According to Austria-born actor Boris Kodjoe, his latest film, Addicted — based on the best-selling novel by Zane, the “Queen of Erotica” — is much more than a sultry, sweltering and steamy soft-core thriller.
“Zane is famous for writing to the secret fantasies of women all over the world — liberating those fantasies that a lot of women feel guilty about or are judged because of,” the actor, best known for his roles Baggage Claim and Soul Food explains. “Addicted was supposed to be an homage to these women who need to feel respected, accepted in their sexuality and their right to express that. That was it really set out to be, but obviously, it touches on sexual addiction, which is a very serious ailment, just like alcoholism or any other drug addiction. It’s something that people don’t talk about. It’s something that has been taboo for a long time and has been used as a scapegoat for philandering husbands, mostly. It’s that, but the film is really just a celebration of sexuality and the freedom to express that.”
In Addicted, Kodjoe portrays Jason Reynard, the dutiful husband of Zoe (Sharon Leal), a successful businesswoman who appears to have attained it all — the dream husband she loves, two wonderful children and a flourishing career. As perfect as everything appears from the outside, Zoe is still drawn to temptations she cannot escape of resist. She is irresistibly attracted to the sultry pleasure of a sexy painter and sculptor (William Levy). Throwing caution to the wind, Zoe’s life spirals perilously out of control as she risks her marriage, her family, and her dignity for the sweet taste of forbidden fruit.
From the moment the 41-year-old Kodjoe — who is married to actress Nicole Ari Parker — was approached to star in Addicted, he instinctively knew it was a film he had to be involved with. “I always like be part of projects that challenge the audience, not only to think, but also to carry on that conversation,” Boris admits. “I knew that was going to happen with this film. I trusted Bille (woodruff), the director, and (producer) Paul Hall who are very good friends of mine. I knew they were going to drive that point home rather than exploit the subject matter.”
Robustly sensual, Addicted features several highly-charged sex scenes. Kodjoe says that performing the more intimate sequences are never as “fun” as they appear. “They are difficult because they are very technical, and there’s always a lot of shadows, cameras, sound and about 30 people in the room,” he says with a laugh. “It’s never as sexual as it ends up looking. I think it is important that you get along with the person that you are making love to, so to speak. My job was to make Sharon feel very comfortable and safe. That was my job. She is very courageous in this movie. She is amazing, and it takes a lot of balls to do that kind of stuff. I wanted her to feel completely protected, and I think that I accomplished that.”
Kodjoe confesses he didn’t have to do much research to play the role of the devoted, loving husband in Addicted. “He’s a family man, he has two kids and a wife, so I can definitely relate to that,” the married, father of two admits. “However, I always try to bring personal characteristics to a character, because it makes it real to me and it makes it real for the audience. I just dealt with the circumstances and try to personalize them as much as I could. I try to raise the stakes as much as I can when I do these kinds of movies. It was not a hard transition, but it wasn’t definitely me.”
Born in Vienna and raised in Freiburg, Germany, the multilingual (English, French and German) actor is a perennial favorite in countless “Most Beautiful People” lists throughout the world. There’s several reasons why. “It’s a lifestyle choice,” Kodjoe says of his decision to eat, exercise and stay in incredible shape. “I have been living like this since I was 12, when I was first diagnosed with a bone deficiency in my knees. My doctors basically told me, ‘Look, you have to take care of your body because you are growing so fast. You have to eat right and make sure you stay healthy.’ It’s just something that I adapted from when I was 12 years old. I try to stay active. I am not pragmatic about certain specific workouts. I mix it up. I live on the beach. I go on bike rides with my kids. I play soccer, I play tennis. I play basketball. I run on the beach. I do a lot of high intensity inter-ball training, which literally takes about 30 minutes, that’s it. So, I don’t overdo it. I eat clean. I don’t eat a lot of sugar. Corn syrup is not in our house. We try to eat healthy, a lot of fruits and vegetables. When you do that, believe it or not, you look like Mother Nature intended you to look.”
When he is not busy appearing in such series as Unforgettable, Undercovers or Real Husbands of Hollywood, Boris and his wife, Nicole, passionately sponsor Sophie’s Voice Foundation, their charitable organization supporting family outreach programs, prenatal education and surgical studies for children and adults with Spina Bifida. “We started Sophie’s Voice Foundation in 2008, when my daughter was diagnosed with Spina Bifida,” he explains. “These days, we have been advocating for fortification, which is when you add folic acid to flour, because Spina bifida is 75% preventable. Most women don’t know about it, and they don’t protect themselves. It’s a women’s issue and a health issue in general. We have been involved in that dialogue for a couple of years now. We speak at colleges, on forums and on panels. We to try to educate people on a more active and healthier lifestyle.”
Boris will next be scene in the upcoming Fox comedy series The Last Man on Earth, in a “mystery role.” The series stars Will Forte as Phil Miller, an average guy who appears to be the only survivor of a deadly virus that has wiped out humanity. Kodjoe — who will appear in one of the shows many flashback and dream sequences — says he’s been having a blast working on The Last Man on Earth (which premieres March 1). “It’s funny and Will is incredibly talented,” he offers. “This is Will’s baby and his fingerprints are all over it. The whole crew is incredible, and the producers and the cast are just hysterical. The concept, I thought, was great. What are you going to do, when you are the only one? It’s been a lot of fun. These guys are great.”
At the moment, though, Kodjoe is still fervently promoting Addicted. “I think it is an important film for every couple in a serious relationship.” he explains. “When they watch the film, I just want people to be open-minded, and to be communicative in their own relationship. It’s not about judging, it’s not making that statement. It’s about just giving your partner the freedom to express themselves without being judged and then just go from there. A lot of relationships falter because people are too quick to judge and turn around and walk away. If people saw challenges as an opportunity to grow together and individually, I think relationships would last longer.”
Addicted is now available on DVD, VOD and Digital Download.
