Exclusive: Pernell Walker Talks Showtime’s City On A Hill Season 2
Tonight at 9pm on Showtime is the season 2 finale for City on a Hill, starring Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge. Throughout the season, it’s been a back and forth battle as Bacon and Hodge’s characters tries to outdo the other and step one step ahead. While Hodge’s ADA Decourcy Ward pursues justice, Bacon’s FBI agent Jackie Rohr tries to do the same in some ways, but avoid prosecution as well.
In between, there's been other characters that have stood out this season and one of them is Pernell Walker, who plays the role of Grace Cambpell. She’s the coalition leader constantly fighting to keep her neighborhood safe from the police and drug dealers. Unbeknownst to her, the crime infested in the community stems from her back yard.
With nearly 20 years of experience in TV, film and theater, Walker’s credits include films such as Dee Rees’ Pariah, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, and Ambition’s Debt. On stage, she’s appeared in Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven, Easto Westo and Dolphins and Sharks, Her TV credits include The Leftovers, The Knick, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Adventures in New America, Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us, and The Deuce.
BlackFilmndTV.com caught up with Walker as she goes over her character on City on a Hill and what to expect in the season finale.
As a mother and community leader with influence, some people think that Grace’s a bit naive as to what's going on. How would you describe her?
Pernell Walker: I think she's human, frst off. As humans, we sometimes have blind spots. I think she's very committed to the community and wanting the best for her children and all those around her, which is why she fights so hard; but then in trying to improve it for her sons, she misses a huge mark. She’s not a bad person or a hero, she’s in the middle line, trying to do everything for her sons, even though some of it is not good. I just love how they (the writers) wrote her very specific.
Week after week, social media folks were asking themselves how is it that Grace is oblivious to what everyone in the neighborhood knows about her sons?
Pernell Walker: Well, I think that was a big thing. I got a lot of flack for on social media because when they revealed my two sons at the dinner table, people were like, "I think she’s in on it” or "I think she knows.” I had a whole bunch of questions coming at me. I think that she was so committed to the community needs, she may have turned a cheek or something. I remember there was a line that she says to the Reverend when she goes to appeal for some money for the bail money. She said something like, "Oh, I thought he would have straightened out.” Maybe she saw that he was slipping in some ways that she tried to straighten them out by giving them pamphlets and options to the Army or the Navy. Kids lie. She could have assumed that her kids were in school, or they could have been playing hooky. Who knows? I know that there's a lot of things that happen in the neighborhood with kids. Kids are lured in by the street life.
How can you compete with someone that can make 50,000 each week off of whatever they're doing? She's a mom trying to do her best. I don't think she knew. I think that people in the neighborhood knew, but they minded their business. People that know some stuff about somebody doing anything are going to mind their business. They’re like, "Listen, I don't want to be in the middle of anything." Especially to a person that is in a position to help you. Grace is always lending a hand to people in the community, so that's maybe more incentive not to ruffle the feathers of somebody that could possibly help you out in the community.
What are we to expect for the season finale?
Pernell Walker: it's been a roller coaster. Many things will come together in some way. They won't be perfect, but it will come together in some way. Just brace yourself because this writing, it’s top 10. In that writing room, they wrote and wrote and it's been amazing. I'm so grateful for everyone that has been behind me, the executive producers, all of them. So I think this will be a very cathartic coming together apart. That's all I could say.
How's working with the cast?
Pernell Walker: It’s been wonderful. They're so grounded and very welcoming to me. I was amazed. These are huge names. Kevin (Bacon) was wonderful to work with. Aldis (Hodge) is really a sweetheart and Lauren (E. Banks) was really so cool. I didn't get to work with Jill (Hennessy), but I got to meet her in the trailer a couple of times. Everybody was just so wonderful and I'm just grateful to have our paths crossed in this way. I really hope that the future has that again. But we'll see. I'm open to whatever comes that's right for me.
You’ve worked a long time, from TV to films and theater, but this is one of your best roles. What’s has this done for you?
Pernell Walker: It's been so wonderful because I booked this last year. This was my first audition that I went out on and I booked it. To say that this has been a lifeline is just so crazy because nobody knew what COVID or 2020 was meant to be. I found myself reading scripts and collaborating with all these wonderful people. I can't wait for what's next. I really can't. I'm just excited and I'm just so grateful. Tom Fontana and everybody there has been so wonderful. They had a safe working protocol and I just can't wait for what's next. I'm ready and I'm excited.