The filmmakers took their time to find the four actors who were right for the ensemble. “We went into this with a very open mind about who was right and who wasn’t,” says di Bonaventura. “It was always essential to think about it as a foursome and not as individual characters; as a result, there were some actors we loved individually, but who didn’t feel right to the ensemble. The great thing about these guys is that, in addition to being talented and creative actors, when you see them together, they really look like they belong together. We were incredibly lucky to find the right group of guys who had the right chemistry.”

For Mark Wahlberg, the character of Bobby Mercer is, in many ways, very close to his heart. “I grew up in a very poor neighborhood, the youngest of nine kids and was constantly surrounded by family, mostly brothers,” says Wahlberg. “This feels very much like home to me; it feels like going back in time, except that now I’m the oldest, which I love – now I’m the boss, I’m making all the rules, I’m the one beating everyone else up!”

Comments Singleton, “The thing about Mark as an actor is that he’s from the streets. He reminds me of the actors from the early days of Hollywood that were boxers or wrestlers before they came into the film business. Mark had a really hard past before he came into acting and this is a role that really lets him access his background.”

“Bobby and I are the craziest ones,” says Tyrese Gibson, who plays Angel Mercer. “Angel’s got more of a conscience than Bobby; Bobby is just crazy. He really doesn’t think about the outcome of his actions.”

André Benjamin read the script and loved it, but admits he was initially undecided about accepting the role of Jeremiah – his biggest role to date. While surfing the Internet for some music, a CD popped up for a group called The Brothers Four. He’d never heard of the country band, but was convinced it was sign that he should come on board.

“The thing I like about Jeremiah is that he isn’t a one-beat character; he has different layers,” explains Benjamin. “He grew up with his crazy brothers, and they all ran the streets. But Jeremiah got older, settled down, and had a family. He’s the responsible one of the four brothers. But at the same time, he had to be able to snap. I think that was the challenge.”

“André and I have known each other for over ten years and he’s always been interested in acting,” adds Singleton, “and the camera loves his face; it’s cool because he’s really learning the craft, and he’s taken it to heart.”

Garret Hedlund plays Jack Mercer, the baby brother of the pack. “He’s a great young actor,” says Singleton. “This kid, he can do no wrong.”

“As the youngest brother; Jack gets hassled and teased a lot by his older brothers, so he moved out to New York to pursue his rock career,” explains Hedlund. “But these are brothers by choice, not by blood. And he’s dedicated to them and he’s loyal to them, which keeps him attached.”

“I like the fact that Jack is the outcast among his brothers – as the youngest sibling in my family, I think that’s the way it is sometimes,” Hedlund adds. “It doesn’t mean that your siblings don’t love you – in fact, when you get down to it, it’s probably a sign of an even greater love. But there’s a lot of teasing that goes on – like Bobby teasing Jack – and it can be merciless.”