Tyrese Gibson is no stranger to controversy. So it made perfect sense that when he was given the opportunity to lead the topical new action thriller Rogue Hostage, he immediately signed on.
“It was me being as vocal and outspoken as I am about human and civil rights,” Gibson tells ABC Audio. “Everybody knows I’m very active on social media and just in life when it comes to being the voice for a lot of these issues — Black Lives Matter… our civil rights and voting rights. And so, it was one of those movies that literally played right down the pipe of what we’re living every single day.”
In the film, directed by Jon Keeyes, Gibson plays single father and former Marine Kyle Snowden, who finds himself — along with group of innocent customers and his daughter — trapped inside his stepfather’s store by some armed militants. In true action-hero fashion, Tyrese uses his military skills to help race against time and save the day.
Gibson says that considering the film centers on white militants looking to take down a politician, he felt it was definitely going to get some pushback.
“I know that this was going to be a very controversial topic, and there was a few powers that be that tried to stop this movie from ever getting made,” he shares.
Gibson says the film “felt like Die Hard inside of a grocery store,” adding, “I love that it was contained. I love that there was some politics tied into it. And I love that the masked killer with the hero [saving] the day was all there. So, yeah, it kind of checked off all the boxes for me. That’s why I did it.”
Rogue Hostage, also starring John Malkovich, is in select theaters and On Demand.
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