Cliff Huxtable’s little girl is all grown up in Tyler Perry’s latest film, Madea Goes to Jail
GIANT: You play a drug-addicted prostitute in Madea Goes to Jail. Were you nervous about taking on a role that was so different from your previous screen image?
Keshia Knight Pulliam: It was actually my idea. Tyler gave me a call and said he was writing this new script and had me in mind for the part of Linda, the assistant DA who is engaged to Derek Luke. I said “Tyler, I think it’s a great script, but I want to play Candy. I know I can do it, I’m up for the challenge and I really want to do something that’s a departure.” And he listened and said, “If you believe in you, I have all the confidence you can do it.” I can be pretty convincing when I have my eye on something. Also, we have a working relationship since I’ve been on his TV show House of Payne. So I’m happy he listened and allowed me to do the role my heart was set on. I had to do a table read and convince some other people but having him on board speaks volumes.
GIANT: Tyler Perry is a pretty private person—what is he like to work with as a director?
Pulliam: He’s a hard worker—he works fast and he works hard. You have to respect what he’s done in terms of revolutionizing this industry and doing it his own way. I definitely welcome the opportunity to work with him more.
GIANT: What kind of research did you do for the part?
Pulliam: I live in Atlanta and attended Spelman College, which is in the West End—a very poverty stricken neighborhood. So I’ve see where these girls are. In addition, I spoke with someone who had experienced Candy’s trajectory—on the up and up, but through a series of unfortunate circumstances ended up with a drug problem and doing prostitution before rebounding from that. I also spoke with health professionals about the habits of addicts and then from that made it my own.
Pulliam and co-star Derek Luke in Madea Goes to Jail
GIANT: As a longtime Atlanta resident, it must be nice to have so many new film productions going on in your “backyard.”
Pulliam: I’ve really been fortunate that I’ve never had to live permanently in LA. I’m such an East Coast girl; I’m from New Jersey originally and The Cosby Show was filmed in New York City, so I didn’t have to move for that. And I’ve been living in Atlanta for the past 12 years, so it’s great to work here. I have my own production company and we’ve got a couple of projects we’re working on. I’ve actually written a sitcom, because I definitely want to continue with television as well as film.
GIANT: What kinds of roles are you looking to play in the future?
Pulliam: For me, it’s all about the variety. As an actress, I can play people who are so different from me. I’d like to do a superhero film and there’s a book called The Coldest Winter Ever that has a role I love. I believe Will [Smith] and Jada [Pinkett Smith] have the rights to that, so I’d love to talk with them about doing it—I’m just putting that out there. [Laughs]
Pulliam, Viola Davis and Vanessa Ferlito
GIANT: Has enough time passed since The Cosby Show went off the air for people not to instantly associate you with Rudy Huxtable?
Pulliam: I think people are always going to remember me as Rudy. The show is on four different stations all around the country! But people that do remember me for that can still appreciate my work now. It’s funny, younger kids look at me and say “That’s Miranda from House of Payne!” and they’re parents are like “That’s Rudy!” So it’s different depending on the generation.
GIANT: Looking back, are you happy you took a break from acting to attend school?
Pulliam: I’m really happy with the way I did things. A lot of people would have said the best thing career-wise would be to continue acting after The Cosby Show. But I took the unorthodox view and decided to go to school full time uninterrupted. I graduated from college and I think that gives you a fuller worldview to pull from as an actress. Not too mention the education is invaluable. I always knew acting was something I wanted to continue and I’ve done that.
Madea Goes to Jail is on DVD now. Read GIANT’s review here.
