Ahead of its premiere in theaters and on demand this Friday, we wanted to sit down with one of the stars of Come Out Fighting. Hiram A. Murray took the time to share how he landed the role of Lt. Hayes in the upcoming film based on true events during World War II. Read on for a window into how the actor’s longtime working relationship with the writer/director of Come Out Fighting — Luke Schuetzle, aka Steven Luke — brought up the opportunity, as well as the lessons actors can learn from his casting story.
Hiram, thank you so much for being with us today. And before we dive into your casting story, I’d love to hear how you would sum up your character in the upcoming feature Come Out Fighting.
Thank you very much for having me. in Come Out Fighting, I play Lt. Robert Hayes. I am the commander of the famed 761st Tank Battalion—also known as the Black Panthers—which was the first all-African American tank battalion during World War II. Without giving too much of the movie away, my character tries to deal with racism from his superiors on a daily basis, while also trying to instill leadership qualities in his people and deal with the invading Nazi army. And Lt. Hayes, I would say, has a problem on his shoulder because of the way African-American troops were perceived and treated during that time period. So he definitely has something to prove to his superiors, himself and his people.
Sounds like a tough role.
It is. It’s something that’s very near and dear to my heart because it’s based on real-life events, the 761st Tank Battalion. But it’s extra special to me because in my real life I’m a captain in the United States Marine Corps. And if it weren’t for those ancestors, there would never have been a Captain Hiram A. Murray. You know, these are the shoulders I stand on. So when I took on this role, I wanted to do it right and portray these men in a certain light. I wanted to give them their flowers, their respect. I wanted to take proper care of them and the men they served with.
This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this personal connection to the role and thank you for your service as well as your storytelling.
Please.
Now, what can you tell us, Hiram, about the process of retaining the role?
It was a gift. So the director of Come Out Fighting, Luke Schützle, this is my fourth film with him. Many years ago, in 2017/2018, I made a film with Luke called The Great Warand that was my first meeting with him. We had a great experience on the film – he and I bonded. I remember the premiere was in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and he picked up my wife and I at our hotel. We went to the event and on the drive back he thanked me for giving it my all and really bringing his vision to life. Luke really appreciated that and wanted to keep the relationship going—you know, keep the train on the tracks. He told me he had this idea for a Black Panther movie. Luke said, “I’m writing this story and I have you playing the squad leader. If you’d like to go on this journey with me, I’d really appreciate it.’ And I was like, ‘Hell yeah, I’m going on this journey with you.’ So it was a couple of years from that point before we actually started him. But during this period we shot other projects together.
And you know, that’s how it all fell into place. It was based on my working relationship with Luke from my first film with him, which led to this film. That’s something I always tell actors – it’s all great and great when you get the job, but even when you’re on set, you’re still auditioning. The way you carry yourself and present yourself, people look at you and wonder if they can work with you later in life. And look what happened. I gave my all to that first film, which led to multiple films after that. And here we are now with this movie.
It’s a beautiful conclusion for the actors and what a dream to have that relationship with the director where he then keeps you in mind for future projects. So this sounds like a long casting story in the sense that the opportunity developed over time. Thanks for sharing this window into the process. And before we wrap up, I’d like to hear how this role will land Come Out Fighting has influenced your career thus far.
Participating in this film opened other doors for me and once again created more projects for Luke and me. There are other projects that we are preparing to start shooting within a month [at time of interview]. We have this relationship like Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese always work together. You know, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s one of those things where I tell other actors, ‘When you get into the industry, find your tribe, so as you grow in your career, they grow as well. Everyone does.” It’s all a table and there’s plenty of room for everyone to eat. It’s tickling. You bring this, they bring that, and we all eat together.
Still from Come Out Fighting, courtesy of Hiram A. Murray.Those interested in keeping up with Murray’s career can find him on IMDb, as well as on Instagram, where he frequently posts about his work.
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This interview has been edited and condensed.
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