Sanaa Lathan recently took her talents behind the camera to mark her directorial debut with her latest film, “On the Come Up.” The movie is based on the Angie Thomas book of the same name, which follows the story of 16-year-old Bri chasing her dream of becoming a rapper. It premiered on the Paramount+ streaming platform on Sept. 23.
The film boasts a cast of talented actors, which includes Lathan, newcomer Jamila C. Gray, DaVine Joy Randolph, Miles Gutierrez, Michael Copper Jr. and several others. One of those talents lending their presence and stamp of approval to the film is Method Man. The Wu-Tang Clan group member has found himself carving out a second career as an actor in recent years. But, when it came to being on set for “On the Come Up,” Lathan said she was reminded just how much star power he possesses.
“There were days on set that I had to curse out the camera crew because they would bring records and try to get autographs in between takes,” Lathan told “Entertainment Weekly.” She continued, “I was like, ‘Oh, right, he’s a superstar.’ You forget because he’s so nice and so humble and professional. Shows up on time, knows his lines — we know that’s not the case with a lot of [his peers] — I was just so impressed.”
The rapper, whose real name is Clifford Smith, was thrust into stardom with his pioneering hip-hop group mates in the ’90s. He is currently one of the stars in 50 Cent’s “Power” universe with his role in “Power Book II: Ghost.” His other acting credits include roles in “Godfather of Harlem,” “Vampires vs. the Bronx,” “The Last O.G.,” and 2019’s “Shaft,” to name a few.
Wu-Tang Clan is on tour sans Meth. He recently explained to fans that his absence is a product of being gainfully employed. “Albums don’t sell the way they used to; I’m pretty sure you guys know that. So in order to preserve my lifestyle and to feed my family, I had to have alternative means of doing that. And I’m glad to say at 50 years old, I have options,” he said during an Instagram Live session. He continued, “I f**king love Wu-Tang; wish I could have been on that tour with them. The booking came at a bad time. I was already booked to do a movie.”
