Question:  Do you feel like any of the roles have helped broaden your music career?

Common:  I would definitely say that ‘Smokin’ Aces’ first of all when I walk through the airport its different people now they know me.  The hip-hop community it could be like...  At certain points you would have very specific people, that would be older, that would know of Common.  Now it’s a whole new genre of people.  I got a lot of love for caring Alicia Keyes.  That up’d my game a whole lot.  I definitely see the difference in being in a film.  A film that gets out there too, because even the small role I had in ‘American Gangster’ I noticed how many people.  there have been days when I’ve been on the street and older people be like ‘Yo, there go Common.’  I’m like ‘Damn, they know who I am.’  It’s a good feeling because you want to reach all generations and all colors.  To me, love, art, all those things are colorless and ageless. 

Question:  One of your biggest fans is Jeremy Piven. 

Common:  My God, I love him.

Question:  He’s been singing your praises for a while.  Are you still tight?

Common:  Yeah, I just ran into him at the airport.  That’s just my guy.  From the first day on, when we met, it was just a natural chemistry.  We just clicked, two Chicago cats, and since then it ain’t like ‘Okay, we worked together.  Peace.’  It’s been like ‘You want to come hang?’  Talking serious talk, or I may do some studying with his mom who is an acting coach.  It’s a real friendship and good bond.

Question:  What about ‘Entourage’?  Are you going to stop in at any point?

Common:  That would be cool, you know.  Definitely, if it’s the right thing.  For me everything is about the right role.  I want to be a part of quality things in the right roles.

Question:  He’s got some musical skills.  Are you going to collaborate?

Common:  Yeah, you know we definitely planned on doing some stuff.  We hadn’t said we would record but some live stuff we can get into.

Question:  Do you know what your next movie project is?  I heard you are not on contract for ‘League’ so are you free to do something else?

Common:  Yeah, I’m free to do some things.  We are just looking for the right project with the right roles for me.  I’m reading scripts and then going in on these auditions really.

Question:  With a character like Green Lantern, there really have been, still to this day, so few black super heroes.  He is one that started out white.  Is that something as a kid you were into?  Were you searching for those kinds of characters to inspire you?

Common:  Unconsciously and subconsciously it’s always good to see people that look like you being heralded too, being acknowledged.  You definitely looked for that so maybe that’s why were drawn to ‘The Cosby Show’ and ‘Fat Albert’ because you do need that.  You need other nationalities and your own too.  They are people that look like you who are being acknowledged.  I probably didn’t know I was looking for that as a kid, but I was.  It’s good man.  I’m glad they are choosing to put a character like Green Lantern out there and have multiracial super heroes.  That’s a beautiful thing.

Question:  Happy Belated Birthday.  What did you do to celebrate?

Common:  I was in Australia doing a show, man, you know working on my birthday.  I guess a lot of us do that, I enjoyed it, and we had a good time.  It was like 100 degrees out there and we were on the beach, drinking Sangria, and then we did a show.

Question:  In that order?

Common:  Basically, yeah.  [Laughs]