Phylicia Rashad and Jay Ellis explain why joining the sci-fi horror ‘Black Box’ was an obvious “yes” for them

Photo credit: Patti Perret/Amazon Studios(NEW YORK) — Phylicia Rashad and Jay Ellis are raving about their new sci-fi horror film, Black Box.

Rashad plays Lilian, a neurosurgeon set on helping a father regain his lost memories after an almost deadly car accident. Rashad tells ABC Audio that she had an immediate attraction to the project.

“I like this story and I like the script. That’s what I look for,” she says. “And it is Emmanuel [Osei-Kuffour Jr.], our director’s.. full length feature debut. And to be part of that is exciting.”

“And to work with a company of actors that I hadn’t met before,” she continues. “That was exciting as well.”

Producer Jay Ellis agrees, explaining it didn’t take long for him to say yes to the project.

“When I first read the script, I remember just kind of like sitting in silence for a second. And then I immediately picked my iPad back up and like, read it again,” he says. “And it was a page-turner. And it was fun. There was a plot twist that I didn’t see coming. I fell in love with the characters.”

Ellis admits that he did initially think about starring in the film, noting that his “actor brain always takes first,” but he realized if that didn’t work out, he still wanted to be a part of the alluring narrative.

“I read the script and was like, ‘Oh, Would I want to be in this? Would I want watch this? What I want to be a part of telling this story in some way?’,” he says. “And all of those things were like, ‘yes, yes, yes’ for me.” 

Black Box, also starring Mamoudou Athie, Amanda Christine, Tosin Morohunfola is available on Amazon Prime on October 6.

By Candice Williams
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