Sometimes, there are greater things that help you overcome the most challenging moments.
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is starting its theatrical run on September 2, and ComingSoon spoke with leading actors Sterling K. Brown and Regina Hall about what fans should expect from their upcoming film. Honk for Jesus offers a fresh look at a Southern Baptist megachurch through the relationship problems of pastor Lee-Curtis Childs and his first lady, Trinitie Childs.
“The film is a satirical comedy starring Regina Hall as Trinitie Childs – the proud first lady of a Southern Baptist megachurch, who together with her husband Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown), once served a congregation in the tens of thousands,” reads the synopsis. “But after a scandal forces their church to temporarily close, Trinitie and Lee-Curtis must reopen their church and rebuild their congregation to make the biggest comeback that commodified religion has ever seen.”
Tudor Leonte: Regina, I really appreciated the all-around character you portrayed in Honk for Jesus. What was the most difficult task you encountered in playing a Church’s First Lady?
Regina Hall: Probably, just trying to find the right balance of strength and that role of being submissive for lack of balance.
Sterling K. Brown: Reservedness.
Hall: Yeah. That, yeah. Reservedness, thank you.
Brown: You’re welcome.
Hall: [Laughs] Probably, finding the right balance of that I believe.
Sterling, you were perfect in the role of the narcissistic pastor.
Brown: Was he a narcissist?
Hall: Yes!
Brown: Get outta here! [Laughs]
I don’t mean to offend you. I was talking about your character.
Brown: No, none taken. You can’t offend me with facial hair like that, Tudor. What are you talking about player? Come on.
What are your main sources of inspiration for your character?
Brown: Jesus. [Laughs]. No, you let him be the reason for the season. Amen. Look, I watched a lot of televangelists on TV and whatnot. I’ve gone to many churches throughout my childhood. There’s an amalgam of different things. Probably even pop culture. I think about Arsenio Hall in Coming to America, like the way different things sort of sit into your consciousness. You know what I’m talking about. There’s a whole slew of life experiences that sort of informs the character.
You are still showing great chemistry, even in this interview. I was just curious to know how did you build your husband-wife chemistry on set and how it was for you to shoot those scenes.
Brown: Reg is an easy person to know.
Hall: I liked him right away.
Brown: I think we both have a similar sort of openness. I think that there was something that each of us recognized in the other that was like, ‘I can trust this person,’ to be open with them.
Hall: I respect him so much as an artist so that you’re gonna have fun to play. When the person themselves, they’re easy to talk to and you’re working together and rehearsing together and having fun together, then it’s when you get on set and it’s time to actually go into character. It’s almost natural. The hardest scene to film probably would’ve been the love scene because one, it was hot. Remember all them covers?
Brown: Hot as hell. Heavy blankets.
Hall: Yeah. And they have such an awkward scene between the two of them.
Brown: Because it’s not awkward between us.
Hall: Yes. It’s not awkward between us, and it’s not awkward between them, except when…
Brown: Except when they gotta have sex. It’s my bad.
Hall: It’s true.
The arc of Regina’s character is all about forgiveness and redemption, even though her husband isn’t exactly a role model. Where did Trinity find the strength to forgive Lee-Curtis?
Hall: I think their relationship is bigger than the two of them. I think for Trinity, it was about God. She made a commitment and a vow to God and to that church, and there was no way, with how she felt about that covenant and how she was raised because of her mother, that she would walk away with it. She might walk away from it. She might redefine it. And also, I think a large part of her identity, like 70% is in being a First Lady. So she had to forgive.
Brown: Like Carmela and Tony [Soprano]. I was just watching Impeachment yesterday, thinking other sorts of parallels of black people stay. It’s bigger than just the two of them.
Hall: It’s bigger than just the two of them.
