The show’s executive producers discussed the creation of Peacock’s thrilling story about a heist that changed the fabric of an entire city.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00It's an incredible story that people don't know I certainly didn't know you know
00:04And I love the idea of this story that is so steeped in african-american culture that a lot of african-americans
00:10Don't know a lot of mainstream folks don't know it's just a story that you know people know about that fight
00:16Right Jerry Corey was one of the first great white hopes
00:20But a lot of people don't know that this is still to this day the biggest heist in the history of Georgia
00:25One of the biggest heist in the history of America. I'm thinking black Vegas
00:30Gambling with women you still need to reach out to the council of all the top black bosses across the nation
00:37What the fuck is this chicken man chicken man chicken wing?
00:41You don't speak chicken
00:48So say my first question I want to ask you what intrigued you about the true life story of fight night
00:54just to be able to
00:56to tell
00:58Really an origin story of Atlanta that was the thing that always pulled me and being a native of just like oh
01:03If you're from a certain place and you're an artist
01:05I think the dream is that can I tell a quintessential story or a story about where I'm from so for me
01:10It was just I've seen it done this man has done it to a certain extent
01:13And it was an opportunity for me to be involved and tell the origin story of this city
01:17I just love so deeply so it was pretty simple for me
01:21And then we're why was it important to you to bring this story to life on film
01:26It's an incredible story that people don't know I certainly didn't know you know
01:30And I love the idea of this story that is so steeped in african-american culture
01:35That a lot of african-americans don't know a lot of mainstream folks don't know
01:40It's just a story that you know people know about that fight right Jerry Quarry was one of the first great white hopes
01:46But a lot of people don't know that this is still to this day the biggest heist in the history of Georgia
01:52One of the biggest heists in the history of America, so when you've got something
01:56That's so good. That's got all those cinematic elements that hasn't been told as a producer
02:01I see it as an opportunity see that as an opportunity that if we execute it right it can be the definitive
02:08Telling of that story that you hope will stand the test of time for years and maybe even generations to come
02:15Now for you say I was uh you know there's Kevin Hart
02:19There's Sam Jackson Terrence Howard tries to be hints in there a lot of comedians and actresses
02:23I wanted to ask you. What was the energy like on set with all these different characters and personalities. What was that like?
02:30It was like being on set with Sam Jackson's Raji P. Henson
02:38Like it was going it was like going to like the most like iconic like
02:44Like cookout dinner you ever want to like be invited to but it's but in terms of talent
02:51But they're all workers, and they were all invested in their roles, and they were all like collaborators
02:56They I'm a collaborator as a writer and a producer and a creative and so for me to be able to collaborate with some of these
03:02icons and have them like having
03:04Terrence be as invested in his role as he was and being able to like
03:08Actually develop that character with him was like that's the dream for me that that was you know
03:13But also I would just say it was exhilarating and it was daunting. That would be the way I would describe it
03:19How about a your experience? I will like was it any different from what she said did you have a different perspective on it?
03:25You know when you work hard to put it together you want it to go right and so from my perspective
03:30I'm trying to make sure everybody has the tools that they need I'm trying to make sure that everybody
03:35You know that the trailers are right and their hair stylists are on time and wardrobe fits
03:39You know I just got to make sure
03:41Because I'm kind of general managing the project if you use a sports analogy
03:45And I got all these stars and all these very talented people in front and behind the camera
03:50I just got to make sure
03:51They have what they need and I can stand back and get out of the way and let the pros work and boy did they?
03:58Work they went to work on this. He's a he's a GM. Super. He's a super team Jim
04:03I'll take that. I like that. I love that. Oh now say you spoke about this a little earlier, too
04:08So I wanted to get your perspective. How do you think this event changed the city of Atlanta in your eyes? I
04:16Think it was Atlanta's it was it was a series of events that I think changed Lana
04:20This was the first one in my opinion in terms of like the modern Atlanta and the way it did was that it was
04:25Atlanta announcing itself to the world of like we're opening up the doors to the world
04:31Of like we're open for business where the city that's too too busy to hate
04:36It's two years
04:37You know, it's what maybe a few years off the civil rights bill
04:40We're a couple of years off of Brother King getting assassinated of dr. King
04:45I'm sorry getting assassinated and this is a city that's kind of at an inflection point and this fight
04:49Them putting on this fight when nobody in the country want to put on an Ali fight and you have this bastion of the Confederacy
04:56Doing it that is a city that is saying we different. Yeah, we trying to do something different here
05:00So for me, it was like that moment was an announcement to the world of like here
05:04We're Atlanta. We're open for business. And I think that was kind of like the thing that started off
05:08It was a shot across the bow like for me
05:11Well, thank you so much gentlemen. I really appreciate this an amazing amazing series. Thank y'all. Thank you brother