This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Robert Bannon: Are you ready? It's The Roundtable with me, Robert Bannon.

[0:30] Michael Jai White: I think we've been watching you from, I don't know, Mike Tyson on.

[0:43] Robert Bannon: What do you think of when you look back and hear 160 movies and TV shows?

[0:48] Michael Jai White: I don't think about it. In fact, when you said it, I'm like, he's got to be wrong. I don't, you know, I'm, you know, not to just say it like, you know, because it might sound good. But honestly, I really don't look back. I'm really so excited about the things in the future.

[1:08] Michael Jai White: Yeah, you know, and, you know, sometimes when I hear that kind of stuff, I just kind of like, wait a minute, I still feel like I'm, you know, just, I always just feel like I'm just starting. And there's so much stuff I want to do.

[1:23] Robert Bannon: And you are. I mean, you literally told me you just, you're just off set. You just came home from filming and working. Has the business changed a lot from the beginning to now in a good way, in a bad way? How does it feel to be acting in films now?

[1:37] Michael Jai White: Oh, yeah, it's changed both. I, you know, I have to be honest. Some of my favorite things to watch lately have been television shows because they dare to be unique. You know, sometimes movies become a bit careful, you know, and formulaic. And, you know, I try to stay away from those type of things. I don't like to do formulaic movies myself because I don't like watching them. So something that I can tell what's going to happen from the beginning, I don't choose to be a part of those things. So I wish I could say movies have been getting better, but I don't think so because, hey, I'm a child of, you know, the 70s movies. That was my favorite era when things could just dare to be unique, you know. So, yeah, I like to return to that kind of ethic.

[2:32] Robert Bannon: Absolutely. And that brings me, you know, you just had the number one movie on Netflix, and you bring in the third installment and you work with the incredible cast of Why Did I Get Married? Why do you think they have been so popular? Why do you think three installments, more popular than ever, there's something about the storytelling that just makes people die to tune in? You talk about unpredictable. It sure is that.

[2:56] Michael Jai White: Well, yeah, I mean, this was the best of the three movies by far. I think it showed a maturity in the writing and the characters. So this is one of those rare situations where you see that equity just kind of come to fruition and usher in a new group of cast members. So, yeah, we're kind of unique in that situation with the third, but I was happy to do that.

[3:22] Robert Bannon: You did. And I think Marcus has finally got it together. I think he's grown up. He's doing all right in this one, everybody.

[3:27] Michael Jai White: Oh, yeah.

[3:31] Robert Bannon: You have a long relationship with Tyler Perry, and it's been a minute since the first one.

[3:36] Michael Jai White: It's true. I know you guys get asked this all the time in all the junkets. He moves really fast. You shot this movie in a very short period of time. As an actor, how does that change the way you prepare? How on it do you have to be with your line script? It's quick.

[3:52] Michael Jai White: Well, actually, it favored the performance because you stay in the moment. Usually when you're in the moment, you got that magic going. You have to recreate that hours later when they change the lighting over. So, as a performer, we're capturing both sides simultaneously, almost simultaneously. You basically can really stay in that moment and that feeling, and you provide that for your audience, which was a unique situation shooting this way. And so, especially since we basically are a group of people, a group of real friends with real relationships that you really get to feel from there. You're seeing a several decade relationship between Tyler and myself, you know, and just so many other people. And then Tasha and I, we go back even further than that.

[4:54] Robert Bannon: And your chemistry jumps off of the screen. All of you, not just you and her, but the entire ensemble cast. And then when you added Taraji to the mix this time around, and your children in it, it is something that if you haven't seen it, you definitely just spend the weekend this weekend and watch all three. It's a good binge movie day, rainy day thing to do, for sure. You watch, you talk about your relationship with him, but you're somebody who has done writing, you've directed, you've produced, you've acted. What has been the journey for you from being the actor to then being the multi-hyphenate that you now are?

[5:28] Michael Jai White: It was a weird thing because it took someone pointing it out to me, someone who was close to me, that pointed out the fact that when I was in fourth and fifth grade, I used to put on plays that I created. And when I was 10 years old, I used to make my own films, my own Super 8 films. I used to splice them, I edited them and stuff before. I mean, I was self-taught with that. And then in college, I would shoot things. And I was always doing these productions that I was behind on my own time, out of the love of it. And here I am doing that. It's like, duh. I call it my Rosebud moment. It's what I kind of was intended for. So it just all makes sense. And I'm very comfortable in that position.

[6:24] Robert Bannon: Yeah. Well, you do it damn well. So we're lucky that you've done it for 160 plus credits.

[6:34] Michael Jai White: Well, you're Brooklyn in the house. I'm a Jersey boy. I'm a fake New Yorker. So Brooklyn in the house. And I'm also an educator. I read about you. That was a part of your life too, special ed teacher in a school that was not easy, it sounds like.

[6:51] Michael Jai White: Well, yeah. I mean, see, I was a special ed teacher and that's something that I stumbled on to. I mean, I started as a substitute teacher and then a permanent sub and then I got my own class. And I realized a real talent I had was to connect with kids who were very much like me. Because I grew up kind of on the rough side of town and been pretty much on my own since I was 14. And so there was nothing those kids could do to freak me out or no sob story or anything that would kind of get me, that would engage me in a way that they tried to. Because I understood in the streets, what you got to do is you check people, you look for that Achilles heel and you kind of exploit somebody on that. I knew the street language and it wasn't going to work in my class.

And so I didn't care what they were going through. I would never give them an excuse to let them be less than. And that's the way I looked at it. And so, yeah. So I've been very much connected to education ever since then, even to this day. I'm constantly doing things behind the scenes you don't know about that connect with the inner city kids and at-risk kids throughout the country.

[8:10] Robert Bannon: Well, if you find yourself in Detroit, we're the only alternative public school and we're kids three years behind.

[8:14] Michael Jai White: How about I was there four days ago?

[8:23] Robert Bannon: I could have taken you for a coney dog. I was there. What's today? Today's Wednesday?

[8:31] Michael Jai White: Thursday. Oh, I was there Saturday and Sunday. Okay. Next. I was at the union. If you know who Jason Wilson is and his cave of Abdullah.

[8:39] Robert Bannon: Okay. Yeah. I was there this past weekend.

[8:48] Michael Jai White: How crazy. Look at that. Like I said, I do that in a way that's my real job. I do that kind of stuff. I'm very passionate about doing that. And with what I do in the motion picture TV industry, it makes me more impactful when I'm doing that type of stuff.

[9:07] Robert Bannon: I totally understand. I get it. When you found martial arts or however martial arts found you and then showbiz found you, was martial arts something that you felt saved a certain part? Like you found it, discovered you or you felt at home. What made that so appealing to you?

[9:29] Michael Jai White: Well, like a lot of people, you reach out to the martial arts because there's some kind of a strength and honor in it. And so I grew up, I was a very sensitive kid in a rough environment. Unlike my brothers who were engineers, things affected me deeply. And quickly I became this angry, violent person, not knowing that I was an artist and I had something to protect. So what happens is like when you're sensitive and you're in a place where that could get exploited, you tend to build armor and martial arts became my armor. When you have anything valuable and precious, you put it in a safe. So in the hood, you become that safe. And it's no coincidence that some of our toughest people aren't just the most loving people that are on the planet.

It's two sides of the same coin. Why would you become so hardened if there wasn't something to protect? So that was something that I understood about myself that I was able to understand when I was teaching. And that many of us who have those issues are connected to some kind of art. They tend to be connected in another way and have something more to offer, which is why they become so hardened.

[10:59] Robert Bannon: Yeah, I can see that. I see that with people I've worked with. I see that with students. And they are drawn to art. They're drawn to an outlet because they have all the... If you're an emotional and sensitive person, you have feelings and it's a way to get them out. Was acting always the intention? Did you always intend for the road to go the way that it went or did it kind of come and find you?

[11:18] Michael Jai White: No, it was acting was something that I just enjoyed. I didn't even take it serious. It was something that sometimes friends would say when I would reflect on stories, they'd say, you just became that person. Wow, you just sounded like so-and-so. And I didn't know I was doing that. But I also felt that I had a fascination for every type of person. When I was on my own kind of early, I knew every... I knew people who were like homeless people by name. I know their background. I knew some of the roughest gangsters and just... I was fascinated with human nature. And so, with being able to portray and walk in the shoes of those people, I could kind of do the thing where... With acting, your responsibility is to recreate humanity, honestly.

And so, that's the thing I connected with. Even though when I was in college, I enjoyed doing the acting courses because that was something that was easy for me to get into. But I didn't think I had what it took because so many of the actors that I knew were very flamboyant or just people who really wanted attention. And I was like, to this day, it's the hardest thing for me to receive a lot of attention. I'm kind of introverted in that way. But yeah, I thought you... It was the folks with the blue hair and very demonstrative and very fabulous type folks that I thought, that's what you got to have to be an actor. I didn't realize that what I was doing was kind of...

[13:18] Michael Jai White: When I went to acting school, I remember my acting teacher saying to me, we were in New York. We were on 27th Street. She said, if you look down the street, you see a homeless person or you see somebody that you see is on something, you sit and watch them and study human behavior. That's your job is to recreate human behavior of all different types of characters with all different circumstances. And that is what you have to bring is that honesty and that realness to the screen. And you saying being obsessed or looking at or being interested in human behavior is what makes you a good actor. That's what you do so well.

[13:47] Michael Jai White: Yeah, I was just interested in them, just as human beings. I've always had fascination, especially for people who were not like me. I never shunned the people who weren't like me. I always tried to like, oh my God, I've never met somebody. When I was doing construction, putting myself through college, there's a story I sometimes tell that I met a group of 10 white supremacists that were handing out paraphernalia. And then somebody, I was asking, what are they handing out? Because they skipped me. And they said, you don't want to know. And then someone told me, I'm like, oh my God. I rushed to reach them before they got in there. They were in a van or whatever. And I was so happy to get a conversation going with these guys because I never met anybody like that.

And I really wanted to know what the background was. How did they get brought into this? And what was the inciting incident for each person? You know what I mean? Because all as adults, I was just absolutely fascinated. Something had to pull them a certain way for them to have to kind of grab on to this doctrine enough to pass it around. I want to know where that passion came from. And it was a fascinating conversation, really a fascinating conversation. And one to which they learned a lot and I learned a lot.

[15:23] Robert Bannon: That's incredible. You're brave. See, that human behavior, understanding people. Do you understand what you mean to people throughout your career? Spawn, for example, was a huge thing for people. It's something that, you know, comic books are a big thing, but societally, culturally, it's a big thing. Do you understand you represent something to people and the work you've done means something to a lot of people across this world? And how does that feel?

[15:54] Michael Jai White: Well, I mean, my knee jerk reaction to anything that sounds like, you know, kind of praise and worship is to just go the other way. You know, because I just seen, I don't know, I mean, I'll just jump back to like, okay, I was a single dad raising my son. I had custodial rights. If you can read into that, you know, there's a lot connected with that if I have custody. Well, I remember my son was about five and I brought him to the Spawn premiere. And I remember in the limousine before I got out, I told him, I said, when I get out of this car, everybody's going to make a big deal out of me. Everybody's going to say, man, this is great. And I said, make no mistake that if somebody else played this role, they'd be saying the same thing to them.

It's not about me. It's about their conditioning. It's because I'm in the lead in this movie and people are conditioned to look at things a certain way. And to really teach him, I thought it was a good moment to teach him to put things into perspective, right? And so that's never changed with me.

[17:23] Michael Jai White: I understand there's a lot, especially a guy coming from the martial arts, you mean a lot to people because you become, I mean, being a martial artist, martial arts is the closest thing to being a real superhero and attaining some mystical kind of power. You have this ability to fall other people. And that means a hell of a lot to other people, way more than it does to me. And so you'll get a lot of things. I mean, growing up at 15, when I was winning tournaments against grown men, I learned early on people made a big deal out of that. You were a hero to them. But if you let that stuff seep into you, it's not going to do you any good because it's their conditioning. It's not who you are. You're not a better person because you have this ability to beat other people up.

In fact, when I was a fighter, I was less of a martial artist because it's about being a complete person, not just fighting was easy for me because I had physical gifts that I was born with. Just like what got me in the college was I was a decathlete. I naturally did things. I was gifted. I'm just a gifted individual. So fighting was easy for me. But it was the other things about martial arts and the ethic of martial arts being the balance that I go, okay, yeah, everybody is kind of railroading me into this, but this is my life. I know I'm better if I've got this part down. Work on the other side. Don't use my gifts as a crutch. And so that and even using my popularity as a crutch, using any kind of power like that as a crutch, listening to what people say of me because they might be intrigued with whatever or fascinated with the gifts I've been given. We just tend to do that, but it doesn't do good for the individual. It can only send you down kind of a bad road. But I learned that early enough to put that in its place.

[20:17] Robert Bannon: The humility that you have and the discipline that you've had in your life is why you have the career you have and the work you do. Because besides being talented and working really hard, that humility and that discipline means that when you step on a set or when you get hired for a job, you're going to show up and be ready. And I think it makes sense in my head how it all ties together from the martial arts to teaching to being an actor. It takes work. Nothing good comes easy. And with all the natural gifts, I know you've put in millions of hours at all of the things that you do to be as incredibly good as you are.

[20:54] Michael Jai White: Well, thank you. I think of being on a set, especially now, man, it's such an honor. And it's rougher now. And there's a lot of very, very talented people who are not working right now. And I realize the gift that we were all given. I always say that it's like we all ran away and joined the circus and now we're making a living at it. So what's not to celebrate? And I just appreciate everybody from the... I always look at it as like, hey, I'm in the actor's spot, but my goodness, the crew members, they work way harder. And it's just the truth.

[21:46] Michael Jai White: My most valued relationship I have is my relationship with the truth. And I know everybody is working hard, man, and no one's more important than the other person. So that's one of the things that I'm just thankful for. And if everybody's going to spend their time away from their families, I want it to be the best thing possible. I want everybody to say, hey, man, I really enjoyed working with that guy.

[22:20] Robert Bannon: Well, I know, firstly, that should be sold at every acting school, what you said, the greatest relationship I have is with the truth. That's why every actor should have a T-shirt or a sweatshirt that says that on it, because that's it. That's brilliant right there.

[22:30] Michael Jai White: And in life, period.

[22:32] Michael Jai White: Yeah. God bless them sometimes. I always say if you haven't done the work before you got the power, it's going to be hard for you to figure out these things. People tend to not tell you the truth anymore. You better find it yourself. And hopefully you've done the work before you get that power.

[22:53] Robert Bannon: Well, everyone that's watching us and listening to us, your homework is you should watch all of Michael's movies. Watch Michael. Come on, watch them all. You have time to watch Blood and Bone and Black Dynamite and Dark Knight and Exit. You have time to see them all. And definitely, you got to check out the brand new Why Did I Get Married, which is out and available right now on Netflix. They're all on Netflix. And then to you, I've done a thousand interviews. My sister has never come over until Michael's been on this show. And then she said to me, I can't be on camera because I'm not dressed right for Michael. I can't. I can't. You don't understand how big of a fan we all are in my family, my in-laws, everybody over here, and what your work has meant to us. And the time you spend away from your family to entertain and give us this work, we owe you a big thank you and a debt of gratitude.

[23:42] Michael Jai White: Well, thank you. Wow, that's amazing. Thank you.

[23:47] Michael Jai White: It comes at a sacrifice. And we know that. And we're so honored that you share your art and your gifts. And if I'm ever in a fight, I'm calling you up. That's the last thing I'm going to say. People don't fight with you. I wouldn't mess with you. Do you still train? Are you still in the gym?

[24:01] Michael Jai White: Oh, yeah. Yeah, man. I mean, yeah. That's a right. I think working out is a right. You get to do it. I say one day I'm going to have to walk with a cane. And on that day, I'm going to look back and wish I had the abilities that I have right now. So with that gift, I'm going to really take it to the hill, man.

[24:26] Robert Bannon: Yeah, man. And I think when I'm working out the way I do, I stave off cane day. I put that cane day way in the future.

[24:34] Michael Jai White: Yes. All right. So when I'm at the gym, I went last night, Michael. I'm just letting you hold myself accountable. I'll go tonight because I'll be thinking about me and that cane. And I'm going to say thank you. Thank you, universe. Thank you, God, for letting me be here at this gym today.

[24:56] Michael Jai White: Yeah, I honestly, that is something I actually did. Like, you know, you see the movies where somebody, you know, they're old and what I actually do a thing. You know, I did a thing like where imagine I'm old. Imagine, you know, I get up and I and it hurts to move and all that type of stuff on that day. What would I think? What would I think? I will I will give anything to be able to run and play basketball or do the things that I could do right now. You know, so I take myself through that imagination and go, if you're lucky, you're going to you're going to be older when you're going to be that age. But then I go, wait a minute. I wake up and I, you know, I imagine I'm that old and I wake up and I'm in this younger body and I go, hey, it's almost like, you know, like a Charles Dickens. I get it. I get a chance to really do it. And you look at life a whole different way when you realize it's a right man working out shouldn't be a chore. It's a right.

[25:56] Robert Bannon: I need you to write an inspirational book. I need the memoir. I need the whole story because this is it. This is this is gold mine right here.

[26:07] Michael Jai White: Thank you. Thank you. I'm so honored to be able to talk. Thank you for giving your time. Thank you for coming flying home and making time for us. And we're such fans. We look forward to he's got more work coming out, everybody. He's working. He's on set. Things are coming. Follow him on Instagram. Stay up to date with everything. Make sure you check out all of the films and give a big thank you to the incredible Michael J. White.

[26:28] Michael Jai White: Thank you for hanging out with me.

[26:28] Michael Jai White: Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for having the time for me. My pleasure. Anytime. Come on back.