Gary Ross, Matthew McConaughey and the Free State of Jones Cast

CS sits down with Gary Ross and his Free State of Jones cast

In writer and director Gary Ross‘ Free State of Jones, light gets shed on a not-so known story about the life of Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) and his armed rebellion of the disenfranchised poor and recently freed against the Confederancy in Jones County that looked to continue to exploit them after the Civil War.

RELATED: Watch Matthew McConaughey in the New Free State of Jones Movie Trailer

The united struggle between white southerners and fellow African American southerners to build a world in which they could coexist during a time where the rich on both sides sought to use them against one another for their gain, is virtually non-existent in history books. The film explores the real story behind Knight’s depiction as more of an outlaw than a rebel trying to unite a people to the early movements of prevent slavery from happening again and the fight for interracial marriage. Weaved together by Ross, all the facets of a time in which a country started to compose it’s societal makeup is held up as a reflection to look back upon to see how far we’ve come and remind us that we can always be better to one another than before.

ComingSoon.net had to opportunity to sit down with Ross and his Free State of Jones cast, including Mahershala Ali, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Matthew McConaughey. In the player below, you can check out our video interviews in which they discuss the importance of the true story of Free State of Jones in today’s world.

The Free State of Jones cast also includes Keri Russell.

An STX Entertainment release, Free State of Jones is out this Friday June 24th.

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