Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Killadelphia’s Rodney Barnes

Rodney Barnes has emerged as one of the most gifted storytellers of his generation. He’s brought rich, complex, and inclusive stories to life on the screen and page. From projects like Marvel’s Runaway to Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Rodney and his stories have left lasting impressions on audiences and readers around the world.

Pop Culturalist had the opportunity to speak with Rodney about his career, his new project Killadelphia, and so much more.

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling?
Rodney: My mother was a teacher, and she’s always emphasized the need for me to read. I developed a relationship with stories, whether it was television, film, comic books, or conventional literature, I loved it all. As an only child, it was something I could always depend on to take me to good places in my imagination. That’s where everything started.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Rodney: I would certainly say people like Stephen King, Richard Matheson, James Ball, and so many authors that moved me to want to do this or to even jump in. The great thing about reading is finding authors that inspire me and the inspiration that creeps into my head and doesn’t leave until I put pen to paper.

PC: You’ve had tons of success throughout your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Rodney: In regard to my writing, I think it’s when I first met Stephen King. I was a stand-in for Michael Clarke Duncan on the movie The Green Mile. He was so gracious to me. Meeting someone who I had idolized for roughly twenty years created this idea in my head that it was possible for a regular guy to come from a small town and write stories and someday someone might read them. It’s an odd thing, but it was a very important moment for me.

PC: Tell us about Killadelphia and the inspiration behind the series.
Rodney: The inspiration was a lifetime of reading vampire novels and not necessarily seeing my culture depicted in a way that felt real. I’ve loved Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, ‘Salem’s Lot, Bram Stroke’s Dracula. In films—the Hammer films, every iteration of Dracula, Lost Boys, et cetera—I’d never really seen my culture at the center of a vampire tale that felt real. I loved Blacula as a kid, and that was the pinnacle, but I was eight or nine years old at the time. It became more problematic over time, so when the opportunity presented itself, I wanted to do something that felt like it was an intrinsic experience in the horror genre.

PC: You’ve had the idea for this series since you were eight years old. What is it meant to you to have it come to fruition?
Rodney: It means everything to me. This is the most personal story that I’ve told, certainly in the horror realm. It’s so much a part of my life and so much a part of various facets of me as a person, my family, my culture, my love of horror. It means the world.

PC: It’s been incredibly well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Rodney: I try to speak to constructs and psychological frameworks that are universal. It’s not so much told for any one demographic; it’s universal. If you have family problems, have issues getting along with a partner, if you’ve had martial problems, if you look at America and see some problematic areas, Killadelphia is for you.

PC: You also recently launched Zombie Love Studios. Tell us about the company’s mission.
Rodney: My mission is to double down with what I’ve done with Killadelphia: to create stories—horror, mystery, supernatural—that speak to a very honest and grounded view of culture as it relates to those three genres. I want to tell as many stories as I possibly can within those genres that feel real and feel connected to the world that we live in today.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Rodney: The Walking Dead. I’ve consumed a lot of episodes of The Walking Dead. I don’t know why I feel guilty about it, but I think it’s because it’s always on in my home. My kids know the sounds of the zombies.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Rodney: The Godfather: Part I & Part II. The Godfather is like Shawshank Redemption; it’s always on. I get excited every time it comes on.

PC: Favorite book?
Rodney: I’m going to say The Wake of the Wind by J. California Cooper. That and Stephen King’s The Stand. I say every year I find myself rereading those two books.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Rodney: Hamilton. I’ve seen Hamilton so many times. I put so much money in those folks’ pockets. [laughs] I’ve seen Hamilton over twenty-five times.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Rodney: The Police and Sting. I have seen Sting, much like Hamilton, hundreds of times. I have enabled my way in to get pictures with Sting.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Rodney: I will always say Denzel Washington, but I don’t think Denzel would be interested in the story. But Denzel by far—he’s the most layered character.

To keep up with Rodney, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.