Lee
Daniels : The “Precious” Interview with Kam Williams (video)
Source: Kam Williams
(October 30, 2009) Lee
Louis Daniels was born in Philly on
December 24, 1959.
The iconoclastic director/producer’s own life story is every bit
as raw as the films he creates. Overcoming assorted childhood
adversities, he founded and was running his own health care
agency by the age of 21, providing nurses to private homes and
hospitals while simultaneously trying to become a scriptwriter.
After selling his business, and abandoning screenplays, Lee
began managing such actors as Loretta Divine, Michael Shannon, Natassja Kinski, and Aishwarya Rai. As a consequence of the
frustration he encountered while searching for great projects
for his clients, he later turned to producing, and the natural
leap to directing soon followed thereafter.
Monster’s Ball, for which Halle Berry won the Academy Award for
Best Actress in 2002, was the initial offering of Lee Daniels
Entertainment. The movie also marked Mr. Daniels as the first
solo African-American producer of an Oscar-winning film. He
subsequently produced The Woodsman, made his directorial debut
with Shadowboxer, and then produced Tennessee.
Here, he talks about new movie,
Precious, the critically-acclaimed screen adaptation of
Sapphire’s best-selling novel, “Push.” The picture stars Gabby
Sidibe in the title role, along with an all-star cast which
includes Mo’Nique, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz and
Sherri Shepherd. The movie has been the beneficiary of
considerable Oscar-buzz since winning three awards at Sundance
Film Festival last January, including best picture.
Kam Williams: Lee, I loved the film, and I have lot of
questions, but they told me I can only have 10 or 15 minutes
with you, so I have to ask you to keep your answers brief in
order to touch on everything.
Lee Daniels: To hell with the minutes! We can delve deeply into
it. Don’t think about the time.
KW: Great! What inspired you to adapt “Push” to the screen?
LD: Its truth. I read the book, and it just left me gasping for
air. I couldn’t believe it. My mouth was open as I turned page
after page. I was like, “What the [bleep]?” And yet it was so
truthful. I had never seen truth written in such a way. So, I
had to have it. I became obsessed with it like a lover. I slept
with it under my pillow.
KW: I assume the abuse issues struck a nerve because you had
experienced that as a child yourself.
LD: I did. That’s part of the film, and it’s certainly something
that I identify with. But through the abuse and through the
darkness, I actually identify more with the sense of loving
yourself, of finding self-love and ultimately loving yourself.
That’s what I identify most with, because it took me a long time
to love myself and not be so hard on myself. That’s what makes
the movie not just a black film, but a universal story.
KW: One of the questions I routinely ask in my interviews is,
What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome in
life? And I’m always surprised at the number of celebrities who
answer something like “self-acceptance” or “self-love.”
LD: That’s deep, isn’t it?
KW: Yeah. How are you enjoying all the critical acclaim the film
is receiving?
LD: I don’t read the reviews, the blogs, or anything else.
Instead, I feel the audience when I show the film. And that’s my
only experience with connecting to people around Precious. I cry
inside when people are standing and clapping for me, and
sometimes I even cry on the outside. And I often just have to
walk away from it, because I have my own issue with accepting
people’s embracing the film. It’s hard for me to accept love. I
wish I could lie to you and tell you that it’s easy for me, but
it’s not.
KW: How was it collaborating with Sapphire on bringing her book
to the screen and having her on set during the shooting?
LD: It took me forever to talk her into letting me have the
book. She was fine with it remaining solely in the literary
form, and didn’t want anyone to throw it onto the screen. She’s
a scholar and true artist who doesn’t really care about
Hollywood. She’d already been courted by Hollywood. I think she
believed that a bad screen version would reflect badly on her
novel. She finally came around when she finally realized that
whether the film was good or bad wouldn’t affect her great piece
of literature one way or another.
KW: Why was she so protective of the book? Is it
autobiographical?
LD: No, not in the least! I thought it was, because it was so
real. How could anybody make all this up? But Sapphire’s a
teacher, and Precious is a composite of many of her students’
lives.
KW: Why did you change the title from Push to Precious? Because
of that Djimon Hounsou film Push that came out in February?
LD: Yeah, we had to. I didn’t feel good about it at first, but I
accepted it. However, now I love the title, because the word
“precious” has a couple of great double meanings.
KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks, do you think the film will
open a new dialogue about child abuse, incest and teen pregnancy
in the African-American community?
LD: It better! I certainly hope so. That’s my objective here.
That people will see the film and walk away from it open to
discussion. But like I said before, it’s not just about abuse.
It really is about learning to love yourself. And it’s also
about literacy, and homophobia.
KW: It also touched in a subtly-powerful way on issues having to
do with skin color, hair and class within the black community.
LD: Yeah, I’ve had all types of beautiful girls tell me that
they ugly when they look in the mirror, as if it’s someone
else’s reflection they see. So, yes we see it through Precious’
eyes, because she’s this black girl, but I think the film can
resonate with anyone. You know, it was adapted into a play in
London, and the whole cast was white.
KW: Where did you find the confidence to cast comediennes like
Mo’Nique and Sherri Shepherd, and singers like Mariah Carey and
Lenny Kravitz?
LD: They’re all friends, and I really like working with friends.
I’m always more comfortable and in a good place when I’m with
friends because I know they trust me. I’m able to get great
performances from people who trust me.
KW: How about casting Gabby Sidibe in the title role?
LD: It was the hardest role to cast. I interviewed over 400
girls before I found her. She blew me away. Her smarts is what
did it. She’s so smart!
KW: What was it like to win at Sundance?
LD: Out of body! I felt so honoured even to be there. So, when
you end up winning, it’s an out of body experience. I can’t even
describe it to you. There’s no word to describe it. I felt, “Oh
my God, I’m not worthy of this. All these other filmmakers have
worked just as hard as I have.” I saw some other films that I
thought were as good, but I guess people connected to Precious
on another level.
KW: What were the biggest challenges you faced in making this
film?
LD: Really, there were none. This was the easiest movie I’ve
made. I don’t know how I found Gabby. It was almost like we had
angels over us. And then to have Oprah Winfrey call me! I think
God has been looking over me, because I decided to talk about a
girl that we never see, to focus on a face that we see everyday,
yet we don’t REALLY see her.
KW: Children’s book author Irene Smalls asks, did you have any
hesitation about bringing Push to the screen, since it’s, in
many ways, a salacious story that ties into all the negative
stereotypes many people have about the black family?
LD: I did. When I first put the film together, it was in front
of some white people. I thought, “I don’t know about this,”
since it’s such a personal story. But not long thereafter, when
I had this Chinese lady cry in my arms after watching it, I
realized that I needed to get over myself because it was a
universal story where the characters just happen to be black.
KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish
someone would?
LD: Yeah. No one picks up on the irony of the picture’s hero,
the teacher [played by Paula Patton], being a lesbian which is
someone Precious has been told all of her life is a bad person
by a mother [played by Mo’Nique] who’s been sexually-abusing
her. That’s crazy!
KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?
LD: Yeah, sometimes, but I have true faith in God. So, I step
out of my fear through prayer. I’m afraid for my kids sometimes,
for their safety running the streets of New York and on the
subway by themselves. Because there are some sick [bleeps] out
there, so I get nervous. That’s my biggest fear. But they’re
okay.
KW: Do you still live in Harlem? That’s where you were living
the last time we spoke.
KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a
good laugh?
LD: [LOL] Just minutes ago, with this African-American
journalist. After seeing the movie, she came right up to me and
said, “Lee, there you go being naughty again.” I laughed so
heartily.
KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book
you read?
LD: The Bible. That’s mandatory reading for me. I wish I could
say something more profound, but I’m finishing up the Bible. I’m
in the Book of Revelations right now. Otherwise, I’m constantly
reading scripts, which doesn’t leave me any time to get to my
pile of books. I need a vacation! But I want to hurry up and get
to Pete Dexter’s “The Paperboy.” I’m very anxious to read that.
KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What music are
you listening to nowadays?
LD: I’m sort of obsessed with Nona Hendryx right now, who was
one of the members of Labelle. She’s no joke. She’s incredible.
I’m sort of feeling her right now, now that I know who I am.
KW: What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?
LD: Knowing that my father loved me. I had a lot of issues with
him. Not until recently, when I was already in my 40s, did I
realize how much he loved me. Is that too personal? As for
ordinary obstacles, I have never taken “no” for an answer, so
I’ve always been blessed enough to get what I want.
KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
LD: I see a little bloat from last night’s alcohol that I’d like
to figure out how to drop, because I have to be on TV in a
couple minutes. [Laughs] How vain is that?
KW: What is your favourite dish to cook?
LD: I cook an incredible potato salad, incredible fried chicken
and incredible cornbread.
KW: Southern soul food staples.
LD: Those are the three things that my mom taught me to cook
that I’ve been commended on.
KW: The Flex Alexander question: How do you get through the
tough times?
LD: With prayer and by leaning on the shoulders of friends. I
have a couple of really great friends who support me and help me
deal with my neuroses.
KW: The Laz Alonso question: How can your fans help you?
LD: [Shouts] My fans? I don’t know. Do I have fans? By coming
out and supporting my film. That would be nice.
KW: The Boris Kodjoe question: What do you consider your biggest
accomplishment?
LD: My kids. I’m just really, really, really, really, really
proud of them.
KW: Yale University grad Tommy Russell asks, what do you think
about Iran’s tentative agreement to export enriched uranium to
Russia and France. Do you think Iran will continue to enrich
uranium secretly?
LD: Oh my God! [Laughs] I don’t have an answer for that. I’m not
adept to answer that intelligently, but I clearly disagree with
it. I’m not a politician. I just make movies and raise kids.
KW: Tommy was also wondering what’s your favourite scary film,
and film overall?
LD: My favourite scary film is Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte. That
scared the [bleep] out of me, even more than Rosemary’s Baby or
The Exorcist. There’s something really disturbing about what
happens to Charlotte. It’s really a sick film. I’d say my
favourite film of all time is Gone with the Wind.
KW: Producer Dianne Cleare who was at the Lincoln Center Film
Festival's premiere of Precious, also attended the director's
dialogue session with you afterwards. She said she enjoys your
work but was most inspired by your graciousness and realness,
and would love to work with you in the future.
LD: Really? That’s so sweet. Tell her to get in touch with me at
Facebook.
KW: Will do. The Rudy Lewis question: Who’s at the top of your
hero list?
LD: Oprah Winfrey.
KW: How do you want to be remembered?
LD: For my work, and for my honesty. As a good, honest man who
tried to do the best that he could at whatever he did. I’m
currently doing cinema. If I decide to give this up for
teaching, I hope people remember me as a good teacher.
KW: What’s your next movie, Selma, about?
LD: It’s a moment in time, about what happened there between
Lyndon Johnson and Martin Luther King.
KW: Thanks for the time, Lee, and best of luck with Precious.
LD: All right, man, have a good one.
To order a copy of “Push,” the novel on which Precious is based,
go
HERE.
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