Glynn Turman stars in The Big Cigar(Image: Getty Images)

The Wire star Glynn Turman reveals he 'played with the idea of becoming a Black Panther'

Hollywood actor Glynn Turman is helping to tell the story of the co-founder of the Black Panther Party, Huey P Newton, in the brand new Apple TV+ show The Big Cigar

25 May 2024, 18:35 by Scarlett O'Toole · Irish Mirror

Glynn Turman has revealed he "played with the idea of becoming a Black Panther " in order to join the fight for racial equality.

The 77-year-old actor is currently starring in the brand new Apple TV+ show The Big Cigar, which tells the real-life story of how co-founder of the Black Panther Party Huey P Newton fled to Cuba to escape the FBI. In the show, Glynn stars as Huey's father, Walter Newton.

And it seems he's drawn on his own experiences to help him get into character. Speaking to The Mirror, Glynn explained how he once knew political activist Bobby Seale, who co-founded the Black Panther Party alongside Huey.

Glynn Turman stars as Walter Newton in The Big Cigar(Image: Apple TV+.)

He said: "This era is the era of my youth as a young adult. So like the challenges that your generation is having now, these were the challenges that my generation had. And so this movie is kind of nostalgic for me because I knew so many of the players.

"Bobby Seale and Richard Pryor and Eldridge Cleaver, all of these were people who were in my realm of experience. And so I played with the idea of becoming a Black Panther, you know, I went to meetings."

Glynn explained how the Black Panther Party "went up against the establishment in an attempt to eke out some sort of justice and equality for people of colour and the downtrodden". He added: "They came up with all kinds of programs that were to help benefit the community, such as scholastic programs and lunching programs to help feed and clothe people who were of need, as well as to provide a defensive force against the brutality of law enforcement. And they were not beyond taking up arms to make their point."

The actor knew Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale(Image: Bettmann)

The actor, who is well-known for his role as Mayor Clarence V. Royce in The Wire, told us the Black Panther Party is "the backdrop" for his new show. Speaking about The Big Cigar, he said it tells a story "that is seldom told".

The series focuses on Huey's escape from the FBI to Cuba with the help of film producer Bert Schneider and an elaborate plan. Glynn said: "The scheme that they came up with was, hey, since we make movies here in Hollywood, we'll make a movie that makes the FBI think that we're just making a movie, but we're going to make it and shoot it in Cuba.

"And as we go to Cuba to shoot the movie, you'll be part of our production team and that's how we'll get you out. Now, sounds all good and easy enough, but along the way it's fraught with all sorts of challenges. And therefore goes some of the hilarious yet still very consequential aspects of our story."

Glynn jumped at the chance to be in the new AppleTV+ show(Image: Getty Images)

The Big Cigar isn't the first project Glynn has been involved in which focuses on the fight for civil rights. He also starred in the Netflix film Rustin, which is based on the true story of Bayard Rustin and how he helped Martin Luther King J. organise the 1963 March on Washington.

Glynn said he's thankful for platforms like Netflix and AppleTV+ for airing these projects. He said: "I'm just so glad that there are places like Netflix or Apple TV+, studios that are willing to present these stories that back in the day when there were just three channels and the channels depended solely on the advertisement dollar, these stories were not so easily told.

"Or if they were told, they were told with just one slant in mind, you know, the slant that favoured the establishment, you know these were anti heroes that we're talking about. And the anti hero never had their story told. But now these these platforms are available and so to be a part of these stories now can tell a story from different point of view is very refreshing and rewarding. Glad I lasted this long."

Glynn has enjoyed a decades-long career and he's always keen to help actors who are just starting out. The Hollywood icon has even created his own documentary, The Legend of Glynn Turman, which he hopes will teach rising stars "how to stay in the business as long as I have been in the business" and "help them on their journey".

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