James Patterson rejected a seven-figure offer forAlex Crossto avoid changing one key detail about the character. Patterson is the author of the ongoing book series which began in 1993 and spans over 30 novels following Alex Cross, an African-American detective and father who counters threats to his family and the city of Washington, D.C. The series has been adapted to the screen several times, including the three movies – 1997’sKiss the Girlsand 2001’sAlong Came a Spiderstarring Morgan Freeman and 2012’sAlex Crossstarring Tyler Perry – and Prime Video’s newCrossseries starring Aldis Hodge.
During a recent interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Patterson revealed that, before the Morgan Freeman movies, he rejected a seven-figure offer for the firstAlex Crossbook.The author rejected the offer because they wanted to change the character of Alex Cross to be white, and he refused to whitewash his lead detective. Patterson went on to talk about how the character was inspired by his own experiences with a Black family in his hometown. Read his full comments below:
Here’s an interesting thing about the Hollywood Cross stuff. When I wrote the first Alex Cross book, I didn’t have a lot of money and Hollywood came calling — knock, knock, knock, knock, knock. They offered seven figures, and I did not have a lot of money. They said, “We just want one change; we want Alex to be a white guy.” And I said, “Fuck you.” It was painful, but I did it. So we didn’t sell it right away. But a few years later, Paramount came, so we did a couple of movies with Morgan. One of the pieces here is David Ellison with Skydance. David’s been involved early, and then Amazon got involved, which was great, and I met Ben [Watkins] along the way, which was really terrific, and then obviously, Aldis came in a little later.
Because that wasn’t who he was. I grew up in a small town, Newburgh, New York. My grandparents had a very small restaurant, and the chef there is a Black woman, Laura, and she was having problems with her husband, and my family said, “Move in with us.” She lived with us for three or four years. I spent a lot of time with her family, and they were great. I liked being with her family more than my family. They were smart, the music was great, the food was great, I liked to play basketball. And then I would watch Hollywood and, in those days, there was Sidney Poitier — okay fine, he’s dignified — and then a lot of movies with Black people with boomboxes. Really? That was not my experience in Newburgh. So I started writing about this family that I knew and the town that I knew and one of the things that Ben and I talked a lot about was the idea of Alex always being the smartest person in the room. And that was really why Morgan Freeman wanted to play him originally, because Alex wasn’t one of these Shaft kinds of whatever the hell — there’s nothing wrong with Shaft — [but Alex] solves mysteries in his head.
What James Patterson’s Comments Mean For Alex Cross
He Was Always Meant To Be A Complex Black Character
James Patterson’s comments indicate thatAlex Cross was always meant to be a complex Black character. Despite facing financial pressure, the author declined Hollywood’s initial offer to change Alex Cross into a white character, which delayed the character’s onscreen adaptation for several years. Eventually, Paramount produced the films featuringMorgan Freeman as Alex Cross. The African-American actor, known for his thoughtful and introspective roles, wanted to embody the Black character because he had integrity and solved mysteries with his intellect rather than stereotypes.
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Patterson also shared his own personal experiences growing up in Newburgh, New York, which inspired the creation of Alex Cross. The author describes his bond with a Black family, who helped shape his understanding of Black culture, which he felt contrasted with the stereotypical portrayals in Hollywood at the time. His creation of Alex Cross reflects that inspiration, showcasing the Black detective as a highly intelligent and complex character, qualities that eventually attracted Freeman to the role.
Our Take On James Patterson Refusing To Whitewash Alex Cross
It Paved The Way For Future Adaptations
James Patterson’s refusal to whitewash Alex Cross for the movies was a pivotal decision that paved the way for future adaptations starring Tyler Perry and Aldis Hodge. By holding firm in his stance, Patterson protected the integrity of the character, a highly intelligent Black detective, opening the door for Morgan Freeman to embody the role, who brought depth and nuance to the character on screen. Freeman’s portrayal ofAlex Crossbecame iconic, providing audiences with an intelligent Black hero who solves complex crimes, paving the way for future adaptations to follow suit.
Alex Cross
Cast
Tyler Perry stars as the titular psychologist/police lieutenant Alex Cross in this film adaptation of the action thriller novel by James Patterson. Acting as a reboot of the film series, the film sees the lieutenant consider taking up a position at the FBI to be there for his wife and unborn child in a less dangerous position. But when tragedy strikes, Cross is forced to dive head first into the criminal underworld to track down a serial killer before he kills a prolific industrialist while seeking vengeance.
