Check out our exclusive interview with Frank Harts on the premiere of the pilot of ‘Prodigal Son’
Prodigal Son follows Martin Whitly, a NYPD homicide detective and the son of a convicted serial killer. Growing up with a serial killer for a father, Malcom has a unique skill set that allows him to understand the thought process of a serial killer, giving him a natural instinct and ability to solve crimes. Malcom, not only has to deal with the stresses of being a detective, but also the friction his father is causing on his mother and sister who would prefer to forget the past. The psychological exploration of Malcom, along with this Silence of the Lambs-esque relationship with his father is primarily makes Prodigal Son a compelling series, bringing a level of darkness on a classic detective drama genre. The Show stars Tom Payner, Michael Sheen, Bellamy Young, Lou Diamond Phillips, Halston Sage, Aurora Perrineau, Frank Harts, and Keiko Agena.
Frank Harts stars in Prodigal Son as JT. A Julliard trained actor, Frank Harts has performed in the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of A Raisin In the Son, and appears frequently in the HBO series The Leftovers and the Showtime series Billions. We got a chance to speak with him about the premiere of the pilot episode of Prodigal Son!
The Knockturnal: Congratulations on the show. It’s amazing. And your character is sort of like a comic relief in a show that’s dead serious. What’s your favorite part about playing that character?
Frank Harts: What I love about JT is that when I first read the pilot, he seemed on the page to have a tougher experience at first, and that was sort of what the conversations were, but then I was really, really excited to explore his softer side of the heart. I don’t even know if he knows he’s funny.
The Knockturnal: He’s kind of like a guy you think is funny but he’s not trying to be.
Frank Harts: He’s just saying how he sees it. He grew up in the streets of New York, got a military background with four tours in Afghanistan, learned what it meant to save a life as well as take one, and came back to New York City to continue to do that job of trying to save lives. But obviously he sees things through a very specific lens. And you have this guy, Malcolm, who’s like the son of a serial killer and all of a sudden, we’re supposed to trust this guy. And JT’s sort of skeptical, you know what I mean? He’s sort of wondering why everybody else isn’t a little bit more too.
The Knockturnal: You did the character so well. What were any challenges presented like “I don’t know how to get into this”?
Frank Harts: I think the biggest challenge was kicking down the first door without taking it clean off the hinges. I said every time I’d stand in front of a door to kick it down, I look back or to the side at Tom and Aurora and I would say “Since I was 7 years old…BOOM”. Kick it right off the hinges. Made it look easy. It’s all from the core. It’s all thought and core.
The Knockturnal: Awesome! What are you most excited for in the future?
Frank Harts: Yeah, we just have a little taste of one and two and basically, I’m excited to see how this relationship between JT and Malcolm develops throughout the seasons. Because right now, obviously he’s a skeptic when it comes to Malcolm. But hopefully there’ll be a chance to grow, maybe in another direction.
The Knockturnal: Do you want them to be friends or do you kind of want a nemesis vibe?
Frank Harts: No, I like this idea. I’m happy with both of those options, but there could be something cool about the whole bully on the playground fight thing and then you are best friends after. It’s like you start off one way and you sort of grow into another direction. Maybe grow a little tighter over time or not. Depending on what seems to fit as we go along, chemistry wise. And with the audience and what they enjoy and what happens in the writer’s room.
The Knockturnal: And this shoots in New York. Are you from the City?
Frank Harts: I went to Juilliard here in the City. I came from Illinois originally. Small town … Rolled up to New York City right after high school, went to Juilliard and stuck around ever since.
The Knockturnal: Do you love it?
Frank Harts: I love New York. I love New York. Are you from here?
The Knockturnal: This is my city, I’m from Brooklyn
Frank Hart: Oh you’re from Brooklyn? My mother’s from Greenpoint originally.
The Knockturnal: Oh nice! When you’re not acting, what do you like to do in your spare time?
Frank Harts: Travel. I just took my 10 and a half month old son,my wife and I just took him to meet his 97 year old great-grandfather in North Carolina to meet him for the first time and on the way we stopped at the African American History Museum in DC and popped into the theater sector, the Broadway section. I saw Paul Robeson and Ruby Dee on the wall. And turned the corner and I saw a glass case. I look closely. It said “Raisin in the Sun”. I said, “Wait a minute, I love that play”. Holy smokes, I was in it. That’s right. I looked and I’m in the case in the African American Museum.
The Knockturnal: Did you take a picture of that? You have to frame it.
Frank Harts: I took a picture of it. I got it right here. I’ll show you after. Sydney Poitier production, it was the first one and then ours with Phylicia Rashad and Audra McDonald. And then Denzel did the third one. Yeah. I didn’t even know we were in there.
The Knockturnal: And how is playing JT different from other characters you have played in the past?
Frank Harts plays JT in the new FOX show ‘Prodigal Son’
Frank Harts: Well, I’ve been fortunate enough to sort of find a niche playing all kinds of different law enforcement types, but it’s always good to switch it up every now and then. For example, I did a show called Master of None on Netflix. Season 2, I did an episode called “New York, I Love You.” I got to play this doorman with a big heart just trying to keep this building together. And it was one of the most touching episodes of the season. Even if I wasn’t in it, I would say that. Yeah, Master of None with Aziz Ansari. And that season we had Angela Bassett as well and her episode was killer. Lena Waithe wrote that episode. “Thanksgiving” and “New York, I Love You” were 2 of my favorite episodes. And so playing that doorman was great because it wasn’t a guy with a gun and a badge. He was just a regular man. Just trying to keep it together. Keep the peace. Which actually in a sense, is really JT as well in some form. Even though he has the badge and the gun, he still sort of has the same goals.
The Knockturnal: What would you say is the best part of doing this show?
Frank Harts: I really enjoyed working with Lee Toland Krieger, the director. Because he’s a filmmaker at heart, at the root. And he approaches the process in a very specific way. There is a process that he allows actors to explore. And one of the things they taught us at Juilliard is “Just because the camera starts rolling, it doesn’t mean you stop asking questions”. In a sense, actors, the best actors should also be the best detectives, asking questions until there are no questions left. And Lee allowed us to do that. And I think it paid off onscreen just working with this cast. It was just a joy to go to work, which doesn’t always happen.
The Knockturnal: Tell me about future endeavors lastly. What else can we see you in? If it’s not acting-wise, anything else?
Frank Harts: Yeah. I mean right now, I’m just focusing on this. Hoping we have a good long run, many seasons with this. And then – I like doing Shakespeare in the Park here in New York – so I’ll probably do that next Summer or some kind of play, on Broadway or off Broadway. And just reconnect with the theatrical roots. We’ll have our hiatus in the Spring and the Summertime. We’ll probably get a couple of months between seasons and I’ll do the plays then. And I can’t wait to get back to the stage.
The Knockturnal: What would you say is the hardest part transitioning from film to theater?
Frank Harts: I think the hardest part is just making sure your tools are still sharp enough. You have to keep them sharp enough so that you can go 8 shows a week, live with no breaks, assuming you’re playing a substantial role. If it’s Shakespeare or whatever it is, so that your instrument is in order. Keeping your instrument in order. Your voice doesn’t start coughing or cracking up or passing out up on stage. I think that the physical part, that is really the hardest thing.
The Knockturnal: What would you say you love more? Film acting or Theater?
Frank Harts: I do tend to love both almost equally because they both offer various specific things that I enjoy and at the root I’m not really worried about the medium. I’m worried about the writing and the character and the people I’m working with. But something about the energy of the stage. Unbeatable! Man, to have that audience right there with you. That what’s so cool about an event like this where you get to watch your television series or show episode with a live audience. So you get that instant reaction.
The Knockturnal: What was your reaction to the Pilot?
Frank Harts: Love it, I loved the pilot. I loved having that live audience reaction, so that I know how people are going to respond. You don’t get that sometimes when you’re at home in your living room. I’m excited to work with Chris and Sam, the creators on this. My desire is to just stretch to the maximum limits. To push the envelope as an actor, as far as I can go. I feel like there are a lot of tools in there I still haven’t had a chance to use yet. And I feel like I get do that with this.
Interview by Lenique Vincent.
Check out the trailer for Prodigal Son below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26C6JqBdb20
