Ashton James as Dean Youngblood and Blair Underwood as Blane Youngblood//Courtesy of Well Go USA
*When Academy Award nominee Hubert Davis set out to reimagine the beloved 1986 hockey classic “Youngblood,” he found his leads in Ashton James and Blair Underwood — two actors equally committed to bringing dimension, vulnerability, and authenticity to a story centered on a Black father and son navigating the world of professional hockey.
The film follows Dean Youngblood, a gifted but arrogant hockey prodigy from Detroit who joins the Hamilton Mustangs in Canada. Raised by his father Blane on discipline and toughness, Dean must confront his own toxic behavior on and off the ice as he wrestles with the kind of man he wants to become. “Youngblood” made its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it earned strong critical acclaim and an enthusiastic reception from audiences.
For James, the priority was making sure Dean never felt like a one-note character.
“It was really important to me to make sure he wasn’t just an angry black boy, that we weren’t continuing to contribute to the stereotypes that had been out there,” he said.
James and director spent considerable time in conversation, working to ensure Dean could reflect during his more volatile moments and remain someone audiences could follow throughout his journey.
Underwood, who plays Dean’s father Blane, shared that same instinct going into the role. The two actors rehearsed only twice — once over Zoom — before relying on presence and openness on camera to build their dynamic.
“All you have to do is listen to him, look at him, feel him,” Underwood said. “That’s what we do as actors, you know, open yourself up to the process and what’s happening in front of you.”
Underwood described the role as personally resonant, drawing directly from his own experience as a father.
“To show a black family, two black men, father and son, and to show the nuances of that in this world of hockey, we don’t get to play in that world too often in cinema,” he said.
The representation of a complex Black fami
Source: Ashton James and Blair Underwood on Reimagining ‘Youngblood’ | EUR EXCLUSIVE
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