Don Cheadle Applied Method Acting For His Role In ‘Brooklyn’s Finest’

Don Cheadle has made his mark as one of Hollywood's talented movie stars, but earning that title comes with incredible effort.

Cheadle, who began his early acting career with roles in films such as "Hamburger Hill" and playing the notorious gangster named Rocket in "Colors," has swiftly risen to more prominent roles.

The actor recently spoke about selling drugs to prepare himself better to embody his character in the 2010 film "Brooklyn Finest."

Cheadle showed that his passion for the craft means he would go through any length to prepare for a role. Such as when he detailed his journey towards embodying a character in 2010.

To show authenticity in his role, the star who played an undercover cop named Tango in "Brooklyn's Finest" revealed that he sold drugs in an interview with Collider.

In the Antoin Fuqua film, Cheadle starred alongside Wesley Snipes for the first time to play a character who infiltrates a drug dealing network.

The Marvel personality told the outlet that the exciting story of the film and the opportunity to partner up with Snipes and Antoine were what pulled him towards accepting the role. In his words:

"I wanted the opportunity to work on something like this with Antoine, who I think has a real firm grasp on this genre...I have admired Wes’s work for a long time, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to work with Wes and the others in a real drama. Like I said, this genre, the movie’s really exciting."

After getting accepted to play the part, Cheadle went down the method acting route to understand the inside details of dealing drugs. He recounted to BlackFilm, saying:

"When I knew I had the role, I went down to the local pharmaceutical distributor, got a packet, and started slinging drugs. I’d never done it before. I’m a method actor. I had to understand it from the ground up."

When questioned about his success as a drug dealer, the "Space Jam: A New Legacy" star admitted that he would instead stick to the entertainment sector because it was "better than selling drugs."

Amid the period of "Brooklyn's Finest," release Marvel Studios selected Cheadle to replace Terrence Howards for the second part of "Iron Man 2."

The actor picked up the character of James Rhodes, also known as the War Machine, which he still embodies to date. 

The outlet wanted to know if it was too much of a change for Cheadle to switch from being in a crime thriller to a superhero film, but he touched on the fluidity of his acting capabilities.

The 57-year-old said he had done 40 movies. Wesley has done 40, too, so he can switch movie genres on and off like a faucet. He explained:

"It’s still the same thing; you’re still trying to create a character and flesh them out, make them believable, and have real moments with the other actors and animals you’re working with on the set. It’s the same thing in every different movie."

Cheadle began a career in Hollywood in the '90s with roles such as the 1987 movie "Hamburger Hill." Today, he is not only an actor but a producer, writer, and director.

The Blast dived into the star's legacy, showing that he has made the best of opportunities by delivering stellar performances in films including Boogie Nights," "Devil in a Blue Dress," and "Rosewood."

The actor has also graced movies such as "The Rat Pack," "Things Behind the Sun," "Swordfish," "Crash," "Ocean's Twelve," "Iron Man 2," and "Iron Man 3."

Cheadle was nominated for the renowned Academy Award in 2004 for his stellar roles as the lead in the genocide drama "Hotel Rwanda."

The star became a Golden Globe award winner for his role in the "House of Lies" sitcom. He was also nominated for the esteemed award for his performance in the series in 2013 and 2014.

Cheadle's net worth is $40 million following his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in "Iron Man 2" in 2010 and a reported earning of $8 million per each of the franchise releases.