Mo McRae returns to the Bay Area to join the cast of "Murder in the First" following his stint on "Sons of Anarchy."
McRae starts his arc on the TNT series tonight as gangster boss Malcolm "Suger" Monroe, who some consider the unofficial mayor of the San Francisco housing projects. His position puts him in the political sphere of the city where he'll cross paths with homicide detectives Terry English (Taye Diggs) and Hildy Mulligan (Kathleen Robertson).
"He's dialed in all across the board," the 32-year-old actor tells Headlines & Global News in an exclusive interview.
In addition to "Murder," McRae has several movies coming out, one of which he shot in Detroit, a city he has come to love. He's determined to bring more projects to the Motor City and spotlight the resurgence of the people as opposed to the "poverty porn" shown frequently on the news.
Read HNGN's interview with the Los Angeles native and be sure to tune into "Murder in the First" tonight at 10 p.m. on TNT.
Headlines & Global News: What kind of man do you play in the new season of "Murder in the First?"
Mo McRae: I play a guy named Suger. My character comes from the housing projects in San Francisco and he has worked his way to become the unofficial mayor of the streets and that has led him to the political sector as well. He's dialed in all across the board. He's the guy you definitely want to be on your side because once you cross him, the outcome is never good. But he also considers himself somewhat of a benevolent leader and he feels responsible for what's happening in his community. He wants to see everyone in the best possible position by any means necessary.
HNGN: Is he also trying to turn over a new leaf in his own life?
MM: He's trying to find how to stay the way that made him a leader and respected and also find a way to transition out without everything he worked so hard for to fall apart in the process.
HNGN: Where does he want to go if he can transition out of the projects?
MM: He's trying to get to a place of peace, as cliché as that might sound. He ultimately wants to find a place of peace.
HNGN: What other projects do you have coming up?
MM: I'm directing a short film. It should be coming out in a month or so. It's actually starring one of the guys from "Murder in the First" whose a musician, whose now acting on the show. His name is [Marcus] Hopsin. I directed a short film for him. It's going to be pretty epic, I believe.
HNGN: Is this the first thing you've directed?
MM: I've actually directed several things at this point and I love it. I'm really into directing and producing, putting together things on my own. This short film with Hopsin is something I really want to share with as many people as possible.
