(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Prime Video) “That wasn’t who he was,” James Patterson said of his titular character Alex Cross, played by Aldis Hodge in the hit series “Cross.” Diverse storytelling is extremely important in Hollywood.

"I did not have a lot of money," the author previously told The Hollywood Reporter. "They said, 'We just want one change; we want Alex to be a white guy.' And I said, 'F*** you.'"

In a powerful statement that resonates deeply within the Black community, Aldis Hodge, the star of the new series "Cross," has expressed

Cross” star Aldis Hodge told Buzzfeed that he was “shocked” when it was recently revealed that author James Patterson turned down a seven-figure deal offer to turn his book character, police detective Alex Cross,

Which is, quite literally, what James Patterson did when executives asked him to re-write his iconic Alex Cross character as a white man. And now Cross television star Aldis Hodge — who plays the titular character — is speaking out about what it means to have kept Alex Cross a Black man.

We search for the best James Patterson shows and movies to watch if you love Cross, from The Postcard Killings to CBS's Zoo.