Tyrese Says He Almost Fought Ving Rhames During ‘Baby Boy’ Filming

Tyrese revealed in a recent interview on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast that he nearly came to blows with his co-star, Ving Rhames, while filming the 2001 thriller Baby Boy. He insisted that the emotions he expressed during the filming were genuine.

“I was not acting in Baby Boy. That n***a Ving Rhames definitely triggered the sh*t out of me. I don’t like the n***a to this day,” stated Tyrese.

During his appearance on the podcast, Tyrese shared numerous untold stories about his role as Jody Summers, a 20-year-old trying to navigate life in the tough streets of Los Angeles. He recalled how he was so deeply immersed in his character that he almost fought Ving Rhames, who played Melvin, an ex-con dating Jody’s mother, Juanita. The intense relationship between Jody and Melvin in the film led up to a memorable fight scene.

“I run into that n***a to this day. I don’t give a f*** where we are, what clothes we have on, what we are doing— even if it’s the Golden Globes— I see that n***a across the room, I be like, ‘Man, f*** that n***a back there,’” Tyrese explained.

Tyrese also mentioned that director John Singleton compared him to Tupac during casting. He said Singleton was seeking someone with raw, unfiltered energy for the role of Jody. Tyrese claimed Singleton told him, “You the only n***a that remind me of Pac.” Singleton initially wanted Tupac for the lead role, but had to reconsider due to Tupac’s untimely passing.

“Everybody out here want to be Pac. They’re getting tattoos trying to become Pac, rapping and sounding like Pac, being super thug like Pac,” Tyrese recounted Singleton’s words.

Tyrese further revealed that he received praise from Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, who became close to him over the years. “Pac’s Mama, who became the godmother to my daughter at the time, said it too,” he shared.

Fans reacted to Tyrese’s stories on Instagram, with some affirming his genuine connection to the streets. “Tyrese definitely from Watts,” one user wrote, noting how he was from one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

Another user commented on the comparison between Tyrese and Tupac: “Tyrese is really from Watts, Ca. Thee worst place to grow up in Los Angeles. John Singleton wrote Baby Boy exclusively for 2pac. Why would he even do that movie if he didn’t feel like Tyrese didn’t remind him of Pac and in my opinion 2pac wouldn’t have pulled that role off like Tyrese did.”

Baby Boy was released in 2001 and grossed approximately $29 million at the domestic box office, based on a budget of around $16 million, according to Box Office Mojo. The film became modestly successful, solidifying Tyrese’s performance as iconic for its raw and authentic portrayal.

Have you watched Baby Boy? What do you think of Tyrese’s performance?

Source: Million Dollaz Worth of Game Podcast, Box Office Mojo