Connect with us

Film

‘Not Today, Satan’: Lee Daniels on the Spiritual Work of ‘Deliverance’ and Casting Glenn Close

Published

on

Award-winning director and producer Lee Daniels has added a brand new genre to his catalog with The Deliverance. Trying his hand at suspenseful horror, Daniels’ latest Netflix film follows the true story of Latoya Ammons, who claimed her three children were possessed by a demonic spirit while living in Gary, Indiana in 2011. Known as the “Demon House” case, Daniels admits he initially “stayed away” from the film for spiritual reasons.

“I know the spirit works through me. So what kind of spirits do I want to have on me? So I just thought, ‘No, I’m not going to do that,'” Daniels said Hollywood Reporterexplaining how Ammons’ story stuck with him without end. “We’d never seen that story, through the lens of this African-American woman, on screen, and I just felt like we were living in such dark times, and I don’t think people really know how dark times we were living in. And I felt like I had to reconnect with my higher power.”

In addition to influencing the decision to make the film, the “Precious” director’s spirituality also motivated a number of decisions made in the film and on set. Understanding the history of strange occurrences occurring during the production of horror movies, Daniels reportedly had a delivery person on set in any respect times to not only guide the solid but additionally “protect (the cast and crew) from the set.” After his mother further warned him about the spiritual implications of reenacting history, the director revealed that he, the solid, and crew prayed on daily basis.

“Listen, I read these books about the making of ‘Poltergeist’ and ‘The Exorcist.’ And I thought, ‘No, not today, Satan. Nothing’s going to happen in this motherfucker today.’ So we prayed every day,” Daniels said. by variety“We developed a system where I could say, ‘I don’t want to offend anyone, but those of us who are not prayer-minded are free to leave the set.’ And there were a few people who did, but most people, most of the 200 or so crew members (members), knew they wanted to be protected.”

Featured Stories

The film also stars Andra Day, with whom Daniels worked on “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” Caleb McLaughlin and, controversially, Glenn Close. The role of the 77-year-old Oscar nominee Alberta, a white woman with a biracial black daughter and black grandchildren, has sparked controversy and countless memes on social media.

“Every black person knows Alberta. She is part of our community, but we have never seen her on screen before. Thank you Glenn for bringing her to life so beautifully,” Daniels wrote on Xdefending their casting decisions.

However, many viewers weren’t thrilled with Close’s presence in the film, especially since Alberta was clearly a black woman in real life.

“This n***a added a white woman to a real story that didn’t involve a white woman and then said it’s because white women like her are part of the FABRIC OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY. He’s objectively worse than Tyler Perry, sorry… he’s like Tyler Perry and Kenya Barris if they had a baby” one user wrote.

Another added: “There is literally NO scenario where a non-Black person is the actual ‘fabric’ of the Black cultural community, literally ever… especially since Black grandmothers and Black matriarchs have been the focal point of our community since the beginning.”

Despite criticism of the film — and the ongoing debate about Close’s character — Daniels appears to be having fun with the response from black Twitter users, laughing with X usersUltimately, the director hopes “The Deliverance” will motivate people spiritually.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Film

Serena Williams and Ruth Carter are producing a biopic about Ann Lowe, the black designer who created Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s wedding dress

Published

on

By

American Fashion’s “Best Secret” is about to get a major highlight because of Serena Williams and Ruth Carter.

A tennis champion and a legendary costume designer team as much as create a biopic about the late obscure fashion designer Ann Lowe.

While her name may not evoke recognition amongst most, for her life she was answerable for dressing a few of the country’s most distinguished families, including the Rockefeller, Roosevelt, Du Pont and Whitney families.

Lowe, who is from Clayton, Alabama, grew up in a family of seamstresses who learned the skill during slavery and maintained the trade after slavery ended.

According to The Hollywood ReporterSony’s Tristar Pictures has acquired the pitch for the project titled “The Dress.” The story centers on how Lowe, who managed to develop into the first black woman to own a store on Madison Avenue, was also commissioned to design the wedding dress that Jackie O wore in her 1953 wedding to John F. Kennedy.

Williams and Caroline Currier will produce nine two six productions, Williams’ production company launched in 2023. Carter, meanwhile, will executive produce and is signed on as the film’s costume designer.

Recommended stories

The film’s script, which might be written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, writers of Mister Rogers’ “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” might be based on Piper Huguley’s novel “By Her Own Design.”

Little has been written about Lowe, although lately each historians and fashion industry insiders have begun to light up her story and a profession that has spanned 40 years.

In September 2023, the largest exhibition dedicated to her and her work opened at the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library in Delaware.

Elizabeth Way, assistant curator at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, wrote of Lowe in the Financial Times: “As a designer, Lowe was prolific and influential. Women who wore their dresses were admired and in the public eye, inspiring broader trends. Most of her designs were for traditional events, but she was modern in the conventions of those conservative occasions. Her work is meticulously crafted in a tradition of workmanship handed down from a unprecedented lineage of Black American women. ”

(Tagstotranslate) Black designers (T) Entertainment

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Film

Queen Latifah is working on a biopic about her life with Will Smith

Published

on

By

Queen Latifah, Will Smith, Queen Latifah biopic, theGrio.com

Dana Elaine Owens, higher known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is preparing to direct a feature film based on her life story, starring Will Smith.

On ThursdayHarbourView Equity Partners, founded by Sherrese Clarke Soares, has announced plans to develop a “series” of hip-hop biopics Instagram post.

“We are thrilled to join forces to produce a slate of hip-hop biopics featuring these powerhouse acts, starting with Queen Latifah’s story. More to come,” the post reads.

People Magazine reports that the project might be made in collaboration with Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment partner Shakim Compere, Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Jesse Collins Entertainment. Smith will produce.

“We all came into this industry together, and hip-hop has shaped each and every one of us. Hip-hop’s influence has transcended the music and left a lasting impression on the culture and society as a whole,” Latifah, 54, and Compere said in a statement, based on People.

She added: “It’s a dream come true to collaborate with friends and colleagues who not only share our understanding but also can tell the stories that have been the backdrop of our lives.”

Featured Stories

Latifah, a native of Newark, New Jersey, first entered the entertainment industry as a rapper in 1989, releasing her debut album, “All Hail the Queen.” She also began her acting profession in 1991 in Spike Lee’s movies “Jungle Fever” and “House Party 2,” before starring within the cult classic film “Set It Off” in 1996 and on the hit sitcom “Living Single,” which aired from 1993 to 1998. Over the course of her profession, she has released seven studio albums, including a jazz album. She has won a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and a Grammy. Latifah most recently starred within the CBS series “The Equalizer,” which has been airing since 2021.

Neither Smith nor Latifiah are recent to biopics. Latifah played Bessie Smith in HBO’s jazz singer biopic “Bessie.” Smith has since played Muhammad Ali in “Ali” and Chris Gardener in “The Pursuit of Happyness.”

According to Hollywood ReporterSmith added in a statement: “When you bring talented people and teams together, you can create something truly special.”

“I’m thrilled to be working with Flavor Unit, Jesse Collins Entertainment and HarbourView to highlight the incredible stories of some of our favorite artists and icons,” he continued. “There’s no better story to start with than Queen Latifah, an undisputed legend who has entertained and inspired us for so many years.”


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Film

Denzel Washington Hands Over Reins to Son Malcolm to Bring August Wilson’s ‘The Piano Lesson’ to the Big Screen

Published

on

By

TORONTO (AP) — August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” has an insightful tackle the subject of ancestry and heritage, making the latest film adaptation, produced by Denzel Washington and directed by his son Malcolm, a family affair.

“The Piano Lesson,” which premiered Tuesday at the Toronto International Film Festival, is Washington’s third in an ongoing effort to bring Wilson’s plays to the screen. The film follows “Fences” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and, like those movies, features several strong performances from actors, including Danielle Deadwyler as Berniece and John David Washington, Malcolm’s older brother, as Berniece’s brother, Boy Willie.

In Thirties Pittsburgh, Boy Willie arrives at his sister’s home with plans to sell a family heirloom, a piano engraved by their ancestors who took it from a slave. In the heartbreaking family drama that follows, Berniece, Boy Willie, and others (Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Potts, and Ray Fisher) grapple with the haunting shadow of slavery and the burden of their family legacy.

Malcolm Washington, right, director/co-writer of “The Piano Lesson,” poses together with his brother and forged member John David Washington, left, and forged member Danielle Deadwyler at the Shangri-La Hotel during the Toronto International Film Festival, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello, AP)

“There are so many legacies that come with it,” says Malcolm Washington. “I think it’s part of our responsibility, when you’re in a position to make a film like this, to honor that and to keep that alive. We’re here because so many people fought and sacrificed and worked to give the next generation a chance. This film and its story are ultimately so much bigger than my family.”

Malcolm, 33, sat next to his older brother and Deadwyler just a few hours before the premiere of “The Piano Lesson,” which Netflix will release on Nov. 8 after which stream on Nov. 22. As the interview was wrapping up, Denzel Washington burst into the room.

“It all started with me,” Denzel jokingly declared, as the other three howled with laughter. “Then I had two sons, and before I knew it, I was unemployed!”

Denzel, joined by his producing partner Todd Black, said it was his son’s idea to direct “The Piano Lesson.” The 2022 Broadway production was based on Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play with much of the forged, including John David.

“Malcolm said he had an idea,” Denzel recalls. “He said, ‘Let me put something together.’ So he made a short film. I looked at him like, ‘Wow, OK. You want to make a film? This is great, make a film.’”

But Malcolm didn’t immediately resolve to do it. He told his father, “Let me see if I can watch the movie first.” He began working on the script and eventually co-wrote it with Virgil Williams (“Mudbound”).

“At first I was like, ‘Watch the movie?’ But now I get it,” Denzel says. “He’s a real filmmaker. He took his time and didn’t jump right in.”

While John David, the 40-year-old star of “BlacKkKlansman” and “Tenet,” has established himself as a significant actor in Hollywood, Malcolm, a graduate of the American Film Institute’s directing program, is just entering the highlight. “He knew what he wanted,” Black says. “And he wasn’t afraid to connect with people who knew more than he did.”

Throughout the making of “The Piano Lesson,” Denzel largely kept his distance, allowing Malcolm to do his work. Yet his passion for Wilson’s art permeated the entire production.

“He’s a huge fan of August Wilson, and it’s a really important part of his legacy to continue telling August’s story,” Malcolm says. “His main thing with all of us was to keep that focus: We’re here to honor one of our greats.”

“The Piano Lesson” is a Washington family film in other ways, too. Malcolm and John David’s mother, Pauletta Washington, plays Mama Ola. The film is devoted to their mother.

“I started with the clear idea that it was about fathers and sons,” Malcolm says. “As we were making the film, I just started seeing this mother-daughter story, and my mom is a huge inspiration to me. I’ve always seen my mom as connected to Berniece’s story.”

Malcolm’s sisters are also involved. Olivia Washington plays Mama Ola as a young woman, and Katia Washington is an executive producer. Ironically, their father, Denzel, is nearly the only person in the family not in the film. But Malcolm, wanting all the members of the family to be represented in the film, asked his father to take part in a brief voiceover.

“Am I in this?” Denzel asks. “I recorded something. I didn’t get credit. Did I get credit? I don’t think so!”

Featured Stories

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending