Damn, Jeffrey Wright is a hell of an actor. Yes, we’re aware that’s not some revelation or surprising statement, but it doesn’t make it less true. Whether it’s his work on HBO’s hit series “Westworld,” Jeremy Saulnier’s underrated “Hold the Dark,” or even the YA adventure “Hunger Games,” Wright is an acting chameleon in the greatest sense of the word. He’s able to completely lose his identity and become the character fully. And that skill is on display in the upcoming HBO film “O.G.”
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In the first trailer for “O.G.,” we meet Wright’s character, Louis, an inmate in a maximum security prison, where’s he’s been serving his long sentence after an altercation with another man. As he’s scheduled to be released, things get a little complicated when a younger inmate gets involved in a dangerous situation and Louis has to choose whether to help his peer or turn a blind eye and play nice until his release.
As mentioned, the film stars Wright, but the supporting cast includes William Fichtner, Boyd Holbrook, Mare Winningham, David Patrick Kelly, and Theothus Carter. “O.G.” comes courtesy of filmmaker Madeline Sackler, who is probably best known for her documentary work on films like “The Lottery” and “Dangerous Acts Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus.”
“O.G.” premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival to great acclaim, earning Wright an acting award. HBO is set to premiere the film on February 23.
Here’s the synopsis:
O.G. follows Louis (Jeffrey Wright) a maximum-security prison inmate whose impending release is upended when he takes a new arrival under his wing.