Were you able to speak with anyone in Italy who had a relative in the war?
"We remained busy but Italy was just one big place of monumental and beautiful architecture. I had no connection to it at first or at all, and I did not get a chance to, because our boot camp, it took us right in to filming so I didn’t get a chance to speak with anyone. But I went accidentally, if you want to say, to a lot of landmarks. I went shopping one time and I found out the place that I loved, this beautiful city, there was a plaque that said that the Buffalo Soldiers were the first soldiers that were Allied that they saw behind these walls. I didn't get to talk to many, but I saw the impact they had."
Was it a real emotional moment for you when you saw the plaque?
"It was, because I was in the middle of an Italian village and, you know, you see one village and then sometimes they all look the same and you’re like, 'You know, I think I've seen enough touristy things.' And then it gives you a new meaning when you see ‘In Memory of John Fox,' an American soldier who happened to be African-American who gave his life to save the lives of others. That touches you."
I've heard Miracle at St Anna described as "a movie about a war, but not a war movie". In what way is it more than a war movie to you?
"It just shows you how a war does not just devastate the men but it also impacts the families. And I love the fact that the war and the Buffalo Soldiers, you know, were just one part of the story. Another reason why I think that it’s beyond a war movie is because history has an invisible time to it and I think that things are happening in our generation, I don’t think that we plan them, I think they plan us."
Going through this experience and seeing how war affects soldiers and their families, has it changed how you look at the military today and the men and women who are serving their country?
"Yes, looking at the past gave me a different perception of the war today in the sense that I did not have a view of the men in uniforms, guys of color or whomever, as people that were wise. I always thought that, you know, a lot of them, and it’s true, some men and women in these uniforms, they join the army for schooling and because they can't find jobs. But I never knew that it started out from a patriotic community mindset in the African-American community. I did not, I just always thought it as an economic situation."
And this was your first Spike Lee film. What was that experience like?
"It was intense in the sense that he had a lot of work to do and he told us,' Hey look, you guys may never see your trailers because I need you on set.' And I think we were in our trailers maybe 15% of the movie. He ran the set like a coach running a team, and you always had to be prepared to play."
Playing the leader of the group, was that a little different than being just of the soldiers?
"You know, as they say ‘it’s much given as much as required’ – that's my quote for being a leader. And many times you may not fit in but you can't be a friend and lead at the same time, but you can be friendly."
And that's what you try to keep in mind?
"Yes, I tried to keep it in mind. Also I was just reminded of anybody who's tried to lead me, like all the way from the beginning – my parents. They weren't always popular but they got the job done. [Laughing] And your parents are there to protect and serve you, no matter how crazy they sound."
