What the star of 'BlacKkKlansman' learned from the real black cop who infiltrated the KKK

LOS ANGELES - "Now, you're with the L.A. Times?" Ron Stallworth asked, his eyes narrowing on the voice recorder that has been placed in front of him. "What's the angle on your story?"

Over his 32 years in law enforcement, Stallworth says, he developed a suspicion of journalists. Once, he gave a television reporter an interview about how Utah's narcotics bureau was handling street gang shootings. When the piece aired, it was full of embellishments, according to Stallworth. So he called up the reporter, told him he'd personally recorded their interview as well, and blackballed the local TV station for three years.

"So I always ask reporters where they're going with their story," the 65-year-old said. "What slant they want to put to it."

Today, the angle is supposed to be relatively straightforward: Stallworth had arrived at breakfast to discuss a new movie based on his life, "BlacKkKlansman," alongside the actor who plays him