‘Cross’ Star Aldis Hodge Reacts To James Patterson Rejecting Seven-Figure Deal To Make Alex Cross White: ‘Shocking, Impressive & Inspiring’

‘Cross’ Star Aldis Hodge Reacts To James Patterson Rejecting Seven-Figure Deal To Make Alex Cross White: ‘Shocking, Impressive & Inspiring’

Y’all gotta tap in! In a recent interview with Variety, Aldis Hodge, star of Cross, expressed being “shocked” when he learned that author James Patterson turned down a seven-figure offer to make Alex Cross a white man.

This offer came when Patterson was shopping the first book in the series to publishers, not from Amazon. Patterson refused the deal, staying true to the character’s Black identity.

Hodge, who now plays Alex Cross in Prime Video’s series adaptation, said, “I was shocked, impressed, and proud of that.”

He went on to describe stepping into the role as a privilege and responsibility, highlighting the importance of representing Black culture accurately on screen.

The first season of Cross premiered on November 14, with all eight episodes available for streaming. The show has already seen strong viewership, with 40 million viewers in its first 20 days, making it Prime Video’s third-biggest season premiere of 2024.