USA: Oprah Winfrey and Denzel Wathington talk about their collaboration on film "The Great Debators"
Record ID:
219256
USA: Oprah Winfrey and Denzel Wathington talk about their collaboration on film "The Great Debators"
- Title: USA: Oprah Winfrey and Denzel Wathington talk about their collaboration on film "The Great Debators"
- Date: 13th December 2007
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 11, 2007) (REUTERS) CLOSE OF 'THE GREAT DEBATERS' SIGN WIDE OF RED CARPET FOR 'THE GREAT DEBATERS' PREMIERE ACTOR SAMUEL L. JACKSON WALKING ACTOR WESLEY SNIPES WAVING ACTRESS JURNEE SMOLLETT IN MARCHESA DRESS SPEAKING TO REPORTER DENZEL WASHINGTON ON CARPET OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST AND "THE GREAT DEBATERS" FILM PRODUCER, ON RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) OPRAH WINFREY, FILM'S PRODUCER, SAYING: "I think it was almost four years ago we first gave this script to Denzel (Washington) and with the hope that he would direct and also be in it I dare not even hope you know I mean I am not going to ask him to be in it. Because he is Denzel and so when he said that he would I di a little hoola dance because I thought well I would be happy if he would just direct it. You know it's more than I could ever have even had hoped for. I would have to say I read the script, have been with the script , went through the process of re-doing the script and then saw the movie for the first time I was blown away by what he did with this film. You know because every choice came up out of the words in a way that I never even imagines or expected so. The first time I saw it with him I was finally wiping my nose with my fingers I had to say ' does anybody got any kleenex?' (SOUNDBITE) (English) DENZEL WASHINGTON, WHO STARS AS MEL TOLSON IN FILM AND ALSO DIRECTED "THE GREAT DEBATERS", SAYING: "This was a good script you know there is a lot of great ideas but that doesn't necessarily make a good movie . But this was a good script and fortunately, if I may say so myself, according to those who watch it it's a very good movie. It feels like the feeling that people are getting watching the movie is the same feeling I got reading the material." ACTOR NATE PARKER SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) JURNEE SMOLLETT, WHO PORTRAYS SAMANTHA BOOKE ONE OF THE LEAD DEBATERS IN FILM, SAYING: "I mean Denzel (Washington) is such a collaborator and Oprah (Winfrey)) is so amazing in I am so happy that she is very proud of this film but you know Denzel never lead with a iron fist. He was humble and open to suggestions and asked for our suggestions and you know always says, well not always, but sometimes would say 'I don't know the answer what do you think?'. You know it was a two way street and that is what I loved so much about his directing style." (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATE PARKER, WHO PORTRAYS HENRY LOWE ONE OF THE LEAD DEBATERS IN FILM, SAYING: "One of the things he (Denzel Washington) told me 'it's not what you have, it's what you do with what you have' you know what I mean? He carried himself like that with such integrity he didn't wear his awards and accolades on his sleeves. He didn't come in rule with iron fist he made us all feel necessary. You know what I mean it was such respect and I think it made us all bond together as a team." ACTRESS JENNIFER HUDSON POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) OPRAH WINFREY ON RECENT CAMPAIGN APPEARANCES WITH Barack OBAMA SAYING: "The process to me was eye opening I have to tell you. I was knocked out, inspired by the fact so many people.. when we got to Iowa I couldn't even believe. It was sleeting, it was raining, it was icy. I don't even know if we would be able to land there. People drove out in the sleet in rain and ice being scraped off of their cars to come out and hear about politics you know when you could be home in your fuzzies. You know on a Saturday and the fact that these people are paying attention the country is paying attention in a way that I have never experienced. You know maybe this happened with kennedy when we were all too young but I have never experienced like this kind of excitement."
- Embargoed: 28th December 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA4WEXDH89DBY8BUEC852SZT3QY
- Story Text: Hollywood megastars Oprah Winfrey and Denzel Washington came out to support their new film "The Great Debaters" in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday (December 11).
Winfrey makes her living talking, so it's no surprise that she produced "The Great Debaters," which tells the story of the 1935 champion debate team from all-black Wiley College.
"I think it was almost four years ago we first gave this script to Denzel," Oprah Winfrey said on the red carpet. She continued, "With the hope that he would direct and also be in it I dare not even hope you know I mean I am not going to ask him to be in it. Because he is Denzel and so when he said that he would I di a little hoola dance because I thought well I would be happy if he would just direct it. You know it's more than I could ever have even had hoped for. I would have to say I read the script, have been with the script , went through the process of re-doing the script and then saw the movie for the first time I was blown away by what he did with this film. You know because every choice came up out of the words in a way that I never even imagines or expected so. The first time I saw it with him I was finally wiping my nose with my fingers I had to say ' does anybody got any kleenex?' Denzel Washington, who stars in and directs the film, plays Melvin B.
Tolson, the professor at the small Texas college who inspires his students to form the school's first debate team, which went on to face Harvard in the national championships.
"This was a good script you know there is a lot of great ideas," Denzel Washington told Reuters. "but that doesn't necessarily make a good movie . But this was a good script and fortunately, if I may say so myself, according to those who watch it it's a very good movie.
It feels like the feeling that people are getting watching the movie is the same feeling I got reading the material."
Washington said that "The Great Debaters" is a reminder of the sacrifices, struggles and the triumphs of previous generations of African-Americans.
Winfrey has had a busy week after she hit the campaign trail with Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama.
Winfrey drew enormous crowds during campaign appearances with Obama in South Carolina over the weekend. Obama's supporters estimated the audience in South Carolina at 29,000 and the candidate said it the biggest crowd of his campaign tour for the 2008 White House race.
"The process to me was eye opening I have to tell you,"
Winfrey told Reuters. "I was knocked out, inspired by the fact so many people.. when we got to Iowa I couldn't even believe. It was sleeting, it was raining, it was icy. I don't even know if we would be able to land there.
People drove out in the sleet in rain and ice being scraped off of their cars to come out and hear about politics you know when you could be home in your fuzzies. You know on a Saturday and the fact that these people are paying attention the country is paying attention in a way that I have never experienced. You know maybe this happened with kennedy when we were all too young but I have never experienced like this kind of excitement."
"The Great Debaters" opens in the United States December 25, 2007. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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