“Rob Peace,” based on Jeff Hobbs’ 2014 New York Times bestselling novel “The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace,” tells the story of a brilliant Newark, NJ kid named Rob Peace, played by Jay Will. Rob is torn between his father’s shadowed past and his bright future. Raised by his devoted mother, played by Mary J. Blige, Rob risks everything he works for to free his imprisoned father, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Ejiofor, the writer and director, reveals how creating this film hit close to home. “It centers on family, community, brotherhood, friendship and I think that these things were incredibly important to Rob Peace. That's what I wanted to highlight. What I really hope the audience takes away from the film is the extraordinary life he had, the extraordinary challenges he faced, and the attempts he made to rise above that,” he says. “What I was always drawn to about Rob was how much he was juggling at any given time, just how much he sort of took on. I found it incredible. That's what drew me into the story.”

Ejiofor steps into the role of Skeet Douglas with deep commitment, spending significant time with Jackie Peace, Rob's mother, to truly grasp the essence of both his and his co-star's characters. "I met Jackie early on, and we had the chance to sit down and talk," he shares with BET. "The first time she saw me, she exclaimed, ‘You look just like Skeet!’ then rushed upstairs to fetch an old photo of him.

He adds that he also spent much time up at Yale University, the school Rob attended. “For Skeet specifically, I went through all his letters and his court records that exist about his case and about what happened and tried to find his voice within it,” he says.

The London native, widely recognized for his powerful portrayal of Solomon Northup in 2013’s “12 Years a Slave,” which garnered him Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award nominations, has consistently proven his exceptional acting skills. Yet, Ejiofor admits that juggling the roles of actor, writer, and director brings its own set of challenges. “As a performer, I’m able to communicate in ways that are harder to articulate with words,” he shares. “Actors are intuitive, and as soon as a scene begins, everyone can sense its direction. The way you perform sets the tone, and the entire cast and crew pick up on those cues, which ultimately shapes the scene.”

Ejiofor continues, “Sometimes it can be a surprisingly interesting advantage to be able to just play a scene with people you know and there was just a lot of that in this film. Just being able to play those scenes kind of carries so much communication as a director. That’s the thing that I love about that.”

The 47-year-old actor speaks warmly about his experience working with Mary J. Blige on "Rob Peace," praising her as an “incredible” actress who delivered a “brilliant” performance. "I mean, as everybody knows, she is an icon," he says of the R&B legend. Blige’s dedication to the project deeply impressed Ejiofor, especially during their challenges. "We'd started in pre-production a few years ago, but like everyone else, we were shut down by the pandemic. There was a two-year hiatus, followed by the struggle to get the film back on track. Through all of that, Mary J stuck with the film. She stuck with us," he recalls. "I give her a lot of credit for everything she did. The story really moved her, and she connected with it on a deep level."

“Rob Peace” will be released in theatres on Friday, August 16.