It’s a full circle moment for Usher, because he also starred with Forest Whitaker in his first movie, a teen crime thriller called “Light It Up.” Now with “Burden,” Usher could be an award season darling.
The new Forest Whitaker drama, also starring Usher, is all about forgiveness.
Whitaker (as Reverend Kennedy:) “If you truly want to leave the Klan, then the first step is admitting what you’ve done.”
“Burden” tells the true story of a Klansman who opens up a KKK museum in South Carolina and then has a change of heart, but he sells it to a black church, led by Forest’s character, and the two become unlikely friends.
Forest Whitaker: “You get to really mark ourselves in time and see what struggles we were having as a country and a nation, but then, at the same time, you get the opportunity to see what he’s done, dedicate your life to healing.”
Talk about ”walking the walk.”
That inspiring message is what also drew in the R&B superstar and triple threat, who says he hasn’t seen any scripts like this.
Usher: “The truth is that you’ve heard the other side of the story more than you’ve seen any cases of redemption like this, so that’s why I felt it was important to share this actual, real life story. Was he born with that anger and that hatred in his heart? No, it was taught. It was also, too, remedied with love.”
It really reminds you that sometimes, real love can be much bigger, and much harder, than we think.
Crystal Fox, actress: “It’s easy to say. We romanticize it. We think it’s sweet and flowery. If you were tested with hate and you still say you’re about love, to stand up and be about that is just as difficult as it is to be redeemed.”
Plus, Forest says, “Burden,” which took 15 years to make, is finally coming out at a time when we need it most.
Forest Whitaker: “We’re in a country in a time where polarization is happening between groups, not just in this country but all over the world. I think that we have to find a way to bring people together to pass by those kind of pains.”
“Burden” hits theaters, as of right now, this Friday.
Usher has also said he has new music in the works!
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