Larenz Tate Exclusive Interview on ‘White Water’

Larenz Tate White Water
The cast of ‘White Water’ (Photo Courtesy of TV One)

This weekend TV One aired the movie White Water, a story of the segregated South in 1963 as seen from a child’s perspective. Michael (played by twins Amir and Amari O’Neill) wants to taste water from the Whites Only water fountains because he thinks it will taste better. His single mother (Sharon Leal) has her hands full because Michael’s father, Terrance (Larenz Tate), is busy fooling around with other women.

When TV One brought White Water to the Television Critics Association, I got to speak with Tate about his role in the film.

You’ve done period piece films in the ‘70s and Vietnam Era. Have you ever done one in 1963 during segregation?

Larenz Tate: “You know, dealing with Civil Rights specifically, no. This is my first one. I’ve read them. The scripts come across my desk but this was so cool because when you think about Alabama, you think about 1963, you think about Selma, you think about all the things that happened, bombings of churches, Montgomery, crazy things. This one deals with the subject matter but not as harsh. Because you have a child who is going through a journey and asking questions, as simple as what’s the difference between white water and colored people water? What’s the difference? Water being the most neutral thing you can find, the absurdity of it all is just kind of interesting, and a child brings a charm to it. So I had never done anything like this.

Because I have three little boys myself, I thought this would be an interesting way to talk about subject matters of segregation and discrimination as it relates today. We still discriminate against people by race or creed or sexual preference. We do that a lot and it’s absurd. We’re different and we can cohabitate in this world without having the senselessness of separate water fountains.”

Is the process of doing a period piece the same from The Inkwell and Dead Presidents to White Water?

Larenz Tate: “It was a little different because, again, dealing with a time when you’re told, ‘Don’t go to this side of town because you can be in great danger if you do just by being there. The color of your skin can get you beat up or hurt or more, or killed, just for being in the wrong area.’ At least that’s what you were told and it had been seen many times. Dealing with that subject matter is just like wow, that’s a little different. What’s also cool about this particular take on it, even though those things are looming in the background of the story, no one gets lynched. You don’t see anyone get beaten or hosed down with fire hoses. It’s not that we stayed away from it for any other reason than it was just a different story.”

Was it interesting to play a character who was a real ladies man and player?

Larenz Tate: “Yeah, of course. I like that. [Laughing] Terrance is a bit of a ladies man. More than being a ladies man, he has commitment issues. That was his whole thing. Sharon Leal’s character, Annie, is the ideal person for him but he has commitment issues. But he loves his son and he wants to be the best father he could be, and he doesn’t walk around with the idea that he’s a black man. He’s just a man enjoying his life, trying to do the right thing.”

Was it an unusual experience to work with twins who played the same character, where they would switch back and forth?

Larenz Tate: “It was a little unusual but it made sense, because one was stronger as an actor in one aspect than the other. So it made a lot of sense but because they were always around at the same time, it was kind of a joy to get two different little performances.”

Have you shot any other movies that will come out after White Water?

Larenz Tate: “Yeah, I shot a movie that I produced called Beta Test where it’s an action thriller where I play a video gamer. It’s a really cool movie we shot in Seattle. We’re still editing.”

Are you the lead?

Larenz Tate: “One of the leads, yeah. Manu Bennett who is in all of the Hobbit films is costarring opposite myself.”

What gets these video gamers into an action scenario?

Larenz Tate: “With this particular guy, he’s a tester for all the video gaming companies. There’s this one specific game that becomes reality, so it was a cool story, cool concept. We put it together and produced it.”

What are the movies of yours that fans want to talk to you about the most when they see you?

Larenz Tate:Dead Presidents, Love Jones, Menace II Society and Crash.”