Reel life: 'Race' star talks about getting to know Jesse

Stephan James played John Lewis in the fact-based drama “Selma.” Now, the young Canadian actor plays legendary Olympic athlete Jesse Owens in the fact-based drama “Race,” opening this weekend. I talked to the actor during a recent visit to the Windy City.

Q. Are you tired of answering questions about the all-white performance nominees for the 88th Academy Awards?

A. (Laughs). Hey, man. It comes with the territory. I get it. That question is going to come up. Honestly, I think it's important that people are talking about it. There is discussion and the issue is being raised.

Q. While researching Jesse Owens, did anything surprise you?

A. There was so much material I could find on Jesse the athlete, the fastest man on the planet. But very, very little about the type of man he was. The type of father he was. The type of husband he was. For me, getting to know about him through the perspectives of his daughters, that attracted me to playing the role more than the athlete he was.

Q. What kind of man did your research reveal?

A. He was a great humanitarian who would give his last to anyone, especially when it came to children. He was a big family man and a consummate gentleman. I felt a responsibility to bring a face to the hero, if you will. To bring a level of humanity to him.

Q. How difficult was it to prepare for the athletic aspect of your performance?

A. Very, very difficult. I grew up playing volleyball and basketball, that sort of thing, but never track. It was a whole new world for me, a different kind of beast. It wasn't enough for me to run fast, I actually had to run like Jesse. His running style was so particular.

Q. Like what?

A. He got erect right at the start of the race. His posture just jumped up. Athletes are taught to sort of glide into your stride. That never occurred to Jesse. He just sort of popped up right after the gun went off and started running straight up.

Also, his facial emotions he had when he ran, those facial expressions he had were very important for me to nail and be accurate.

Q. How many takes did you do for the athletic events?

A. We did most things in three or four takes so we could go full out those times. Obviously, you can't do a whole bunch of these things. I tried to do most of my running myself. About 99 percent of the athletics is me. So, basically, it was me at 150 percent three or four times and that was it.

Q. Give me three words to describe the Jesse Owens you found.

A. He was modest, despite being the fastest man on the planet. Very modest. Not outspoken about that.

Determined. He was determined to be the best. He knew he was great. We worked very, very hard to be even better than he was.

Brave. He was a completely fearless guy. He stared adversity in the face on a daily basis, not just here in the United States but in Berlin in 1936. All that sums up just a piece of who he is.

Q. What attracted you to the performing arts?

A. I can't tell you why I gravitated toward the performing arts. I've always been sort of a shy person. I think maybe it's a way for me to express myself without having to actually be myself. I've always been fascinated with being characters outside of myself.

Q. How did you capture the role of John Lewis in “Selma”?

A. I sat down and read the script in about two hours. I went home and put some of it on tape. Sent it to the casting director. Twenty minutes later, I get a phone call saying I'm going to do a Skype interview with the director Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey the producer.

It was a dumbfounding moment. I was speechless! I made the tape 20 minutes earlier and these people wanted me for the role! It was crazy.

Q. You're Canadian. So are you in favor of building a wall between the U.S. and Canada, then sending the bill to Donald Trump?

A. (Laughs.) I love our American neighbors! I'm here enough that I can't afford to have any border or wall blocking me or stopping me!

Film critic's notebook:

• The fact-based drama “Spotlight” could win the Best Picture Oscar on Feb. 28. You can see a fundraiser showing of “Spotlight” — based on The Boston Globe's expose of the Catholic Church's cover up of sexual misconduct by clergy — at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, at the Lake Street Screening Room, 70 E. Lake St., Chicago.

I will lead a brief post-show panel discussion featuring former Catholic priest (now Episcopal priest) Father Jim Swarthout and investigative reporter Sarah Karp. Suggested donation of $30 with funds going to scholarships for the Chicago Headline Club. Go to eventbrite.com/e/spotlight-exclusive-chicago-screening-of-oscar-nominated-film-feb-22-tickets-21102885298.

• John Huston's classic 1941 mystery “The Maltese Falcon” — considered the first and best example of film noir — will be shown at 650 theaters around the nation and locally at 2 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, and Wednesday, Feb. 24, as part of the Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies Big Screen Classics series. fathomevents.com/event/the-maltese-falcon for theaters and tickets.

Meanwhile, film noir fans, mark your calendars for Thursday, March 3, when Dann & Raymond's Movie Club presents “The Great Film Noir Movies.” It's at 7:30 p.m. at the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg. Go to schaumburglibrary.org.

• Here comes our absolutely final analysis and predictions for the 88th annual Academy Awards. Join me and film historian Raymond Benson as Dann & Raymond's Movie Club presents “And the Oscar Goes To ...” 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, at the Palatine Public Library, 700 N. North Court, Palatine. Film clips. Free admission. Go to palatinelibrary.org.