Tone Bell – Sylvie’s Love

By starrymag | January 6, 2021

By: Malasha Parker

 

 

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for the film Sylvie’s Love.

 

A) Oh, man. Sylvie’s Love. It’s a period romantic love story, which is a Starring Nnamdi [Asomugha] and Tessa Thompson. To me, it’s beautiful and they just do an amazing job. I remember when I attached myself to the project. It was like I was talking to the director. He was like, “This is going to be even more beautiful than a black La La Land.” And it came out that way. It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful. The cast was great. The wardrobe was great. And I think they do a really good job of showing a black love story without the tropes that we normally see. It’s messy. Drama. But, I mean, it’s not stereotypical. 

 

Q) What about this story made you want to be a part of it?

 

A) Initially, it was two things: one, very shallow of me, but I really wanted to shave. I really wanted to shave because I had not shaved in like eight years and I had not seen my face. My mom ain’t seen my face. It was like I got an opportunity to shave?   And so like, yes, I was excited about that. And then I think on a separate note, especially when it comes to TV, I always play like a super nice guy. I play like just a perfect boyfriend, husband and fiance and it was very different for me to play a guy that wasn’t as likable. And even in the cut of the film that made it to the final cut, my character was a little grimier then we get a chance to see, but I think that’s nothing that was healthier for this film. Once again, like not diving into the stereotypes and just like those villainous characters, they could drive someone the wrong way. So, a lot of that didn’t really make it in, but it was fun for me to be able to play something I don’t normally play.

Q) Describe your character Dickie Brewster.

 

A) I mean, there’s always…Especially when it comes to a group there’s always that cocky dude who knows what he’s doing. He’s not the best musician, but he’s like, “This is my band.” I’m the leader of the band that wants everything to go his way, but knowing he’s not the best in the group. He’s a facilitator. And he’s a ladies man. I think honestly, too, just the name Dickie Brewster just really stood out. Like, when you see that– I’m used to playing, like Nick or Russell. And it’s like, “Oh, sh*t, I’m about to be Dickey Brewster.” And I get a chance to like let my Southern accent come out. Not something normal I do on network TV. And Eugene Ashe is such a…This is a character I think he would have played if he was if he was attaching himself to the project. I think he would have played Dickey if I’m not mistaken. I’m pretty sure that that’s either what he told me or what I heard. But, yeah, it was so far fetched from what I was used to. And then sometimes I think you have to read a script in regards to how the outcome is going to be of it. You try to play that out in your head and go, “That’s the part that I want.” Not that I had a choice. It wasn’t like that. It wasn’t like, “Oh, pick a part. Which part you want?” But when it came down to auditioning for it, I was very excited about it because it was so offbeat for me. 

 

Q) The movie is based in the 1950s. How did the atmosphere on set feel and what did you like about it most?

 

A) A lot of side garters and high waisted pants and shirts that stop at your waist. It was weird because, I mean, I don’t even know how women do this. Women have such a cause. I’m sure they have like a bunch– I saw Eva Longoria…I mean, she’s wearing all these straps and sh*t. And it’s like, “Man, y’all still do that?” I was like, “Women are having to strap up and button up and clamp for so long.” One time I got to wear sock garters and in this weird undershirt it drapes differently, but I think it was great though. I mean, like the hard bottom shoes. And I mean, you walk different. And I think everybody, once you see the clean faces and the women with the hair that’s done to perfection…Still like now, women got the hair, if that’s what you want. But as far as like being pinned up and back when you brought your curling iron…They were putting that on the stone. Kind of back to that, but it was beautiful. And it just changes your psyche, the way you walk the way you hold your shoulders and and you kind of… the technology is gone. So, it escapes you and I think a lot of us are really good about leaving our phones and our trailers and kind of living in an era. And it was really nice for everybody to kind of respect the time and, and just look so beautiful doing it. 

 

Q) Eva Longoria plays your wife in the film. What was it like working with her?

 

A) This one was because her and I worked together on another movie, but we didn’t have scenes together. So, we already knew each other from the premiere and stuff. So, it was like, okay, familiar face. And she was great, man. Like, we only had a few scenes… I think even in this cut that people see we’ll have a few moments together because like I said, my character is still kind of a grimy dude with a few other women that’s not is wife. But it was great. Me and her got a chance to really just chop it up from moments we did have on the other film together. So, we got to talk about that and then to come into this one– seeing her different. I think she was, if I’m not mistaken, she was only a few months out of having her son. I think she was three or four months from giving birth. But I think she killed it. I mean, the whole dance numbers. It was great. Shoot! And she’s so funny, man. She’s really funny. She’s way funnier than I would have expected her to be. That’s immediately like I expect people to have like a gregarious tone to them. But, man, she told me some stories. And like as a comic, sometimes you sit back, you go back to her talk because she is killing me.

 

Q) How was this movie different from movies or series you’ve done in the past?

 

A) I think I think just because it’s probably not that it’s based on reality. But I think there’s just a respect level that you have when it comes to like that era like going back that far. Knowing that we were shooting a film, getting a chance to talk to the producers and actually knowing people behind – Nnamdi [Asomugha] was very hands-on when it came to producing on this. So was Tessa.  And I happen to know a lot of people in the film, so I think it was more of a collective effort of all of us just kind of respecting the air and wanting to make this really beautiful and, hopefully, something– you know that feeling when you get when you play Love Jones… It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen it, it’s just like, I’ll at least watch these scenes. I think it  has that appeal. I think kind of has an appeal. I mean, just like The Weekend was Stella Meghie. I think it has one of those like, “Oh, I may have turned this on. But if it’s on, I’m going to watch it.” You know, after the first time you seen it. So, I think it has that kind of quality thing. All of us were respecting that. And like I said, I mean, a bunch of overnight shoots or we start at 7pm and go to 7am till the sun comes up. I think there’s just a lot of respect for each other and, especially if those of us who have never done a period piece like this.

 

Yeah, it sounds like it’s one of those movies that you’ll want to watch over and over and over just to get like that feeling from it. I think it’s that and I think there’s nothing else, there’s some scenes that you would definitely want to see. You’re gonna make, even if you watch The Temptations, like you may not watch the whole thing, but a couple scenes you’d be like, “I’m going back to that one.”

 

Q) What were some of your favorite scenes to film?

 

A) There was a really beautiful outside scene with Nnamdi’s character– we were going on the road, we were leaving town – the band was leaving town. And they had this very beautiful, kind of like that cute middle of the street shot, she runs out. He’s like, “No, I gotta go. Well, find me.” And he’s like, “I don’t want to.” And she’s like, “I don’t want you to either. Get out of here. If we’re meant to be.” And it’s like, it’s corny. But it’s so beautiful. Now we’ve seen this thing before, but it’s so big. I mean, it’s the same scene where Lorenz Tate is under the bridge in the rain, you know what I mean? It’s that beautiful. And so that’s probably one of my favorite ones. And anytime we’re in The Blue Morocco. When the band is playing and everybody is just gonna be smoking a cigarette and having a martini and the band is playing and it feels like a real show. It feels like a real show. Nnamdi did a wonderful job of learning how to play the saxophone and reggae. I used to play the drums in high school. I’ve never played the piano. I had actually learned a few notes on the piano – my wrist was hurting so bad. And Courtney [Leonard] was a real base that plays for everybody. But we all worked on it hard to where it felt like we were really in a quartet. So, I think some of those are my favorite scenes. We actually have one and it’s a super old school studio room. I’m sitting at this piano. And I think that the head of the studio – we shot in Hollywood off sunset – and this piano…Let me tell you something about this piano. This piano was like $800,000 or something crazy like that. They’re like, “Don’t spill nothing on this piano.” Now I’m afraid to do anything to turn it off. Like, “Y’all turn off the piano so I don’t f*** this up.” It was  amazing. There’s so many scenes. When you do a movie like this and you look up from your perspective, but don’t really, I think you’re surprised every time. You change your wardrobe and then between the music and the writing and the everything I think we outdid ourselves every scene. Every scene that you go [to], you’re still amazed. Every time you turn around, you’re like, “I’m used to that now – the hard bottom shoes and the old school with the cigarettes and the layout of the furniture and everything they used in the scene.” Then, you go to the next scene and you are blown away again. I think it’s that simple. I think aesthetically it’s gonna be very compelling and amazing.

 

Q) You said that you learned a couple of notes on the piano did you learn like any full songs or anything?

 

A) I did not have that kind of time. There are a couple moments. There are probably three moments in the film if I remember where I actually start the song off like or close it with my notes that I’m actually playing. Nnamdi started getting through full songs on the saxophone, which pissed me off. You know, I put a couple notes and they turned on the track and the track faded. And now you’re playing the whole thing. Why are you showing off bro? Why are you doing this? Why you doing that? Stop doing that. Stop playing and let him take over. The track with record he can play looks amazing. So. I mean, I’ll fool some people. But I’m about to go see me and be like, “Oh, Tone got piano hands.”

 

Q) The movie has been extremely anticipated for those who haven’t been able to see it at festivals. How do you think first time viewers will react?

 

A) Yeah, I think it’s gonna be expecting it or not. I do think it’s one of those films like when you watch a film that you have to be ready for? Things will be one thing and you get like ten minutes and you go like, “Alright, I need to be in the mind– if Imma watch this, Imma watch this.” There’s no sort of laundry basket show where I can keep doing something else and still watch. I think once you sit down you’ve got to decide if you want to be in this and I think once you watch this it’s gonna open up and I think you’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll think it’s wonderful and beautiful and you’ll love the story. But I don’t think it’s one of those where you just get up, go to the fridge, grab some hummus, ranch dressing and some carrots and come back and you’re just gonna be like, “What happened? Why did emotion change?” So, I do think people are gonna love it. But I do think it’s one of those films where if you’re not locked in, you’re going to lose and have to start over. But I think it does get you.

 

Q) What other projects do you have in the works that you can tell us more about?

 

A) Uh, I’m actually funny. I got some I guess I can’t talk about, but I have just shot my ABC pilot “Work Wife” that looks real good. We just finished that. We were waiting for about nine months to shoot. We got down like that week of March where everybody got shut down. So, we finally went back to production last week and got that done. It’s probably the best pilot I’ve ever shot. I’ve been on some pilots. I’ve been on some shows and I think as much as I loved all of them and the cast I’m never not going along with the cast. This one just feels…It does feel, and I know people say all the time, but it does feel different. I think it was the most collaborative network project I’ve ever worked on. Produced by Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. So, hopefully, that goes far I’ve really enjoyed working on my co-stars and Angelique Cabral who I worked with about seven years ago on another project. Her and I are like a tandem right now. So, when the two of us get a chance to play, ironically from what I know in February (which could be changing at this point from a rumor I heard). I’m also in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. As far as I know, it’s supposed to come out in February, but it’s kind of ironic if it does come out of February. Sylvie and Billy will come out a few months apart and I have roughly the exact same look for both. It’s the shaving pencil mustache with the cute ass hair. And so that’s that’s gonna be fun. But that’s also something I’ve stepped into way different and worked with Lee Daniels on that when he directed that one. And that one again was a wild ride. And, actually, I was on the phone with Audra Day who played Billy. We were on the phone last night just chopping it up. But she did an amazing job. I can’t wait for people to see that one, too.

 

Q) What would you like to say to fans of you and your work?

 

A) I would like to say I’m sorry. I look sleepy right now. And that I’m wearing my onesie still, but I’m not gonna change clothes for y’all. This how it’s gonna be. But I hope you enjoyed the movie, I think Sylvie’s Love is a beautiful love story and something that black Americans don’t get a chance to see a lot. It’s like African Americans and in general don’t get a story this beautiful in this era a lot. So, I think you will love it. I think you’ll appreciate it. And even though it’s not a true story, I do think we represented our people well and it’s just a story we don’t often get a chance to see. That kind of slipped through the cracks of taking these negative tropes and stereotypes out of it and just in letting it be a love story with a little drama of that but it’s not dragging anybody. So, I hope you enjoyed it. And once again, forgive how I look. But thank you to Tessa and Nnamdi and Eugene Ashe for letting me play in this project. I think some people might go back to this look. I think I’m so fly. I think some people might rock this hair.