ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke with Rob Peace star Jay Will about starring in Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor's new film. Will discussed working with Ejiofor, Peace's mother's blessing, and more. The film is exclusively in theaters now.

"Directed, edited and starring Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Rob Peace follows the true story of a brilliant young man (Jay Will) torn between his father’s dark past and his own promising future. Raised by his devoted mother (Academy Award nominee Mary J. Blige, Mudbound), Rob risks everything he’s worked for to free his imprisoned father (Ejiofor). Also starring Camila Cabello and based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Jeff Hobbs," the synopsis reads.

Tyler Treese: You give such an amazing performance. The fact that this is based on a true story adds so much weight to everything that's happening. As an actor, knowing that this is a very tragic story, did that change your approach or help you connect with the material?

Jay Will: Man, that’s a great question. I always respect my upbringing and how my mother raised me, and I respect my father and how he raised me. I understand that there’s a specific protocol, there’s order to a lot of things. For me, in this case, applying that knowledge, I felt like the order was to talk to his family first. Specifically his mother, and ask if I could get the blessing to do the role. So I went to New Jersey, talked to the family, and they certainly gave me the blessing. But I did feel a responsibility to bring justice into his life, because his father had to deal with generations of insane injustice.