A few words with Elton Brand
The Los Angeles Lakers have always been the more Hollywood basketball team in Los Angeles, the one that draws the celebrities to those pricey courtside seats to see and be seen. But Los Angeles Clippers star Elton Brand is turning into a Hollywood player himself as co-producer of the new movie Rescue Dawn, which was inspired by the true story of a U.S. Navy pilot who was shot down over Laos in the Vietnam War and escaped a prisoner of war camp.
The 6-foot-8 power forward talked about movies, basketball and movies about basketball.
What is it about movies that appeals to you?
Just that you can take your mind to a different place. It's like an escape – even if it's a scary movie and you're fearful, or a romantic movie and you're sad, or a comedy and you're laughing. I enjoy that aspect of watching movies and moviemaking.
A lot of athletes make an album, make a movie, do a TV show, and it can seem like dabbling. How do you convince the world that this is something you take seriously?
I think I took the right step in convincing the world that this is something I take seriously by doing a serious movie. It's an intense film. You know, it's action and it's exciting, but it's very intense and very current.
Do you envision a day after basketball is done when you would make movies full time?
I really enjoy it, but I don't think I'm going to do anything full time aside from basketball. ... If the right project comes around, and I want to do it, tell a story, then I might go into it. But I'm not looking to do five films a year or anything like that.
Best basketball movie?
I liked Hoosiers. And I liked the one with Shaq and Penny [Hardaway].
Kazaam? –no, Blue Chips.
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