When he brought it to me four years ago, Rodney King had just arrived, I was involved in the clean-up of L.A. and I guess it was part of my experience.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
For a long time, sure, I was letting the pressure of being Rodney King get to me. It ain't easy. Even now, I walk into a place wondering, 'What people are thinking? Do they know who I am? What do they think about what happened? Do they blame me for the all those people who died?'
It was a department where you had honesty and integrity stamped right on you when you came into the Los Angeles Police Department. If you violated that, or if you were a dishonest cop, you were terrible. We got rid of you as quickly as possible.
No one knew what Rodney King had done beforehand to be stopped. No one realized that he was a parolee and that he was violating his parole. No one knew any of those things. All they saw was this grainy film and police officers hitting him over the head.
Growing up, I think I was arrested 20-odd times by the Boston police. The good news is that I've been able to use those experiences in a lot of my roles, and that has been a blessing.
I met Rodney when I first moved to LA, so I'd say 20 years. He's the eternal teenager.
I never had the chutzpah to just come to L.A. and make it. I didn't have that confidence. I'm always surprised when I get a job.
Never lived in L.A. I've always done the New York thing.
I live in L.A., I grew up here, it's not that crazy for me because it's L.A., you know?
I was waiting for L.A. to always become something important. I gave up... I left in 1974.
I really came out to L.A. to take the money and run.