Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 1, 1994                   TAG: 9402030019
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                 LENGTH: Medium

`L.A. LAW' ACTOR'S FILM PROJECT PUTS SPIN ON RACISM

That's the question asked by a 30-minute movie produced by Blair Underwood, better known as Jonathan Rollins of ``L.A. Law'' (airs Thursdays, 10 p.m. on WSLS-Channel 10).

Underwood will bring his film and his thoughts on the subject to Radford University on Wednesday night - as part of the school's focus on Black History Month.

``The Second Coming'' is Underwood's first project with his father, brother and sister, who formed ``Quiet Fury Productions.''

The film tells the story of Jesus Christ coming back to Earth as a man of color to save the righteous. But once again, Christ is falsely accused.

Underwood will screen the film and then conduct a panel discussion with members of Radford's faculty.

Underwood served as executive producer, co-writer, director and star of the film.

The movie examines the relationships that develop as a direct result of Christ's imprisonment prior to the Rapture, according to advance information from Flip Porter, a publicist with the American Program Bureau, which is organizing Underwood's appearance.

A week or so ago, it didn't look like Underwood would be coming to Radford with his ``Second Coming.''

The Los Angeles earthquake caused upheaval in Underwood's personal life and in the production schedule of ``L.A. Law,'' which returns to television this Thursday night after a month-long hiatus.

Rollins comes to Radford just weeks after winning an NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series.

``The last four years of my life I've been very blessed to play a character by the name of Jonathan Rollins on `L.A. Law.' At times it's been a struggle to maintain the positiveness of the character,'' Underwood told the audience as he accepted the award.

``And it's always been my dream and goal to satisfy my maker first, myself and then my people because if I can't make my people proud of what I'm doing through my work and whatever stand I may take, then I'm not worth a damn. And this image award ... says volumes to me.''

Underwood got his start in television on ``The Cosby Show,'' less than one week after leaving Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh a year before graduation.

``I came to pursue my dreams, and I was prepared to pay my dues,'' he has said of coming to New York with only $200 in his pocket.

After a second appearance on Cosby, Underwood won the starring role in ``Krush Groove,'' a film that chronicled the birth of rap music and remains a cult favorite.

He landed the role of Jonathan Rollins at age 22. His storylines have included being falsely accused of a crime while jogging in a white neighborhood and a romance with an assistant distant attorney who happens to be white and the ex-wife of one of his colleagues at the law firm.

Underwood, who is in his late 20s, has been named by ``TV Guide'' as one of the top 10 stars of the 1990s.