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This fall, Baton Rouge’s HK Productions continues its series of rapid-fire, direct-to-DVD films with Death Toll, an urban drama about gang violence set in Ninth Ward New Orleans. With bullets and blood ripped from headlines past and present, the movie stars rapper DMX, The Cosby Show’s “Rudy Huxtable” Keshia Knight Pulliam and veteran movie and television star Lou Diamond Phillips.

225 had lunch with Phillips and the filmmakers in June as they made final preparations for his role as the mayor of New Orleans in Death Toll.

Lou Diamond Phillips: I was reading USA Today this weekend about the murders in New Orleans, and there were a couple lines in the article that were right out of your script. You know, the mayor said people will see a cop on every corner, and we’ll not allow our young people to be shot down like this anymore. I was thinking, ‘That’s me! That’s my line!’

225: So when is the film set?

Jason Hewitt (producer): The story’s set in present day. But we based it on true events from ’94 to pre-Katrina New Orleans. For the most part, everything in the script actually happened at one point.

LDP: As far as the mayor, how much of his character was taken from reality?

JH: That character is based on Marc Morial.

LDP: A little Marion Barry in there too (laughter). “Bitch done set me up!”

What can you tell me about the character?

LDP: I’m actually trying to figure out a lot about him today. He’s the mayor, which is always interesting, you know? I’ve played the D.A. of Sacramento. I guess I’m playing authority figures now. I used to be a Young Gun, now I’m an authority figure!

Yeah, you used to be the rebel.

LDP: It’s funny. Early in my career in Dallas—and this is in the ’80s—going to auditions I always brought a bandana and a switch blade because I’d usually get cast as a street thug, you know, “Give me your money, lady!”

Was it hard to break out of that stereotype?

LDP: I’ve been very fortunate to work with great directors who have seen past that. As a minority actor, I’m always cognizant of the fact that I’m representing a lot of people. To play a role like the mayor or the police chief, it’s always a big step to play someone with integrity and authority, and I’m trying to help mass media truly reflect what Americans look like. There’s a whitewash in Hollywood sometimes. I love what Morgan Freeman said one time when he was asked, “How was it playing the black president?” and he said “No, I didn’t play the black president. I played the president. Period.”

JH: Yeah, Morial was the mayor in the ’90s.

LDP: And he’s obviously got some issues. He doesn’t get along with his staff. But he got elected, so do the people love him?

JH: They do. But he’s figured out he’s got a bunch of idiots working for him.

Phenom (director): The thing about the character is that he’s got a good heart, but he’s still fighting his own demons—.

LDP: And those are personal demons, because he’ll never live up to his father, now that his father was shot. His father was martyred.

P: There are times when he’s mellow and when he’s pissed off. He’s one of those characters that’s hard to read.

LDP: Which is good—

P: And he doesn’t know half of what’s going on on the street.

LDP: So he’s frustrated. And I didn’t want to just make him this pathetic blowhard who can’t be daddy’s best boy, because in a number of his scenes, especially with the staff, he’s got strength. What do you think of this (massaging his goatee)? I know Nagin has a beard. Whatever you think.

P: Naw, I like it. I like it.