Movies Columbus Short Talks Cadillac Records & Paparazzi

Photography by Sam Comen

One of our most anticipated movies of the year, Cadillac Records'a musical biopic about the epochal music label Chess Records'hits theaters today. And we haven’t been anticipating it just because it’s written and directed by Darnell Martin (if you didn’t know, she was the first African American female director to have a major movie studio back her film), that’s just an added bonus. We’re also amped because the cast is ridiculous'Adrian Brody as Leonard Chess, Beyonce as Etta James, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, Mos Def as Chuck Berry and relative newcomer Columbus Short as Little Walter. Smells like a banger to us.

We profiled Columbus Short in our December/January issue’s “Upstarts” column because we think out of all the young dudes coming up in the game, there’s a good chance he’ll do some damage. Unlike most young gunners, he’s shying away from the easy money and meticulously picking his roles (hey, Stomp The Yard > You Got Served). In this uncut version of the interview, Short gives his thoughts on Tyler Perry movies, his future projects and why he’s not trying to wind up like Brandon Routh. Who? Exactly!