Ben Watkins, Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa, and James Patterson discuss the new Prime Video series.
In some ways,Aldis Hodgehas been auditioning for Alex Cross since he was a teenager.
Watkins recalls making a mental note of both Aldis and his brother Edwin.
Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross on ‘Cross’.Prime Video
I thought that was a really interesting dynamic considering their youth.
So I made a note of it.
I just kept getting these glimpses of him, Watkins says.
Ryan Eggold on ‘Cross’.Prime Video
Watkins knew that he had to nail the casting.
And once again, Hodge came to mind.
But also, I needed someone who was voracious intellectually.
Aldis Hodge and Isaiah Mustafa on ‘Cross’.Prime Video
Then when we met, I realized I was getting so much more than that.
I saw a character that was cool, calm, collected, imposing.
He was smart, ethical, but had that edge.
Ryan Eggold, Aldis Hodge, and Samantha Walkes on ‘Cross’.Prime Video
But playing Alex Cross isnt your typical role.
Not to mention that the character has been played on the big screen by bothMorgan FreemanandTyler Perry.
If you’ve only watched the movies, you wouldn’t know [about Sampson], Watkins notes.
They’re inseparable and you know you might count on that.
I knew that that was one of the things we were going to have to channel for the show.
In the end, the role went to Isaiah Mustafa.
Hes my dude, Hodge says of his costar.
That relationship explains so much about the why and who of Alex Cross, its imperative.
If you know Cross, you gotta know Sampson.
Sampson is the guy Alex goes to for advice.
And sometimes, he’s the guy giving the advice even when Alex doesn’t want to hear it.
That’s how you know they’re real friends.
In other words,Crossis not a direct adaptation of any of Pattersons novels.
They’ll get what those books feel like."
For Patterson, it was an exciting development.
And hes got some of that charisma stuff going on, too.
What do the kids call it?
He understands what’s getting done well, what’s not getting done well.
The thing that defines him is his moral fiber, Hodge says of Cross.
He sits between a rock and a hard place sometimes.
We refused to gloss over it, Watkins adds.
The conventional wisdom in Hollywood was basically: Stay away from cop shows for right now.
But Watkins remembered some advice hed received from a friend.
That’s sort of how I proceeded ever since, he says.
I thought it was really important that we shouldn’t shy away from it.
We’re not here to preach, we’re here to tell the truth from both sides.
And that conversation could just be getting started.
BeforeCrosshas even premiered on Prime Video, its been renewed for a season 2.
(Remember that huge fandom we mentioned?)
You get to a closed chapter at the end of each season."
Much like in the books, many of the characters are in it for the long haul.
Crosspremieres Thursday, Nov. 14, on Prime Video.
