With 'Takers' opening up in the #1spot at the box office, a recurring role on the hit CBS series, 'The Good Wife,' and an upcoming series on USA Network, Michael Ealy's acting career is white hot.

The Maryland native is playing his most challenging role to date with Tyler Perry's much-buzzed about adaptation of Ntozake Shange's legendary play, 'For Colored Girls.'

Ealy has the task of playing Beau Willie, a tormented Army veteran and the abusive lover of Crystal (played by Kimberly Elise) who has been through hell and back -- and is a living nightmare

Those who have read the book and already know the source material will be familiar with the monster character he portrays, who commits a most heinous and tragic act.

Black Voices caught up with Ealy as he spoke his reservations on taking on the role and his upcoming projects.

When Tyler asked you to take on this role, was it an easy decision to say yes?

Michael Ealy: They actually made an offer to me and I had my reservations. I wasn't sure, took me a couple of weeks to make a decision. In some peoples minds he will be a monster, and part of the challenge in taking the role is how do I humanize him? I have no desire to play a monster for the sake of being a monster. One way I saw that was post-traumatic stress disorder, something facing a lot of soldiers coming home. That was the way I can humanize him, because before he went to war everything was fine between him and Chris.

With Tyler visualizing the men, does he humanize them so it doesn't become a male-bashing film?

ME: I don't feel like the film is male bashing, I don't feel like the play is male bashing. I feel like there are men in the play who are very good. For whatever reason, it's just going to come across to certain people as an anti-male film. The movie's not going to be that different from the play. If you felt like the play was a male bashing play, you're not going to enjoy the film. If you're open to watching the triumph of these women over the adversity in their life, step up and watch. I think it's more about the triumph of the women, and I don't know if Tyler had much to do with that. The women in the play had real voices, women of color.
What was it like working with Kimberly (Elise)?

ME: One of the greatest, if not the greatest working experience I've ever had. The most passionate actress I've ever worked with, by far. The amount of work we did together on these characters we had to bring their background to life so they didn't seem like a one-dimensional couple. We wanted to make it clear that at some point things were good between these two, they weren't always this bad. The way it's written in the play, you wonder why she ever stayed with him, but if you get a chance to see what it was like before the war you get to see a glimpse of understanding of why she stayed. She genuinely loved him, who he was, and she's trying to love who he is.

How was working with Tyler and how would you compare his style of direction with Spike Lee who you also worked with?

ME: I think every director has his own style. There's only one real similarity between Spike and Tyler and that's they both let me go, they didn't hold me back, they let me do what I wanted to do. They have a different approach to film.

Most of your scenes are with Kimberly, but you had worked with other cast members on previous projects. At any point did you all get together and reminisce?

ME: We did a photo shoot at the end of principal photography, that's when everybody got together and talked. I'd worked with Kimberly and Kerry Washington, that's about it. Obviously I'd worked with Kerry before (on 'Miracle at St. Anna'), so that was fantastic working with her then, but my heart was with Kimberly in this. We both went on a phenomenal journey together with these parts.

Congrats on your work on 'The Good Wife.' Is that a year-long run or is that a recurring run?

ME: It's a recurring run, I think it's going to be 10-episodes or so for that character arc.

How fun is it shooting in New York?

ME: Interestingly enough it's a dream-come-true to work in New York. New York is where I got started; it's where I always maintain some sense of creative sanity. To be there and be able to work consistently in New York City is a dream. In the episode that comes up, I had to do some exterior work, and it's one of the most charismatic cities in the world.

Is that project with USA Network still happening?

ME: Yes, 'Common Law' on USA is still happening, details are limited obviously. We haven't shot it yet but it's still in mind to happen.

You've had a good year doing this, 'Takers' opened up as the #1 film, and you're currently on TV. Did you think you'd be working so much when you first started out?

ME: I did think I'd be working this much. This was the dream, to be able to work like this. I'm a workaholic, I love what I do, so to be able to do this much and to have this much stuff in the can and coming out, this has been a phenomenal year, and hopefully I'll keep it going.

What's going to entice a universal crowd, including men, to go see this film?

ME: I'm going to be honest, I don't know if that's important. I don't think it's always important to entice a universal crowd, that's just a way to make money. There are certain stories that need to be told because they are important to certain people. It could be the story of someone in a local town that's had huge impact locally, and the only people who might watch it are people from that town. Doesn't mean they shouldn't make that movie. This idea that every movie has to be made so everyone in America and the world can watch it dilutes the potency of certain films these days 'cause they're not realistic. With a small, contained film, if you choose to see it on the outside you step into their world. I don't know if you ever saw this foreign film "Sin Nombre"?

Yes I did.

ME: I felt like that film was universal, and I could watch that trailer and say it has nothing to do with my life, or I could step into that world. I was highly pleased, and that film had nothing to do with my life, doesn't mean I can't enjoy it. Sometimes you have to do what's right for your story and let people decide if they want to be a part of it or not.