The UB Interview: Robert Townsend Talks The Five Heartbeats, Sidney Poitier + More

Robert Townsend appeared in his first film, 45 years ago. In the classic Cooley High, as an extra Basketball player.

Today Robert is a actor, comedian, writer, director, producer and cable network programming CEO. The second oldest of four children. Robert grew up on the Westside of Chicago and was raised by his mother.

Robert attended college for a year before moving to New York. Eventually he would land in Hollywood where he performed on comedy specials such as Rodney Dangerfield: It’s Not Easy Being Me. Plus he landed little roles in A Soldier’s Story with Denzel Washington, Streets of Fire with Diane Lane and American Flyers, a 1985 movie staring Kevin Costner.

In the late 1980s Townsend decided to become a filmmaker and director. His first film, Eddie Murphy: Raw, released in 1987. Robert wrote, directed, produced and starred in his own first film, the critically acclaimed Hollywood Shuffle.

In 1991 he directed and starred in The Five Heartbeats, a powerful biographical drama based loosely on the lives of the rhythm and blues group, the Dells and other R&B artists and quintets. He then directed and starred in The Meteor Man with James Earl Jones. His work for television include Townsend Television and The Parenthood.

At the NAACP Image Awards in 2001 he made history by directing three performers nominated in the category of best actor or actress in three different films: Leon Robinson for his role in Little Richard, Alfre Woodard for her role in the Showtime film, Holiday Heart and Natalie Cole as herself in Livin’ for Love: The Natalie Cole Story.

His latest works includes, “The Making of The Five Heartbeats.” A documentary that goes behind the scenes of the making of the 1991 musical drama. “The Making of The Five Heartbeats” was nominated for a 2019 NAACP Image Award for outstanding documentary.

Robert has appeared in and directed an episode CW‘s superhero series “Black Lightning” and directed two episodes of the first season of BET‘s “American Soul.”

In January 2019, Robert received the Living Legend Award at the Trumpet Awards, which celebrates black leaders who have made significant contributions to American life.

Aries from UB spoke to Robert Townsend, about The Five Heartbeats, his hero Sidney Poitier, what motivates him and more.

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UrbanBridgez.com: The Five Heartbeats is one of my all-time favorite films, such a classic!
Robert Townsend: Thank you man, thank you! People ask me all the time, how I made that movie? Because there are people who have seen it, 30, 50, 100 times (both laugh). They always come up to me and say “I still love that movie!” The documentary for the 25th anniversary is really detailed. It gives you the good, bad and ugly and what happened behind the scenes. It’s all beautiful in the end, but it gives you the full journey. [Available on Vimeo On Demand]

UrbanBridgez.com: What originally motivated you to get into the entertainment industry in and what has kept you in it for five decades now?
Robert Townsend: You know I first started in the industry, because I just really love performing. You know, I’m just a natural fool. I just love having a good time and being silly (laughs). And that’s what started this journey, again because I love performing. Then when my eyes were really opened to the limited roles and stereotypical roles. I became a writer and director because rather than me complain about the negative stuff; I chose to do something about it. I think the reason I stayed in the business, is because I love it! I really love what I do man. I love making movies and I love making TV shows. We all have special gifts that God has given us, one of mine is to tell stories and to be a performer. So that’s why I do what I do.

UrbanBridgez.com: You do it well and the gifts shine through.
Robert Townsend: Thank you! I have to tell you right now, I am having the best time working.

UrbanBridgez.com: For Black History Month, tell us someone who inspired you to do what you do?
Robert Townsend: That would be Sidney Poitier! When I was a kid, I didn’t see that many images of people of color on television. I remember seeing a lot of the shucking and jiving and you know stereotypical roles. The first person I saw on television, that had dignity was Sidney Poitier. When I became an adult and became famous. I called him right away. He educated me and I asked him, how did you get to have dignity in the 50s? When so many people of color had their head down? He said, the power to say no. He said I didn’t except everything that came along. I turned down, more than I excepted. That’s kind of been my mantra since I met him. So he’s my hero.

UrbanBridgez.com: Tell us how the idea for your last film “Playin’ For Love” came together.
Robert Townsend: It’s a film I made in Miami and it was very interesting how the film came together. I was at the black film festival. I’ve been associated with it for over 20 years now. I was down there around 2011-2012 and the Commissioner from Overtown, Michelle Spence-Jones. She approached me and said Robert, the kids in Overtown are being hit hard with violence, gangs and drugs. The only thing they respond to is movies and television and rappers. So she said, could you come over and maybe teach them about movies or possibly do a short film with them? Something to give them inspiration. The city will put some money into it, we’ll give you the locations and work with you. So I was like sure, I would love to do it. I took it a step further and said why don’t we just make a whole movie out of it together? So that’s really how Playin’ For Love got started. I had written the script sometime ago, because I love basketball. One of my favorite films as a kid was Claudine. You know a single mother who has six kids and falls in love with a garbageman. It stars Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones. So that’s how that film came together. And then the city and myself went into the hood and shot the film. I had 20 kids work behind the scene and I taught them about how to make movies. Then the kids worked with the crew, they were in the hair and make-up, wardrobe, so that was how it all came together. So the story behind the movie is a pure labor of love, then we actually made a movie.

UrbanBridgez.com: We love Jennifer Lewis, how was it working with her in that movie?
Robert Townsend: I’ve worked with her like four times now. We did the Little Richard story together. I directed her movie Jackie’s Back. She was in Meteor Man and Playin’ For Love. Jennifer is always a lunatic! I mean when you see her on black-ish she’s funny, but Jennifer is crazy. I just have the best time.