Justice League became one of the most anticipated movie of the year and we’d be lying if we said it didn’t keep us on our toes. Cyborg is played by Ray Fisher, in fact, he is the only African American to star in the movie amongst his fellow cast mates. Justice League is Fisher’s first performance in a major motion picture. He sat down with EJ to give us the scoop on what the experience has been for him thus far

 

Starting at a young age, I know you started off in plays such as Shakespeare and Off-Broadway productions, how did that prepare you for the big screen now?

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Even in my high school years when I first starting doing theater, I had friends that were in film, so while I was getting involved in the musical theater program and finding my love for acting I was actually able to practice the craft of film from friends who were shooting little films here and there, and every time they needed an actor for their projects they will call me and I’ll be there, so it was nice to learn the technical aspects of both crafts spontaneously.

 

You are the only African American face in this league (Justice League)…how important is it for you to represent and be that character especially for the younger black boys being able to see that familiar face… a black superhero on the big screen?

 

I think it’s important, I think representation in every way, shape, or form is important. I think we need more superheroes of color, more superheroes in general. For me it’s a privilege to be able inspire people the same way I was inspired watching Wesley Snipes in Blade growing up. I think it’s a privilege and hopefully I did the character justice. I also want to make sure that I’m highlighting the fact that Cybor’s story, while there are a lot of metaphors between him being half robot and half man, that there’s a lot of metaphors in just being human in general. There’s a lot about it that isn’t about it being black or white. Cybor struggle is a human struggle. It sort of transcends our ideas of what skin color means. Cause what do you think about a person who is half robot that walks up on you? It gives the story a different connotation. Cybor is a very real and grounded character. He’s dealing with life as a black man…he’s dealing with life as being half man half machine. It’s amazing to see that type of metaphor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What has been your biggest challenge with this?

 

The biggest challenge for me… there was a lot of technical challenges, just trying to get used to the CGI and the green screen, but outside of that with the scenes themselves, just working out where Cyborg is at any given time, to make sure I’m clearly mapping his trajectory and ultimately his healing process in this film. I wouldn’t say that there were parts that were harder than others.

 

I know you portrayed Muhammad Ali in your Off-Broadway production Fetch Clay... how has he inspired you in your role now? Did you look up to him? Was he like a superhero for you?

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Very much like Cyborg, I didn’t learn the ends and outs of Muhammad Ali. I knew who he was just by representation and media, obviously commercials, and things of that nature. I had a very surface level knowledge of who he was, but it wasn’t until I actually started delving into that piece, I was able to dig into the crazy historical impact that he had… (Fisher begins to sing the chorus of “Black Superman” by Johnny Wakelin) He actually fought Superman in a comic which was one of the first times we ever saw a real life figure in that way be represented in comic history. I mean... its big time! You don’t see that very much, if at all these days. That just goes to show you the big impact he had socially and where DC Comics was at the time that they’d be willing to put him in with some of the greatest superheroes of all times.

 

Who would you say is your favorite superhero, or who was, when you were growing up? Anyone you said that you would want to be like?

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Batman for sure… Batman & Blade

 

Now I’ve noticed that your family plays such a huge role in your life… So how important has it been just knowing how much they support you? 

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They’ve been supporting me since day one. I cannot praise them enough when it comes to the level of support... You want to talk about people who never told you that you couldn’t… they are those people. So it’s beautiful for me to be able to say not only the work that I put in will pay off, but your faith and support has paid off. And I think for them, they’re just happy that I’m doing what I want, even if it weren’t at this scale, as long as I’d be happy, they would be supportive no matter what. So it’s an honor and a privilege. I’m super grateful to have them in my life and I’m glad that they get to reap some of the benefits of the journey like being able to go to the premiere in LA and have the action figure and say… We did it together!

 

Is there any inspiration or advice that you’ve gotten from a family member that will always stick with you?

 

I don’t think it was meant to be inspiration but my grandfather, who passed away about 4 years ago. I remember being young and having him call me “A go getter” before I even knew what a go getter was. I do believe that words are very important and encouragement is extremely important and so you know when you call someone something like that… and I didn’t even fully comprehend it, even until in my early 20’s what it truly meant. I think people will become… and this is why labels and lack of labels or specification of labels are important because people will become things that you pin them to be. We sort of associate ourselves with those things over time even subconsciously. I don’t think he was meaning to give it to me as advice but the fact that he had labeled me with that, I feel that I started to grow to it.

 

Grandparents are the foundation of it all & when we have conversations with them, it’s just the wisdom that they let off and we don’t realize it until we get to a certain age or point in life and it hits us like “That’s what they meant”

 

Thinking back over your career to date what would you say has been your greatest accomplishment yet?

 

You know what’s strange, I kind of equate them all to be equally as great cause I would not be here if it weren’t for the other accomplishments. You know it’s hard to sort of differentiate and pick out one specific one… I’m super grateful for absolutely everything. It feels like it’s just been this constant source of feeling accomplished. You set yourself out to do something and when you see the fruition of it you just feel fulfilled. I feel the same way now acting in this film that I felt when I was portraying Muhammad Ali.  I feel every opportunity I’ve had has been a victory.

 

Congratulations on Justice League being your first featured film … has it hit you yet that this is actually happening?

 

Yea, I feel like it hit me in a big way when Zack first approached me and said hey I want you to play the role… I think it hit me in a big way then. There’s little things that end up happening where I’m just like yea this is actually going on…  like when they printed the Cyborg toy… when I seen little kids running around in Cyborg costumes for this past Halloween, I was like Oh Wow, this is bringing people joy, this is bringing people life. Put my personal accomplishment aside, that’s something that is luckily a happy accident as a result of me pursuing my goals. I’ve never anticipated being able to have that kind of impact… it hasn’t sunk in completely just yet.

 

There is a Cyborg solo project coming out in the near future?

 

Things are in development with that right now. They announced it a few years ago, as long as everything goes as planned we’re be rolling right into that and hopefully everyone responds to the character and start clamoring for more.

 

Well what’s next for you? Do you have any businesses? Side business? Any community involvements? Do you want to get back into theater? Plays? What’s next for Ray?

 

I don’t know! I can say I don’t and I can say that I feel comfortable with not knowing. And coming from a place of panic, trying to find the next job, for me it’s never been fruitful, it’s never worked, in my personal trajectory, you know it’s been large amounts of time between projects that I’ve actually felt passionate about that I’ve been able to be a part of. And if it takes some time… a year…two years for me to figure out what’s next, I’m going to take that time. My career and my life are going to be as much on my terms as I can make it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I get that positive energy from you that I just think will be more of an inspiration and a good image for the young boys in particular who may go out and really get into your character. 

 

Well I’m trying my best and I try to buffer the idea that we’re all human beings at the end of the day. I could appreciate the kind of hero worship that comes along with this sort of thing but I’m an actor playing a role that just so happens to be a superhero. And I think it’s important to be able to differentiate that, if not the parents doing it, but the kids themselves. This is my job and I want to be able to inspire people and change the world.

 

What would you tell a young boy who’s looking up to you, who may want to be Cyborg as a kid, or even Ray Fisher as an adult? What advice would you give them?

 

I would tell them, don’t be me, be better than me. I don’t feel that I’m particularly special in that way, all I’ve done is try to be as nice to people as I possibly can and just put whole heart into everything that I do. And if you see some successes or results in that then it’s a life well lived.

 

That means a lot for me too!!

 

Before I let you go, I have one last thing I want to know… Who is your celebrity crush?

 

I’ve had many over the years…I mean it’s been… I probably shouldn’t say. I don’t want anyone looking at me weird (Laughs)