Exclusive: 25 Years Later Vanessa Williams Revisits ‘New Jack City’Posted by Wilson Morales
March 8, 2016
Twenty-five years ago today, ‘New Jack City’ was released in theaters after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival months earlier.
Directed by Mario Van Peebles, who was making his directorial debut, the film starred Wesley Snipes, Allen Payne, Ice-T, Judd Nelson, Vanessa Williams, Bill Nunn, Chris Rock, Michael Michele, Russell Wong, Christopher Williams, Anthony DeSando, and Tracy Camilla Johns.
Snipes starred as Nino Brown, a rising drug dealer and crime lord in New York City during the crack epidemic. Ice-T plays a detective who vows to stop Nino’s criminal activity by going undercover to work for Nino’s gang, known as the CMB (Cash Money Brothers) crew.
Among that crew were Gee-Money (Payne), the Duh Duh Duh Man (Nunn), Keisha (Williams) and Kareem Akbar (Williams).
Produced with an estimated $8 million dollars budget, and with some positive reviews, the movie — released Feb. 8, 1991 — became the highest grossing independent film of 1992, grossing a total of $47.6 million domestically.
As the film continues to play on television all over the world, it has become a urban cult classic.
For Vanessa Williams, this was her film debut and as Keisha, she made quite an impression when in one classic scene where she says the memorable line, ‘Rock-a-bye, baby!’
The Brooklyn native went on to do the horror film ‘Candyman,’ before becoming one of the original cast members of Fox’s nighttime soap ‘Melrose Place,’ and then starring in the Showtime series, ‘Soul Food.’ Williams has since appeared in various theaters productions and other TV series. She recently wrapped a multi-episode arc in the CW’s series ‘The Flash.’
Blackfilm.com recently spoke with Williams about revisiting this cult classic and her experience working on the film.
What do you remember about this day 25 years ago?
Vanessa Williams: It was amazing. I was filled with gratitude. I was so overjoyed, particularily about the day of its release because I was also opening and returning to Broadway on the production in ‘Mule Bone.’ I had previously done ‘Sarafina!’ I was like, “This is a good day in acting.” I felt pretty amazing and the experience of doing ‘New Jack City’ was great. I was so green to having a regular part in a film. I had done plenty of extra work in my life such as Spike Lee’s movies and ‘Coming to America,’ but this was the first time I had been really invited to the party. It was an amazing role and an amazing cast. I felt that I had arrived in Hollywood. It was my coming out party.
Can you talk about playing Keisha and being part of the CMB crew?
VW: I grew up with brothers so I was used to being around all that male energy and I got to be the one chick who was their equal and not just a piece of tail. I also did a lot of work to toughen up, even though I grew up in ‘Do or Die’ Bed-Stuy, I grew up in the ‘Do’ section and was very, very protected and had to go inside before the street lights came on. I had a very protective style. My preparation was modeling and emulating the tough folks I saw in my hood. Knowing what it was like and what the posture was like helped the character. I gave myself a back-story as to why this family meant so much to me, and what my emotional relationship was to Wesley’s character and everyone in CMB. It was like, “Am I my brother’s keeper? Yes. I am!” For the longest time, when ever we ran into each other, especially Mario, that’s how we would greet each other. “Am I my brother’s keeper? Yes. I am.” It was an amazing time to cultivate as an actor. I had no idea that the movie would become such a cult classic that it has. I feel wonderful to be a part of it.
Then there’s the classic line, ‘Rock-a-bye, baby!’ – Can you talk about those words?
VW: It’s going to be on my tombstone or something. People are still asking me to say it. New generations of people are seeing the movie. I remember a couple of basketball players who were in LA for a conference and they were like, “Say it, say it!” It was so cute. I feel really proud to be remembered in that way. The most quoted actress in a feature film and the award goes to….Vanessa Williams.
What are you up these days?
VW: I just finished a 5-episode arc on The Flash and cultivated a new set of action hero loving fans, so that’s always wonderful. It’s really interesting to meet these intellectual, fantasy loving people who watch the show and like what I do. I just love being able to create and add to my body of work and to know that there are so many layers and characters to create and do. That’s one of the things I love about the opportunity of writing and producing my own work as well as collaborating with other people. I have a solo show that I’m gearing up to do around the country and in New York as a tour. It’s also pilot season and I’m an actress so I’m always ready.
Keisha’s scene
