Chris Rock—who wrote, directed and stars in the new film “Top Five,” which opens in New York City Dec. 5 and wide release Dec. 12—made an interesting choice in casting Ben Vereen as his father. Vereen appears in a scene that, although small, is pivotal to what makes the lead character, Andre Allen, a recovering alcoholic superstar, such a complex man.
It’s on record that Vereen is a recovering drug abuser and strong survivor. In fact, he has plenty to share about facing adversity with authentic dignity and helping change the path of his life by making choices each day that reflect positive change.
It would be accurate to say that Vereen is an iconic artist. Most famous for playing Chicken George in the groundbreaking TV miniseries “Roots” in 1977, he also earned a
Tony Award for his leading role in the musical “Pippin” in 1973.
No stranger to father roles, he has portrayed fellow “Roots” star LeVar Burton’s father in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and Wayne Brady’s character’s dad on the TV series “How I Met Your Mother.”
This year, at the 2014 Toronto Film Festival, Vereen’s name was being bounced around fondly inside Hollywood circles because of two films, the first being “Top Five.” Here is what he had to share with us about being a recovering addict, loving yourself and the responsibility of the artist.
AmNews: I have five years sober, and I understood the impact of your character in this film. It bristled with authenticity—a Rock trademark.
Vereen: True. I understood him [that character]. I know him, so it was easy for me to go in there and be him. Our Higher Power picks us up. It’s our job to carry the message. “Those that have ears will hear and those who have sight, will see.”
This isn’t the only film that you appear in that deals with weighty issues like addiction. There was a second darling at the Toronto Film Festival that tackled mental illness.
It’s called “Time Out of Mind,” and it’s with Richard Gere. It’s a project that took him eight years to finally get made. IFC is distributing it in 2015. It’s about mental illness, but it’s not about blaming society. What it does is give you just a look at what goes on in shelters. My character is a man who does not believe that he is homeless, but he is. He is always saying, ‘I am on my way up. You’re on your way up [too] because you woke up this morning.’ That is how my character sees the world.
What advice would you give to young artists in this city? There is nothing easy with our choices to stay focused and stay dreaming.
I would say to young artists in New York City, the world, [to] continue your art, and I say to the parents that we turn our backs as government cuts things like the arts! The government works for you. If you want arts in your school, you must support the arts.
It’s simple, it’s like this: “In the beginning, God created.” Created. It did not say that God manufactured. So therefore we are all creative aspects of that which “created” us, we are walking, talking art pieces.
Wow, look at you, look at you! We paint each day we dress; we are painting ourselves … we’re painters, we are artists, we are art pieces and we treat ourselves that way. So why are we cutting away that which we are, which is our life breathe? Our life breathe is to be creative. Everything here comes from a creative thought, and you’re going to cut out the arts?
Continue my children now. You may not be on the stage, you may not be a painter, singer, dancer, actor—that’s not what art is about. Art is about life. Life is art in expression. No matter what you do, it’s an art form. It comes from the creator.
“Top Five” opens Dec. 5 in limited release.