‘Sing Sing’ Breakout Clarence Maclin on Oscar Buzz, If He’s Playing Himself, and Why Prison Theater Programs ‘Weren’t Just Art, They Were Survival’
It’s a Friday afternoon in Middleburg, Virginia. Clarence Maclin has just flown in to participate in a conversation celebrating the following day, during which he will receive the Impact Award along with his co-star Colman Domingo. Immediately after, he’s flying to L.A. to attend the exclusive Academy Museum gala. As a person who grew up in the tough streets of New York City, being in the same space as A-listers such as Demi Moore, Kerry Washington, Tyler Perry and Sheryl Lee Ralph (all of which he took selfies with) can bring some understandable “imposter syndrome.”
Quite an outcome for someone who was incarcerated for 10 years and is now garnering Oscar buzz for his powerhouse performance in “Sing Sing” — which he also co-wrote.
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Maclin’s journey to Hollywood involves transformation, resilience and storytelling. After serving over a decade in prison, Maclin co-wrote and stars in Greg Kwedar’s powerful “Sing Sing,” a film chronicling the lives of incarcerated men who find redemption through an acting program. With the film garnering Oscar buzz, Maclin’s story has become emblematic of the power of second chances and the impact of art.
On this episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Maclin reflects on the surreal nature of his newfound recognition. “Man, I never, never in a million years imagined that the movie would be received the way it has been,” he says. “We all aspired to do something like this when we were in the theater group at Sing Sing, but no one foresaw this.” Listen below!
A self-described “corny kid” who loved science fiction, comic books, and Chinese kung fu movies, Maclin had initially found art as an outlet when he was younger. “I began drawing comic book characters, which became my escape,” he says.
However, that didn’t last long. When he was 29, Maclin was sentenced to 17 years at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility for robbery. During his incarceration, Maclin participated in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program. Through that experience, he gained a unique insight into his humanity.
Maclin’s turn in “Sing Sing” is remarkable, especially considering he plays a version of himself. Yet he bristles at suggesting that he is merely “playing himself,” as those on the internet have speculated when discussing whether he would be the first person to be nominated for achieving the feat.
“People saying I played myself takes away from the training we received,” he explains. “A lot of good, credible people poured their time and expertise into teaching us. To reduce it to just playing myself diminishes their work and sacrifices.”
The program’s impact extends beyond personal growth. Sing Sing’s acting program boasts a recidivism rate of less than 3%, a stark contrast to the national average of over 60%. “We built a network for ourselves,” Maclin proudly states. “When someone comes home, they’re greeted by those who came out before them. That support system makes all the difference.”
For Maclin, language is crucial in changing public perceptions of formerly incarcerated individuals. “The word ‘inmate’ is derogatory to us. It’s like Pavlov’s dog waiting for the bell to ring. We’re not that,” he says. “I’d rather be called a prisoner because it acknowledges I was held against my will. But everyone’s experience is different. You can’t blanket everything with one term.”
“Sing Sing,” acquired by A24 after premiering at the Toronto Film Festival in 2023, challenges stereotypes by humanizing those often reduced to their worst actions. “People in prison aren’t just that — they’re human beings with the ability to change and grow,” Maclin says. “We don’t even watch prison movies in prison because they never show us. They glorify violence and corruption, but there are so many men and women who genuinely want to change.”
Working alongside industry heavyweights like Colman Domingo was a masterclass for Maclin. “Colman’s commitment blew me away,” he recalls. “We were rehearsing lines over Zoom during the pandemic, and he’d pull over on the side of the road just to get a scene right. That kind of dedication needed to be matched.”
With “Sing Sing” earning critical acclaim, Maclin is setting his sights on various roles. “I want to do Shakespeare, Westerns, sci-fi — everything,” he says with the most infectious smile. “But more than anything, I want to tell stories that affect people positively, even if I have to play the bad guy.”
Paging Jeymes Samuel.
As Maclin’s star rises, he remains grounded in his mission to use storytelling as a force for change. The acting program at Sing Sing has reshaped his outlook. Putting on various plays, he reflects on putting on productions and what they meant to so many, stressing the importance of art: “We had to create mechanisms to soften the crash after the plays were over because it felt like escaping prison for a few days. Those programs weren’t just art — they were survival.”
Also on this episode, producer and Grammy-winning songwriter Pharrell Williams discusses “Piece by Piece,” and the roundtable looks at the choice of Conan O’Brien as host of the Oscars.
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay, Emily Longeretta, Jenelle Riley and Michael Schneider, who also produces, is your one-stop source for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode, “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives, discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines, and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts
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