Aaron Pierre is a star in the making. 'Rebel Ridge' shows you why

NEW YORK (AP) — Before Aaron Pierre wanted to act, he wanted to be the fastest man in the world.

Growing up in West Croydon in London, Pierre was drawn to track and field. He thought gold medalist sprinter Maurice Greene was the coolest man on Earth. Pierre ran the 60-meter, the 100-meter and second leg of the 4x100 meter relay.

“Something that’s been instilled in me is to be calm in high-pressure situations – dude, one of which is the relay second leg,” Pierre says, speaking by Zoom from his apartment in Los Angeles. “When the whole school is out and you get that baton, you’ve got to just focus on one foot in front of the other.”

How fast Pierre can put one foot in front of the other is a point of interest not just because of the quickening pace of his career. (This December, he’ll be the voice of Mufasa in Barry Jenkins’ “Mufasa: The Lion King.” ) It’s also because for a guy who can be really fast, the 30-year-old Pierre, as an actor, has startling power in stillness.