Aldis Hodge on 'Cross': 'A Complex Black Man With a Complex Black Love Story'

On November 14, Prime Video’s highly anticipated crime thriller Cross, starring Aldis Hodge, will premiere.

We had the opportunity to watch all eight episodes, which will be available on the premiere date, and they truly deserve all the buzz they’ve been getting. (We promise no spoilers)

The show, based on James Patterson’s popular Alex Cross novels, has already been renewed for a second season by Prime Video.

The series follows Hodge as Alex Cross, a detective and forensic psychologist, face-to-face with the complex world of criminal investigation—where he must decode both killers and victims to bring justice. The series is authentically Black, not only due to the majority of its characters but also because the stories and references are all culturally relevant.

In an exclusive interview with The Quintessential Gentleman, Hodge spoke about the significance of playing Alex Cross and what drew him to this character.

“The framework of the character,” Hodge says with excitement. “The script was amazing. I put it down after 15 pages and called my team immediately, and said, ‘I want to meet with Ben [Watkins, the show’s creator]’...It was literally the exact thing I was looking for in that moment."

Hodge’s Alex Cross is more than a tough detective; he’s a character who brings equal parts strength and vulnerability, a duality we rarely see in Black male characters.

"I was looking for a reprieve to stand in one's own power, to impose without being imposing, to show street smarts and book smarts, elegance, eloquence, rawness, edge, and class all in the same box. And then just present that without having to explain it or apologize for it, to present that without having to be submissive about it, without having to bow down and bend to anybody about it. And that's exactly who and what Cross is. You know, he's a giant," Hodge shared.

If you're a fan of the Alex Cross series, you know the character as someone who walks a line between justice and personal struggle. Hodge said that the show’s creator did a masterful job at bringing depth to Cross, building on the character’s established traits and adding new layers.

"I feel like this show serves as an extension of being able to explore the world of Cross. I feel like we're inviting people to every bit of Cross because Ben Watkins took the lines that were written in between the words in the books, and he brought that to the forefront in its full capacity," Hodge explains.

In the Cross universe, viewers experience a world that authentically reflects the life of a real Black man and his interactions with the various relationships in his life. The show doesn’t shy away from tackling tough topics such as Black identity, mental health, and grief, all seamlessly woven into a thrilling crime drama.

Cross also explores the detective’s family dynamics, particularly his love life, something that Hodge finds vital to the story’s authenticity. “I love that they have a complex Black man with a complex Black love story,” he says.

Check out the full interview.

Photo Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video