Maniac Exclusive with TV Hunk Evan Ross
Even as a child, Evan Ross had a passion for performing, spending countless hours putting on shows for his family. No doubt he was inspired by watching his mother, lead singer of the Supremes Diana Ross, on stage and on the big screen.
It has been a passion he pursued into adulthood. Ross got his first big break when he was cast as Ant in the 2006 American drama film, ATL, a coming-of-age story set in Atlanta. He starred alongside Mykelti Williamson, who became Ross’ mentor on the project, and music industry heavyweights T.I. and Antwan Andre Patton, aka Big Boi of OutKast.
He is also developing a music career. Just this past May, he released the single (featuring old friend and rapper T.I.) entitled “How to Live Alone.”
Ross’ alone time, however, has just been steeply cut down, as he and wife Ashlee Simpson have recently welcomed daughter Jagger Snow into the world. “Fatherhood is great!” Ross told me happily. As for the unique name? “We didn’t want something too girly!”
As if being a new father isn’t enough to keep him busy, Ross has been occupied with his new show Wicked City which premiered on October 27th on ABC. Ross plays Diver Hawkes, the owner of a small L.A. paparazzi agency that focuses on gruesome murder scene photography.
Ross wasn’t sold on the idea initially. “When I heard about the role, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do TV. It would have to be the right project and this was,” Ross elaborated. He was also excited to work alongside fellow actor Jeremy Sistso. Jeremy’s character, Jack Roth, is an LAPD detective who is investigating a mysterious murder and decapitation in the city.
“It’s all an amazing process. I love the 1980s, the fashion, the smoke and mirrors. People don’t realize the amount of serial killer murders that occurred during that time period.”
Diver Hawkes has been a new type of character to tackle for Ross, but with some pre-shooting preparation, he captured the character. “Playing with the character has been so much fun; he has a lot of dimensions to him. He’s a paparazzo who is trying to capture the reality of death and murder during that time period”
If you’re wondering why Evan Ross looks so familiar, it might be because he’s involved in one of the biggest and most successful movie franchises of all time, The Hunger Games.
He plays the character Messalla, the propaganda photographer of the Airtime Assault. You saw him in Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, and he’ll back on the big screen for Part 2 this November.
The movie was shot over a course of ten months. In addition to spending a lot of time on set, Ross endured a two hour makeup session complete with new prosthetics, tattoos and piercings. “It was a process,” laughed Ross. But admits the makeup makes Messalla come alive. “He’s a mystical character.”
Filming was, in his words, “One of the most incredible experiences of my life. The people involved became my family.” Most of the sets are physically created and little is done in front of a green screen. The film was shot in select cities around the world, from Atlanta to Paris. But no matter where they were, there were fans waiting, hoping for a glimpse of the cast.
“It’s so captivating… larger than life, really.” The same could be said for Evan Ross, and his burgeoning career. May the odds be ever in his favor.
To find out more, please visit his website.
