A time of change: Brad James honors Huey P. Newton in Netflix's 'Shirley'

Mar. 22—Brad James knew he wanted to be part of the film "Shirley."

"I was already familiar with Shirley Chisholm," he says. "It was written and directed by John Ridley. And it was starring Regina King. It's a no-brainer."

"Shirley" tells the story of the first Black congresswoman and political icon, Shirley Chisholm, and her trailblazing run for president of the United States.

It chronicles her audacious, boundary-breaking 1972 presidential campaign. The film begins to stream on Netflix on Friday, March 22.

James plays Blank Panther Party founder Huey P. Newton.

He says jumping into the role took a lot of hard work.

"There's such a respect within this film because you want to get it right," he says. "Not only for his legacy, but for his family and everything Huey stood for. When doing a role, you have time frames and we happen to be set in 1972. I made sure that I wasn't studying his writing or seeing any videos from Huey Newton from 1981. Those are two very different people and we had to get it right."

James says he's also had time to reflect on the entire experience.

"I've had more time to really reflect," he says. "I did have an opportunity to be Huey and to step away from him and come back. In some ways, you never step all the way out. If you learn to play the piano for a role, then it's always with you. Huey is staying with me for life. The memories won't leave me. I've learned things from him and there are so many nuances outside of the history. Even though I hadn't studied his writings before, I knew the basic history of the Black Panther Party. I was able to learn about where he's from."

"Shirley" had a limited theatrical run before moving to Netflix, which helps broaden the audience, James says.

As it premieres on the streaming platform, he hopes there's an opportunity to learn from the film.

"I hope it will entertain an audience," he says. "The film gives such an amazing view of the story. It's an election year for most of the world. In the United States, we have a presidential election coming up and this film is a snapshot into the world and how it changed. Shirley and her team really broke down barriers and we still have a lot more work to do."

James' journey in film and TV has been one that continues to rise with each project.

He went from being in the Marines to roles in the industry.

James spent years portraying Todd in Tyler Perry's "For Better Or Worse," TV series.

Beyond acting, James is making waves as a writer, producer and director, bringing entertaining and enlightening stories to life.

His commitment to inspiring youth extends to speaking engagements at drama academies, schools and panels, promoting the belief that anyone can achieve their dreams.

"It's important for me to give back," he says. "My family and I travel a lot and we want to get to New Mexico. I'd been there before when I was in the military, but that wasn't a vacation. I had work to do. It's always been on my 'must return to' list."