ERRIN HAINES
Associated Press
ATLANTA - In spite of himself, Andre Benjamin's "it factor" peeks out from under a straw hat.
He fidgets with the label on his water bottle. He curls up on the couch and rests his tennis shoes on a coffee table. He furiously fingers his personal digital assistant - to which he admits he's addicted - trying to catch ideas before they escape his mind.
Yet the charisma that has carried him for 11 years as half the Grammy-winning duo OutKast, made him a fashion icon, inspired his artwork, and catapulted him onto the big screen is still in the room, his energy hovering like a small child.
At once magnetically engaging and painfully shy, Benjamin admits he has no idea what "it" is - and no desire to find out.
"I'm just leaving it alone and letting it be," he smiled.
As an actor, Benjamin says he's getting better at "being" - finding the balance between chemistry and sincerity - due largely to his foundation as a musician. Being as familiar with his characters as with his song verses allows him to be in the moment, instead of concentrating too hard, he explained.
That skill will likely lend itself to two upcoming children's projects, an irresistible challenge for Benjamin, the father of a 7-year-old boy.
"I know what's cool with him right now and what's not cool," he said about his son, Seven, whose mother is Grammy-winning singer Erykah Badu.
It also helped him move past the reluctance he felt about taking his latest role in "Four Brothers," directed by John Singleton and opening Friday. Though he knew it was a good script, Benjamin said he was still hesitant.
Singleton, who met Benjamin when he contributed to the soundtrack for Singleton's 1995 film "Higher Learning," said he had to take the musician seriously as an actor after seeing him in a yet-to-be-released film starring Benjamin and OutKast partner Big Boi.
"He had some good, emotional stuff in it. It's just a hint of what he can do," Singleton said. "He's got an interesting look, and a quiet fire about him."
In the end, his new-found confidence - along with Singleton's encouragement and the chance to co-star with musician-turned-actor Mark Wahlberg - convinced him to play one of a quartet of bad seeds raised by a saintly foster mother killed in a seemingly-random shooting. The depth of the role also attracted him, Benjamin said.
"It's challenging to me to see what I can do and what I can get away with," he said.
At 30, he's getting away with a yellow polo shirt, red suspenders, jeans and blue retro sneakers. Soon, Benjamin will share his style with the masses, in a yet-to-be-named clothing company that will focus on "casual, individual identity wear" inspired by situations and function, he said. Beyond that, he declined to elaborate on what to expect, saying the project is still in the works.
"It's a time where everybody has to show themselves," Benjamin said. "I just want to give people the paint to be able to paint their own pictures."
Benjamin, who was born and raised in Atlanta, recently moved back to his home city after a stint in Los Angeles to pursue his acting career.
Stroking a moustache and goatee, Benjamin acknowledges that yes, he is a fidgeter. His nervous energy is the fuel that keeps him going in so many different directions.
He and OutKast partner Big Boi are working on a new album in their Atlanta studio, the soundtrack to the film starring the group, which Benjamin said is due out later this year. Benjamin said he is also hoping to showcase some of his artwork in a multi-city gallery exhibition. And sometime in between, he has a list of movies he wants to see, books he plans to read and clothes he wants to design.
Last year, he voted for the first time and has even served jury duty.
"It's scary," he said of getting older. "I'm not 20-something anymore. With 30, I'm getting old, but I still feel young.
"I wish I could've just jumped to 40...well, maybe not."
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