‘BMF’: Russell Hornsby Unpacked the Tension Between Charles and Demetrius
Set in Detriot in the 1980s, the Starz drama series BMF chronicles the real-life story of the Flenory brothers. Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory (Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr.) and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory (Da’Vinchi) began selling drugs as teens. Eventually, they would expand their business becoming two of the biggest drug traffickers in the country.
BMF opens just as they are gaining traction in Detroit. Actor Russell Hornsby who portrays their father Charles Flenory explains the tension between his character and Demetrius.
‘BMF’ Season 2 is set to begin filming soon
The second season of BMF is set to begin filming soon in Atlanta. The series is set in Detriot, however, it’s mostly filmed in Atlanta due to Georgia’s film incentives. As BMF’s business got larger, the Flenory brothers actually began expanding across the country eventually landing in Atlanta and Los Angeles.
“What’s really interesting about Demetrius and Terry is they really didn’t blow up in Detroit,” BMF creator and showrunner Randy Huggins told The Detroit Free Press. As fans know Big Meech and Southwest T’s fame began to really rise in the 1990s.
Russell Hornsby discussed the tension between Charles and Demetrius
Though Demetrius and Terry started their cocaine business together, their parents didn’t know about Terry’s involvement for some time since he was still in school and continued to maintain his grades. However, there has always been a major tension between Demetrius and his father Charles. A hard worker who built their home with his own hands, Charles still struggled to bring home enough money to provide for his family. As a result, his sons turned to drug dealing.
Now Hornsby is unpacking the tension between his character and his eldest son. “We’re talking about a man, middle of the country,” he told the Albuquerque Journal. “He’s one of the few hard-working men that was really there for their family. That’s what Charles represents. Because of how America has let down its populous, people are having to work so much harder and so they don’t have time for the community side of it. You have to remember that all this happened in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.”
‘BMF’ Season 2 will center on Demetrius
At the end of the first season of BMF, Terry told his older brother that he was walking away from the drug game. Having been shot and watching their organization destroy their family, Terry had seen enough. Taking the money he got from his botched surgery, Terry decided to open a legit business with Charles. Now, in season 2, we’re going to see Meech run things on his own, at least for a little while.
“Well, I can’t spoil it, but I can tell you, [it’s about] elevation,” Lil Meech told PopSugar. “Big Meech and his mind, even at 15, 16 [years old], he thought like a grown man . . . He always wanted to take over the world. And to a regular person it [might] sound crazy, but he did everything he said he was going to do.”
He added that his father had to rethink his approach to the business without his brother. “I can tell you that [Big Meech] has to elevate his mind,” Lil Meech said. “Everything about him is elevating, so he’s becoming bigger, wealthier, [and] wiser.”
