Speaking out at a press event for his latest project “The Blacklist,” Lennix, whose past film credits include “Ray,” “The Matrix: Reloaded” and “The Matrix: Revolutions,” criticized movies such as “The Help” and the upcoming film “The Butler,” a historical story of a White House butler who served eight American presidents over three decades and becomes involved in the political turmoil of that era.

“In an effort to make it seem somehow profound, they bastardize the actual history of the man when the true nobility of it is there are people like him, like my mother, who were domestics who didn't get raped and whose daddy’s didn't get shot. So what, he was a servant in the White House.  I'm sick of being a slave, sick of being a servant,” adds the actor who has built a career playing noteworthy characters.

Lennix, who recently appeared in the Warner Bros. feature "Man of Steel" plays a government official in the upcoming NBC drama “The Blacklist,” a series in which a criminal partners with the FBI to track down other criminals.

A screen and stage actor, he made his Broadway debut in August Wilson’s Tony-nominated play "Radio Golf" and received an Ollie Award for his role as Malcolm X at the Goodman Theater. He has also directed and appeared in several award winning stage productions. On the TV side, he starred in the Golden Globe-nominated series "Commander in Chief” and been featured extensively on television shows such as “ER,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” and “24.”

“I've played lots of different kinds of people and I play a lot of authoritative figures. It’s better than a lot of other types I could be playing.” 

Lennix is also the executive producer of "Mr. Sophistication,” a movie about a comedian who tries to reignite his career after a self-imposed exile from Hollywood.

“It co-stars Robert Patrick, Gina Torres and Tatum O'Neal and it's a very interesting story about a love triangle that develops as this man is trying to re-ignite the career that he once had and he blew,” Lennix continues. “I think it's going to be interesting in terms of the landscape of black films because so much of what we see is degrading and depressing and we want to show that's there's still some glamor in Hollywood.”

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