Antwan “Big Boi” Patton didn’t really have to stretch for his latest role.
He guest stars as an obnoxious father of a high school football player on the BET drama, “The Quad.”
Patton told CNN the role was a cinch — minus the obnoxious part.
“It’s a real instance of art imitating life,” he said. “My son on the show is a star football player, which in real life my son is a star football player for Woodward Academy (in Atlanta, Georgia).”
His son, Cross Patton, is a high school junior who was recently offered a scholarship to the University of Southern California.
The rapper said he has tried to instill in his son “fatherly advice of praying and working hard to get where you are going.”
It’s a philosophy Patton has followed in his own career for more than two decades as one half of the pioneering hip hop duo, Outkast.
Patton is focused on expanding his acting work these days.
In addition to his role in “The Quad,” he’s currently in production with a role in the forthcoming “Superfly,” which is a remake of 1970s cult-classic black film.
The new movie, helmed by Director X, stars “Grown-ish” actor Trevor Jackson, “Straight Outta Compton” star Jason Mitchell, and Patton.
The rapper-turned-actor said as with his music, he is able to put his imagination to the test when it comes to acting.
“You get to become someone else, bringing that character to life and entertaining people,” he said. “A lot of directors let me do ad-libbing. Most of my lines in [the 2006 film] ‘ATL’ were not scripted, they were just my lines.”
Patton said he’s attracted to bad-guy roles that contrast his good-guy nature, adding he’d like the chance to play a serial killer or star in a dark comedy.
Not that he has much free time.
Patton’s latest album “Boomiverse” has him heading on tour soon.
He’s also producing two animated projects; “Hotlanta Waxx” finds Patton voicing the character of a retired CIA agent who purchases a car wash on ancient burial grounds and “Sherlock Homies,” which he describes as “11-minute shorts with some weird, whacky, Scooby Doo-type mysteries.”
The next Super Bowl is being held in Patton’s hometown of Atlanta. With such a packed schedule, might he answer the prayers of his fans with a half time performance?
“You’ll have to ask Jesus,” he said, laughing.
