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Dominic Santana is one of those actors that have the talent, the brains and the heart to be great. A hard working actor, who started his journey doing background work 10 years ago, and then moved on to TV roles and independent films. He gets his first real BIG BREAK in "All Eyez On Me", playing the real life character of Suge Knight, Tupac's parter, producer and friend, who was the co-founder & CEO of Death Row records. And he brings it ON. He's charming, he's fierce, he's loyal, he's a gangster, he's a businessman, he's lil crazy, and he's cool. I'm talking about Dominic's Suge Knight, in the movie. Dominic gives a strong and wonderful performance in the movie, that calls for his own spin off for a Suge Knight/Death Row Records Movie.

We had an opportunity to talk to Dominic recently, before release of "All Eyez ON Me" (Releasing June 16th, 2017). And here it is...

Art SHrian, from MyNewYorkEye interviews Actor Dominic Santana (playing Suge Knight) from Tupac Biopic "All Eyez On Me "

Casting for "ALL EYEZ ON ME" & working with director Benny Boom

In conversation with Dominic Santana, co-starring in "All Eyez On Me" as Suge Knight, co-founder & CEO of Death Row Records. #AllEyezOnMe #Tupac #TupacBiopic #TupacMovie

Tupac & Suge were true partners, they were like family

In conversation with Dominic Santana, co-starring in "All Eyez On Me" as Suge Knight, co-founder & CEO of Death Row Records. #AllEyezOnMe #Tupac #TupacBiopic #TupacMovie

Suge Kinght couldn't have been behind Tupac's murder

In conversation with Dominic Santana, co-starring in "All Eyez On Me" as Suge Knight, co-founder & CEO of Death Row Records. #AllEyezOnMe #Tupac #TupacBiopic #TupacMovie

About Dominic Santana: Dominic Santana was born in Fayetteville, NC to an Army Officer Father and popular singer/writer Mother, Tracey Santana. Upon moving to Wilmington, NC he began to seek out information on the local film scene and met Sam-Art Williams (Producer, "Martin"). Dominic began working as an extra on films such as "Black Knight" starring Martin Lawrence and hit shows like the WB's "Dawson's Creek" where he landed his first speaking role on a major television show.

A last minute script change called for a tall actor on the spot. After, a Fincannon & Associates casting staffer suggested Dominic; he auditioned right on set and was given the role. Dominic was called by longtime friend Micah Noble to audition at Screen Gems Studio for then newly started Swirl Films and within twenty minutes he was cast in their first production "20 Funerals”. Although, it was a small role Santana delivered such a strong performance he was cast as the lead in "Dead Heist" in 2006. Then again, opposite Tom Sizemore and Ja Rule in "Furnace" in 2007.

After, booking a role on several episodes of the CW hit series "One Tree Hill" he was again brought in to co-star in what would be a cult hit and most played movie ever on BET, "Love For Sale" which premiered to over ten million viewers and quickly became a fan favorite!

Santana has also appeared in shows and films such as "Whitaker Bay", "Palmetto Pointe", "Little Britain USA", BET's "The Game", Bolden!, "The Dempsey Sisters" and more.

Currently, Dominic is co-starring in the Tupac biopic "All Eyez On Me" as Suge Knight. The Morgan Creek film will be released nationwide through Lionsgate June 16th. Worldwide release to be announced.

The life and death of Tupac Shakur. ★Subscribe Here and NOW ► http://bit.ly/Movietrailers ★ Join us on Google+ ►http://plus.google.com/+FilmsActuTrailers ALL EYEZ ON ME Trailer # 2 (Tupac Movie - 2016) Directed by Benny Boom Cast : Demetrius Shipp Jr., Danai Gurira, Kat Graham Release Date : 11 November 2016 ALL EYEZ ON ME New Trailer (2Pac Film) © 2016 - Open Road Films Subscribe now 2 our youtube channel get the latest official movie trailer, film clip, scene and promo video !

Synopsis: "ALL EYEZ ON ME tells the true and untold story of prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist Tupac Shakur. The film follows Shakur from his early days in New York City to his evolution into being one of the world’s most recognized and influential voices before his untimely death at the age of 25. Against all odds, Shakur’s raw talent, powerful lyrics and revolutionary mind-set propelled him into becoming a cultural icon whose legacy continues to grow long after his passing.

Somewhere on the spiritual plane prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist Tupac Shakur was looking down and smiling at the assembled guests at Harlem’s Maysles Documentary Center last week.

The drinks flowed and the assorted guests of media influencers — African American, Latino and South Asian representing Indian brown — chowed down on delicious fried chicken and macaroni and cheese (as good as your Grandmother’s grandmother made). The tone was set. We were amongst our tribe and feeling nostalgic marking the years using Tupac’s music as the measuring stick.

Tupac was born on June 16, 1971. He died on September 13, 1996. He was 25 years old.

The panel discussion was moderated, Harlem style, by Hip Hop cultural experts Tuma and AJ from Spotify the topic of discussion was on Tupac’s legacy, the Hip Hop Culture, and how it shaped society today.

On June 16th the bio pic about his life and legacy opens wide in the U.S.. Directed by Benny Boom and produced by the visionary LT Hutton, the film introduces Demetrius Shipp, Jr. in the role of Tupac and Dominic Santana as Suge Knight. The cast also includes Kat Graham, Lauren Cohan, Hill Harper, Jamal Woolard, and Danai Gurira.

L.T. Hutton, who worked with Tupac when he was living, made it crystal clear that as the producer of “All Eyez On Me” the film was going to do much more than just entertain—it’s true mission is to educate and illuminate the story of a man and his legacy.

In that determination Shakur is telling his own story and Hutton drew on his personal relationship with the rapper as the foundation for a massive database he calls “The Tupac Bible.” “I created this system where you could ask any question about Tupac and you could find the answers directly from what Tupac said in multiple interviews,” Hutton explains. “Why was Tupac mad at Notorious B.I.G.? How did Tupac feel about his natural father? Anything you wanted to know, we were going to stick with what Tupac said and put his own words into the movie. That’s why it took such a long time to make. I needed people to understand the vision.”

It’s no secret that finding the right director required an extensive search and one that producer LT Hutton took very seriously. A few weeks before filming was scheduled to start, in Atlanta, Hutton reached out to Benny Boom, a two-time winner of B.E.T.’s Video Director of the Year Award who had helmed videos for hip-hop superstars including Nicki Minaj, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Keyshia Cole, Akon and 50 Cent.

Boom remembers getting the call on the Wednesday before the holiday. “L.T. said, ‘Man, I’m at my wits’ end.’ At the end of the call he asked me if I wanted to direct the movie. I had not read the full draft of the script, so he sent it over. I printed it out, read it and told him, ‘I’m in.’ By Sunday I was in Atlanta.”

Here is a brief excerpt of the nights’ evening which begun and ended with the feeling—truly—that we were all a part of a cinematic history making moment.

On Casting:

In Hutton’s Los Angeles office in 2011. The producer recalls, “My assistant came into my office and said, ‘I don’t know how to tell you this but, Tupac is in the lobby.’ I said, ‘I don’t have time for your games today.’ She goes ‘I’m telling you, Tupac is in the lobby.’ I decide to see what this girl is talking about, so I walk out and see Demetrius Shipp sitting in the lobby. I’m like, ‘Lo and behold, this is crazy. It is Tupac!’ He was so shy, just like Pac was shy sometimes. I saw the innocence in his eyes; I saw the charm and personality that made all the women love Tupac. And when Demetrius smiled, I thought, ‘This guy even has the same dental work. Demetrius and Tupac have the same teeth!”

Actor Dominic Santana who plays Death Row Records mogul Suge Knight went through the casting process. “It never dawned on me that I could play Suge Knight,” Santana says. “Suge did things in the ’90s as a label owner that weren’t being done by anyone else. He had an ear for talent. He brought us iconic music legends. You can’t amass that kind of an empire and make that kind of impact on the music business if you’re just some Neanderthal. I felt the mediaprobably left out things about Suge Knight just to paint a certain picture. I came into All Eyez on Me with the attitude, ‘I want to know the other side of Suge Knight.’”

“All Eyez On Me” opens Friday, June 16th