Five to Watch

The summer movie season is notorious for releasing some of the biggest films of the year. With so much pressure from studios trying to win the opening weekends, the people truly in the hot seat are the film’s stars. We take a look at five actors who may find their temperatures rising or falling with films this summer.

Don Cheadle
Film: Talk to Me and Ocean’s Thirteen

Last Seen In: Reign Over Me
The Upside: Talk to Me could be his Ray. He further enhances his solid credentials with an interesting and eye-opening biopic about D.C. personality, Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene. In addition, he joins his A-list pals in another Ocean picture.
The Downside: If his Ocean film tanks (unlikely) and the biopic is overshadowed by bigger blockbusters (perhaps).
Outlook: With one strong performance under his belt already this year in Reign, Cheadle walks to his own beat and balances work in bigger films with small personal stories (Hotel Rwanda and the upcoming Talk). He’ll be just fine.

Queen Latifah
Film: Hairspray

Last Seen In: The HBO film, Life Support
The Upside: Her role as Motormouth Maybelle is another quirky, offbeat and funny performance by the incredibly smart Latifah. Co-starring with John Travolta and receiving a huge marketing push by New Line Cinema, look for this film to be a summer surprise – and another feature in her highness’ cap.
The Downside: If the film doesn’t get cannibalized by bigger-name fare, and Black audiences don’t warm to a period musical, it could be in trouble.
Outlook: In her 16-year career, Latifah is one of the best in business in finding roles that either fit her perfectly or provide enough room for her to work her magic. The Oscar-nominated actress has a strong shot at an Emmy nomination for her fantastic work in Life Support. If history is any indication, Latifah will continue to cruise along, even if Hairspray isn’t successful.

Chris Tucker
Film: Rush Hour 3

Last Seen In: Rush Hour 2
The Upside: With over $350 million from the first two films in the series, it seems like a no-brainer this project has a good shot at being successful. The creative team behind the previous two teams remains intact; if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
The Downside: Tucker has been in a film in six years. To put that in a better prospective, Samuel L. Jackson has starred in 20 films since the last Rush Hour! Will audiences even remember his earlier films?
Outlook: The jury is out on his career. We don’t doubt that his latest will be successful, but what happens when he’s cast in a film that doesn’t have Rush Hour in the title or doesn’t star Jackie Chan? He runs the risk of being a one-film pony who may suffer an early career flameout. Time will tell.

Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Film: Daddy Day Camp
Last Seen In: Norbit
The Upside: Stepping in for Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe winner Eddie Murphy, Oscar winner Gooding reprises the role of Charlie Hinton in the Daddy Day franchise. With an entirely new creative team behind this project, Gooding has a chance to shine in this film.
The Downside: With a resume featuring far more bombs than hits, Gooding may have finally reached a critical career fork in the road. There is a good reason that Murphy chose to move on from this project. Gooding may be walking into a creative minefield in this film.
Outlook: As a member of a very special fraternity of Black Oscar winners, Gooding, by far, has been the biggest disappointment. He always seems to be around the wrong films at the wrong times. After laying another egg, critically, in Norbit, his career may get an added boost co-starring with fellow Oscar winner Denzel Washington as drug dealer Nicky Barnes in American Gangster, this fall.

Morgan Freeman
Film: Evan Almighty

Last Seen In: 10 Items or Less
The Upside: Freeman returns as God in the runaway Almighty franchise. The entire creative team from the first film returns, but no other return was more important than that of the consummate veteran actor. With comedic actor Steve Carrell, who is on par with the original film’s star, Jim Carrey, the film should not miss a beat and could be a very formidable presence this summer.
The Downside: For Freeman, there’s not a lot. He balances small indies with big Hollywood blockbusters, plus having that small shiny gold trophy doesn’t hurt.
Outlook: In an interview once, Nelson George called Freeman one of the industry’s steadiest actors and the glue that holds together many films that pit an inexpensive actor with the steady vet. In his illustrious 33-year career, Freeman has played big and small. Freeman is as versatile an actor as you’ll find and, no matter what you wonder about Evan Almighty, one thing is certain – if it doesn’t work, it won’t be because of Freeman.

This feature also appeared on BET.com.