he did a beautiful job adapting it and turning it into a real film. In fact, this novel almost feels more documentary than the film, in many ways to me. And then for the script to be something so beautiful and moving, I thought the script really did an incredible job.

And then I spoke to RaMell [Ross] about how he planned to film it, and I had no idea what he was talking about, so that was the last thing for me. If I hear something I don't understand, that's what I want to do.

Daveed Diggs praises the performances of the young Nickel Boys actors

“I was just trying not to screw it up.”


Elwood and Turner looking at a reflective surface in Nickel Boys

ScreenRant: What was your reaction when you found out that Turner took on Elwood's identity and how did that shape your performance?

Daveed Diggs: It's an incredible moment. It works in many different ways. It's very sad on the one hand to feel that everything before that moment in your life has no value, and afterwards it's also a beautiful tribute to your friend, you know? So yeah, it's a really incredible moment.

Performance-wise, I was just trying to, I don't know, get dailies of things they were filming before I got there. So when I was there, I was so enchanted by the performance of all the young actors in this film that I tried not to screw it up. It was really, for me, just getting in and getting out, not ruining all the beautiful work they're doing.

ScreenRant: What do you hope people take away Nickel Boys?

Daveed Diggs: I think one of the beautiful things about the way it's filmed is that we don't have a chance to separate ourselves from it. And I hope that because of that, it forces us a little bit to examine how this still happens today. Yes, it's a very necessary film at the moment, unfortunately.

Daveed Diggs hopes he won't be asked to do a Hamilton movie

“If we’re going to make a movie out of this, you should cast him according to his age.”


Daveed Diggs in Hamilton

ScreenRant: With the success of Evilhe must Hamilton If it were ever made into a real movie, would you go back and reprise your roles?

​​​​​​Daveed Diggs: I don't think so. I hope they don't ask me. Do you know what I'm saying? The problem with a movie is that these guys are kids. They are children. Lafayette was 19 years old when he fought in the revolution. Jefferson is the old guy at 30. So really, if we're going to make a movie like this, you should cast age-appropriately.

More about Nickel Boys (2024)

Elwood Curtis' college dream crumbles on the side of a two-lane Florida highway. Bearing the brunt of an innocent misstep, he is condemned to the underworld of Nickel Academy, a brutal reformatory sunk deep in the Jim Crow South. He finds another pupil, Turner who has seen it all. The two black teenagers form an alliance: Turner offering fundamental tips for survival, Elwood clinging to his optimistic worldview. Against the backdrop of the growing Civil Rights Movement, Elwood and Turner's existence seems worlds away from the polished oratory of the Rev. Martin Luther King. Despite Nickel's brutality, Elwood struggles to maintain his humanity, awakening new vision for Turner.

Check out our others Nickel Boys interviews here:

Source: Screen Rant Plus

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