Sifting through 'Saw' with Lyriq Bent

T’was the weekend before Halloween, and all through the house, one thing was certain, beyond a doubt: Time for another Saw movie. The fourth entry in this blood-drenched series splashes across screens today right on schedule. With Darren Lynn Bousman behind the camera (he directed the last two films as well), one can imagine plenty of gore courtesy of the creep with the clown mask named Jigsaw.

This time around, he’s set his sick gaze on Sergeant Rigg, the hardened SWAT team leader whose minor roles in the last two films has been expanded to a lead performance. Rigg is played by Lyriq Bent, whose background in television gigs and supporting roles has paved the way to this starring position. During a phone conversation yesterday, Bent talked about his current role in the profitable franchise, the status of African American actors in the film industry, and the marketing brilliance of [the Saw blood drive] (which asks you to “Give ‘til it hurts”).

I noticed that [your website] has clips from your performances in films like Four Brothers, but nothing from any of the Saw films.

We have to be kind of careful with that.

Did you have to sign some sort of waiver about what you’re allowed to reveal from the movies before they open?

Man, it’s like you’re on a gag order. It’s really top-notch secret.

When you first became attached to the franchise in Saw II, could you tell that it was going to become an ongoing franchise?

When I originally got involved with this, nobody knew what was going on. We were concentrating on the task in front of us. I went into it with the positive attitude of making something out of the character that was given to me. It evolved into what it is now.

What attracted you to the project?

The fact that they had the audition for one of the characters that I heard about through some advertising. I rented the video [of the first Saw] to see what I was going to be a part of. When I watched it, I realized that it was not only a great franchise idea, but a great sense of storytelling. So I went in there and made sure I made the best audition for the job. When I auditioned, it wasn’t for my character. It was for Xavier [who ended up being played by Franky G]. I didn’t get the job, but it’s a great thing for me now. At the time, I was a little bit peeved by it, but I had to have a positive attitude and not judge the character. And here we are with number four.

Why weren’t you chosen for the Xavier role?

Well, other than the fact that Franky did a great job with it, they didn’t want to stereotype the character. Xavier was a drug dealer and they didn’t want to make him an African American. Which is great, because it shows that they’re thinking about more than just putting a character in there for the sake of the character. They’re trying not to be stereotypical. At least they’re trying to think outside of the box.

Do you think African American actors are being offered the right roles these days?

 Saw is a great example of why independent films are great films to be a part of. They take chances. I’m not saying that putting an African American in a lead role is taking a chance, because I don’t’ think it is. But it’s definitely something that there could be more of. This is a great opportunity. We want to continue to see that and think outside of the box when it comes to casting. Mainstream Hollywood needs to look at this and realize that you can do things with good actors regardless of their backgrounds.

One of the biggest stereotypes of the horror genre is that the black guy always dies first.

Yes! Usually, we’re pawns. In these films, any type of minority is used as a pawn to help a story move forward. It doesn’t have to be that way. This is a great way to end the cycle—something like Saw. Making mad bucks at the bank, and having a character that’s African American in the lead role. It’s great for the industry and it’s fantastic for the genre.

According to the ever-reliable information on Wikipedia, your character is killed in Saw IV. [As of this morning, that detail has been dropped from the entry.]

Wikipedia says that my character dies? Oh, wow. They know a lot more than I do. That’s informative. I didn’t know that. I haven’t seen the film yet, so I have no idea what happens.

Didn’t you read the screenplay?

No, I haven’t read the ending of the script. I only the read the first sixty pages, and it wasn’t in sequence. That’s how I got the script. I haven’t read a complete script to date since I’ve been involved with the franchise.

Is that disorienting for you?

Not at all. When you have a great director like Darren Lynn Bousman at the helm, including you in his vision, you trust him. He’s brilliant, and he’s got the eye. Working with him was a pleasure. I like his style.

His next movie sounds pretty interesting.

Oh yeah, [Repo! The Genetic Opera]. That is going to be fabulous. I saw a trailer for it. The moment he started telling me about it, I knew it was going to be great. It looks fantastic.

Did he tell you anything about future Saw films?

That’s something you’d have to ask Darren about. As for me, I have no idea what’s going on. Like I said, they’re pretty secretive with the things they do. We’ll see what happens. Saw IV will determine where things go from here. It’s all about the people. If the people want more, they’ll get more.

How do you respond to the hardcore horror fans?

I’ve experienced some of that on a micro-level. I enjoy them, because they’re not overwhelming. I can take it in moderation. You get some really die-hard fans who come out and see you. They want autographs and pictures, which is cool.

What can you tell me about your character in this film?

I can tell you that the strong, silent type you’ve been seeing in II and III is going to expose himself a lot more. You’re going to understand the nature of the character. He might be this big tough guy—or it might seem that way, but he’s a real person, like the guy next door. He’s got his own issues. He’s emotionally vulnerable. People are going to go on a journey with him and be emotionally exhausted by the end of the film. You get to see Jigsaw in the film and find out who he is and why. If you have an opinion on Jigsaw, now you’re going to have another opinion. This film is like a combination of I, II and III. A lot of questions are answered and a lot more are asked.

If you get asked to be in another Saw movie, will accept the offer without hesitation?

Hmm. I don’t know. That’s a good question. I don’t know if they’ll ask me back, or if they even want me back. I don’t know if I live or die. There are interesting ways of bringing characters back. You also have to remember that this is the fourth movie of a franchise. You can only go as far as the audience will let you go. You don’t want to start selling out with a bunch of flashbacks and this and that to keep things going. I think the creators have that respect for the audience. I think that once the story has gone as far as it can go, they’ll stop doing it. If you’re in this business to make money, then you’re in the wrong business. It’s not like that. It’s got to be a creative drive, because you’re going to work for a very long time before you see any kind of money. If you’re going to be in it to win it, there has to be a longevity plan in place.

You just wrapped a TV movie with Elisha Cuthbert called Guns.

That went fabulous. It’s a really interesting project that talks about gun smuggling in suburban communities. It’s about the local aspect behind it. Now that these guns are filtering into suburbia, it’s a big problem. I play an undercover cop trying to build trust with the community…there are some really interesting dynamics between all the players involved. We take the focus off the communities riddled with violence and shed light on the people who actually are responsible for getting these guns into the country. It’s a great story that everybody needs to see.

When does that air?

Early spring.

Speaking of social activism, tell me about this Saw blood drive.

I was at the blood drive the other day. That’s so important. You want to give blood because it’s important that it’s readily available. A lot of times people don’t understand what it entails, where you go and how simple the process is. I think it’s a brilliant marketing scheme for Lionsgate. If we’re going to be taking blood in these films, nothing wrong with giving it.

Does Saw get much attention from non-horror fans?

You don’t have to watch a film like this, if it really bugs you out. It’s like a flavor. There are different flavors for different people. I think if someone were to watch it, they’d appreciate it, because it’s not what they think it is. It’s art. People will see it if they can. You don’t have to force it on them.