One of Hollywood’s most dependable talents, Aldis Hodge has amassed many excellent performances in his career, and his turn as a literary detective in crime thriller Cross can certainly be counted among those. The Leverage vet is the third actor to portray Alex Cross following Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry, but the first to spend a full TV season inside the character’s world created by bestselling author James Patterson.
It’s no coincidence that all three are Black actors, with Patterson recently opening up about having to turn down an adaptation offer from studio execs who wanted to make Alex Cross a white character. (More on that below.)
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It turns out Aldis Hodge caught wind of James Patterson's anecdote, telling Buzzfeed that he wasn't aware of it before the author divulged it in an interview. He then shared his response to learning about the author's staunch stance on making sure Alex Cross' live-action representation remained true to that core element of the beloved character when the show hit the 2024 TV schedule. In his words:
I was shocked, impressed, and proud of that. . . . For me to step into these shoes, any time I step into a position of power or representation, it feels like a privilege and a responsibility that I'm honored to even be tasked with. I just want to carry that the right way.
I have trouble believing Aldis Hodge would be capable of mishandling or dishonoring the role of Alex Cross. Even the character would be smart enough to realize how good Hodge is. His face just has a naturally contemplative look to it that dovetails nicely.
Not that the Straight Outta Compton vet is taking the credit for how Cross doesn't shy away from its racially charged storyline of a murdered BLM activist, while sidestepping the tropes that often come with the Hollywood-ification of such a story. Hodge credits creator and showrunner Ben Watkins for highlighting "all of the assets and facets of the Black community," and for doing it all in ways that are few and far between in the world of television.
Aldis Hodge continued to spread the love for those he worked with, saying:
I'm proud to be with a team that believes in the same values that I do, especially when it comes to the representation of the culture. Stepping in his shoes is just another opportunity to disprove stereotypes, represent the truth of who we are, and help continue to open up doors of opportunity. That's what it means to me.
Thankfully, fans don't even have to worry about Hodge having a shortened run in the role of Alex Cross. Cross is already confirmed to be remaining among the list of Prime Videos best shows, as it was renewed for Seaso 2 months before the first season debuted for those with Amazon Prime subscriptions. And Watkins told THR he's got a tentative four-season plan in mind, so as long as people keep watching, the crimes will continue.
James Patterson Dropped An F-Bomb When Asked To Whitewash Alex Cross
Back in mid-November, just after Cross hit Prime Video's streaming library, James Patterson spoke with THR about each of the live-action journeys his biggest character took in the past, and revealed that when he was first approached about allowing Alex Cross to get his own movie, he turned it down out of principle despite the fact that he really could have used the money at the time. Here's how he explained it:
Here’s an interesting thing about the Hollywood Cross stuff. When I wrote the first Alex Cross book, I didn’t have a lot of money and Hollywood came calling — knock, knock, knock, knock, knock. They offered seven figures, and I did not have a lot of money. They said, 'We just want one change; we want Alex to be a white guy.' And I said, 'Fuck you.' It was painful, but I did it.
Not all bestselling authors would have that same dedication to holding true to their characters origins, but Patterson talked about how much he based parts of Alex Cross' life on his upbringing in Newburgh, New York, where he spent time with the family of the Black chef who ran the kitchen in a restaurant that his grandparents owned. So to have that get taken away would be a detriment to both the the character and the memories that led to his creation.
All eight episodes of Cross are available to stream in full on Prime Video.
