When Aldis Hodge says Cross, the Amazon Prime Video adaptation of James Patterson’s book series, came to him at the right time, the 38-year-old actor is not just talking about his on-screen portrayal of the famed detective.

Alex Cross, the Washington D.C. law enforcer dealing with grief, loss and social injustice, is a role Hodge says he could have landed in comfortably earlier in his career. What made the timing of the pulse-pounding thriller perfect is a role Hodge has spent decades in the industry preparing himself for. “I was looking for a leading position, not just as a lead actor,” he says. “I also wanted to be a partner.”

In Cross-showrunner Ben Watkins, Hodge has found a creative ally that not only provides him with career-elevating material but has taken him under his wing as executive producer on the series. “I told him, ‘I’ve been in...