Lottery Ticket finds Bow Wow playing a guy named Kevin from the projects who wins $370 million in the lottery. The catch? He has to keep that information a secret over the weekend until the lottery office opens and he can claim his winnings. But despite his desire to keep the news hush-hush, word gets out and practically everyone he runs into wants in on the action - or at least the chance to offer their opinion as to how Kevin should spend his fortune.
Brandon T Jackson, Naturi Naughton, Terry Crews and Ice Cube (who also produced the film) join Bow Wow in the comedy/drama from first time feature film director Erik White.

Bow Wow, Brandon T Jackson, Naturi Naughton, Terry Crews and Ice Cube Lottery Ticket Press Conference

Ice Cube, can you talk about the process of developing your characterization of Mr. Washington? Were there particular challenges in playing a character who is quite a bit older than you?
Ice Cube: "My father was wondering why I kept watching him, looking at his mannerisms. He caught me looking at him sometimes and said, 'What the hell this boy looking at?' But I was trying to pull his energy, and my uncles’ energy. I just remember older cats pulling me aside and telling me what I need to do to be a man in this world. What I didn’t want was to play a dude who was 70 that lost his swagger. The old dudes that I know still got their swagger. They don’t lost it. I just wanted to draw from these people that have been instrumental in my life, and I couldn’t wait to play him. I was ready to get out of the box and play something a little different than what everybody has seen."

Terry, with a cast like this, how difficult was it to get through a take without laughing?

Terry Crews: "There were a lot of those moments. I call this the urban, funny Expendables. It’s all-star. Everybody in it is major. We had a ball. I remember getting with Erik [White] and saying, 'Man, let’s make this one of those classics.' In my career, I started out with Cube in Friday After Next and I always stay in the urban comedy genre because it just never gets old. It’s one of those things that people watch, again and again. This is that kind of movie. It gives you longevity."

"People come up to me and they just love these characters, and Jimmy the Driver is a character that everybody is going to like, continue to like and want to see again. It’s just been a ball. We were laughing and having a great time, shooting it in Atlanta. There was just a buzz with Bow Wow and Brandon. They really led the charge all the way, and it just felt like a family."

Bow Wow, you seem to have won the lottery in your own life at a very young age. How did your life change when that happened?

Bow Wow: "Most definitely, there are a lot of things that I can relate to in Kevin. I didn’t notice that, as we were filming, until afterwards when I saw the movie and I was like, 'Yo, that’s crazy!' When you make it from nothing to something, your life does drastically change overnight. You get people who you haven’t spoken to in years that want to contact you. You might have that one ex that didn’t like you, and now she wants to come back in the picture. It was very real."

"It was definitely fun playing Kevin because there are so many similarities that I can relate to, just dealing with the pressure. A lot of people don’t understand that when you’re in that position, it’s a lot of pressure on you because everybody is watching and everybody wants a piece. It’s up to you to keep your friends tight. The one thing I love about the film is that it preaches the importance of friendship, loyalty and trust, and hopefully a lot of people can leave with that when they see the movie."

Naturi, what was it like to do a kissing scene with Bow Wow since you guys are such good friends?

Naturi Naughton: "We are friends and I’ve known Bow Wow since I was a teenager in the business myself. Having a kissing scene with him was actually very professional. He’s such a pro. Kudos to him for just being great in the scene. That scene took forever, but it came out so great. We put in the work, we were professionals and I was working with someone I respect and know that I’ve had a friendship with. It’s a lot easier. It’s not weird. You just say, 'All right, we’re about to kiss so don’t be putting your tongue down my throat. Make sure you don’t grind on me.' Other than that, it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it. We had to keep doing another take."

Terry, you have one of the best scenes in The Expendables. Do you think people will be surprised with your performance in Lottery Ticket, if they expect you to be the bad-ass protector?

Terry Crews: "Oh, man, look at my career. I’ll do anything. I was talking to Erik about doing this movie, and the whole thing about the ‘hood is that it’s all about posturing and tough guys, but when all that stuff is peeled away, that’s what makes people identify with you. With Jimmy, it’s so funny because people can go, 'Okay, that’s the real brother.' It’s really good because they can see the stuff in The Expendables one week, and then see what happens in this movie, which actually makes this funnier. It’s really a great opportunity. I just love playing all these different characters. It’s really satisfying, and these guys set it up so well. I’m happy with the great twists in the movie."

Naturi, with this being your third feature film, is the process getting any easier for you?

Naturi Naughton: "I’m an extremely hard worker, so the process just gets more and more challenging. Being able to go from different films has been great. Everything I’ve done so far has been totally different. To be with this amazing cast in a comedy just makes me grow as an actress. From film to film, I realize my strengths and my weakness, and I realize how much better I get. I learn the lingo, I ask questions and I’m on set trying to figure out which shots they’re going to use. For me, it’s exploring the art. It’s not just making a movie. I’m enjoying the interaction, the chemistry, the cameraman. Everything about it helps me grow, as an actress."

"Being on my third film, and being lucky enough to be in Lottery Ticket as my third film, is a true blessing. I have never had so much fun. I learned so much. I actually got my comedic timing up, being around all those people, because they are so fun. I loved being able to just enjoy the chemistry with people on set. It keeps me growing as an actress. It’s a lot of fun."

?Terry, you have your sitcom and two films in theaters. How does it feel to have all of that happening right now, and how do you balance that with your family?

Terry Crews: "It’s surreal. This is a dream life. For all intents and purposes, I really should not be sitting here right now. I can’t even say it’s ‘cause of how cool I am and how great it is. This stuff is really given to you. It’s bestowed. I was blessed to have Cube give me a job, when I started out in Friday After Next. It was an opportunity of a lifetime. My thing is to really just be a good steward of every opportunity. You’re high and it’s running good, and then eventually it goes down. I have my family, and that’s one thing that helps me balance. I know that my family is always there for me. But, I’m going to take it. As it’s coming, I’m taking it, and I’m just getting started. I can’t wait to do the sequel, Jimmy’s Revenge."

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