Jan 31, 2008 - Martin Lawrence stars as RJ Stevens, a popular TV talk show host who lives by a philosophy he’s dubbed ‘Team of Me’ in the Universal Pictures comedy Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. Along with his curvaceous Survivor-winning girlfriend, Bianca (Joy Bryant), RJ’s living the high life in his cushy, insulated Hollywood world. But his parents’ 50th wedding anniversary back home in George provides what turns out to be a much-needed reality check. The famous TV personality finds himself back among the people who used to know him best, and it forces RJ to reassess his ‘Team of Me’ outlook on life.
Lawrence was drawn to the film because of its multiple positive messages. In particular, the film's emphasis on the importance of family and staying connected really hit home with Lawrence. “For me, I love the heart that it has. I love it reminding us that we need to stay to what started us, which is family.”
At the Los Angeles press day for Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Lawrence joked there’s another important criteria he uses when selecting projects. “The paycheck - the paycheck usually helps me know. No, if the script is good…but the paycheck helps though, I tell you. But if the script is good, if it’s something I can read and I go, ‘You know what? If I do this film, I could do justice to it,’ then I try to get into it. It’s something I try to put out there for you guys to see, and hopefully enjoy.”
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins provided Lawrence with an opportunity to do a few more dramatic scenes than he usually gets to do in movies. “To be able to show a dramatic side in this movie for me was special for me because I don’t get an opportunity to do that very often,” admitted the actor whose credits include Big Momma’s House, Blue Streak, and Wild Hogs. “To be able to do it opposite James Earl Jones was just big. He showed me who the real vet was, because I thought I was doing something and he turned around with a tear in his eye saying, ‘Young man, can you do this?’ And I couldn’t do that. I said, ‘Oh my God, I’m dealing with a real veteran here.’ But it was a lot of fun, so I was glad I had the opportunity to do that, and try anyway.”
In fact, Lawrence wouldn’t mind leaving comedy behind for a while to be part of a dramatic film. “If the right script came along, I would love to try it. I haven’t had an opportunity because I never get sent those kinds of scripts. They don’t think of me for them for whatever reason. I never get them. That’s why when you have something like Roscoe Jenkins that allows me to have that kind of moment with James Earl Jones in the movie, I’m proud of that moment. But if I ever get the opportunity, I don’t even think it’ll be about the money. It’ll be about something that I feel that I could honestly bring to you guys to show you that side.”
Lawrence has been busy working in films and TV since the late ‘80s, and at this point has a pretty good idea of what it takes to make an audience laugh. Asked if he feels any pressure performing comedy, Lawrence replied, “Sometimes the pressure is all what you make it, you know what I mean? If it’s something that you really love what you do, you get into what you do and you work hard to do just what it is you’re trying to accomplish and make people laugh.”
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is loaded with comedians, and comedians in general stray from scripts and add their own sense of humor to their characters. Lawrence loved the free-flowing atmosphere on the set and the way everyone in the cast was able to really bring their own style to the film. “I’d be interested to see the bloopers they have because I don’t remember all of it, but I didn’t have to pull back on anything because I’ve been doing it long enough so I know when to press go and when to press stop. I just enjoyed everybody else and what they had to deliver. Michael Epps is just so funny off-camera, his energy, his spirit. Cedric singing all the time when we weren’t doing anything, just his energy and spirit… And Mo’Nique is just hilarious, so the whole cast was just a joy and just wonderful to work with.”
Despite the fact they wandered away from the script, prior to filming Lawrence worked closely with writer/director Malcolm D Lee in shaping up the screenplay. “Before we did the movie I sat down with him and I just offered my suggestion of what I thought could help the movie work,” said Lawrence. “Originally the script didn’t call for it to be a talk show host. I suggested that to him and he was sharp enough to put it in there, and I was glad he did. There were a few things that we talked about that he put in the movie that we talked about, so I was very much involved in that process.”
Lawrence firmly believes this is a film for all audiences and that Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkin’s themes are universal. “This is not just a black movie just for black audiences. It’s for everybody. It’s a movie about family, and the subject matter is not difficult. It’s about a young guy who hasn’t been home in nine years and his relationship with his family and his relationship, most importantly, with his father that is kind of sour. So there’s no color on that. You know that can happen to anybody.”
