Mike Safo

Joined today by award winning film director and my childhood friend and teammate, Reinaldo Marcus Green.  Rei and I talk about growing up, playing baseball together and how we argued over the Yankees and Mets. Rei talks about being a hot young rookie director and being given the script for “King Richard”, why it resonated so much with him and why he knew he needed to direct the film. He shares his first meeting with Will Smith, how he sold himself and why Jada played a role in Will wanting Rei to direct the film. We go over the pressures of telling the Williams sisters’ story correctly, having to correct Will on his lines and why it was so important to include the other Williams sisters in the story. Rei tells us about the creative power he has, what he changed for the movie and when he knows his film is finally completed. Rei goes behind the scenes and talks about the importance of everyone on set from the costume designer to the lighting team. We discuss his newest project, “We Own This City”; about the cor