Obie Award

Portraits w/ Ruben Santiago | July 26th 2013 | Black Hollywood Live

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• published: 27 Jul 2013
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In this episode, Black Hollywood Live hosts Derrial Christon, Jesse Janedy and Courtney Stewart interview special guest Ruben Santiago Hudson. Ruben Santiago-Hudson is not only a Tony and Obie award-winning actor, but also an accomplished writer and director. He recently received the 2013 Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards for Best Direction of August Wilsons The Piano Lesson. Ruben stars in AMC's gritty crime drama Low Winter Sun which films in Detroit and debuts on Sunday, August 11. Low Winter Sun about dark anitheros, boasts a stellar ensemble castwhich includes Mark Strong and is based on a 2006 British mini-series. Ruben starred on Broadway in Lydia Diamond's play Stick Fly. Santiago-Hudson co-starred for three seasons as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery on the hit ABC series, Castle. His screenplay debut Lackawanna Blues for HBO, received the Humanitas Prize, a Christopher Award, National Board of Review Honors, a NAACP Image Award; and Emmy, Golden Globe and WGA nominations. Under the artistic leadership of George C. Wolfe, the Public Theater/NY Shakespeare Festival originally commissioned Lackawanna Blues as a solo performance piece. Santiago-Hudson performed the play bringing to life over two dozen characters. Working with the Public Theatre again in the summer of 2010, Santiago-Hudson starred as King Leontes in Shakespeare in the Park's production of A Winter's Tale. On film Santiago-Hudson starred opposite Halle Berry in Their Eyes Were Watching God, Denzel Washington and Russell Crow in American Gangster, Demi Moore and Kevin Costner in Mr. Brooks, Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft, Al Pacino in Devil's Advocate, and John Travolta in Domestic Disturbance. On television he portrayed famed chemist Dr. Percy Julian in Forgotten Genius and starred opposite Gregory Hines in The Red Sneakers. Ruben's other feature films and mini-series include American Tragedy with Christopher Plummer, Solomon and Sheba with Jimmy Smits and Halle Berry -- the first time a biblical movie starred actors of color, and opposite Christopher Reeve in Rear Window. Other TV credits include a series regular role on Michael Hayes, recurring roles on The West Wing, Law & Order and numerous guest star appearances. Santiago-Hudson made his directorial debut with August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean at the McCarter Theater in Princeton and the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Most recently Ruben directed the highly acclaimed JITNEY! which received rave reviews throughout for the Two Rivers Theater Co. Other Directing credits include the New York Premiere of Naomi Wallace's Things Of Dry Hours at the NY Theater Workshop, August Wilson's Radio Golf at The Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Wilson's Seven Guitars and Leslie Lee's The First Breeze of Summer for The Signature Theater Company, where Santiago-Hudson holds the position of Associate Artist and is recently directed Athol Fugards' My Children! My Africa! Ruben made his Broadway acting debut in Jelly's Last Jam, opposite Gregory Hines. He originated the role of Canewell in Seven Guitars, which earned him several awards including Broadways most prestigious award, the Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for Featured Actor in a Play. Ruben's regional theater and off-Broadway credits span over 30 years. Santiago-Hudson received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Buffalo State College in 2006. He also holds a Master of Fine Arts from Wayne State University and an honorary Master's from A.C.T. in San Francisco, a Bachelor of Arts from SUNY Binghamton. Other Awards and honors include Outer Critics Circle, Dramalogue, Clarence Derwent, Glen G. Bartle Award from SUNY Binghamton, Distinguished Alumni Award from Wayne State University, three Audelco Awards, Black Filmmaker's Award, a N.A.M.I.C. Award, and an HBO Comedy Arts Festival Theater Award. Santiago-Hudson received a NAACP Lifetime Achievement Theatre Award at the Los Angeles NAACP Theatre Awards in August 2009. This interview was recorded July 26th, 2013.