On Monday, August 5, The Source Magazine was on the red carpet for the star-studded New York premiere of The Weinstein Company’s highly anticipated film “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” at the famed Ziegfeld Theater presented by DeLeón Tequila.
Almost the entire cast and crew walked the red carpet including: Director Lee Daniels, Forest Whitaker, Elijah Kelley, Terrence Howard, Mariah Carey, Oprah Winfrey, Lenny Kravitz, David Oyelowo, David Banner, Cuba Gooding Jr., Yaya DaCosta, Colman Domingo, James Marsden, Liev Schreiber, Jane Fonda, Nelsan Ellis, Minka Kelly, Aml Ameen, writer Danny Strong, Cassian Elwes (Producer), Michael Finley (Producer), and Sheila Johnson (Producer), to name a few.
Notable guests in attendance included Alicia Quarles, Andre Leon Talley, Anna Wintour, Hank Aaron and Billye Aaron, Bruce Cohen, Cicely Tyson, Debbie Harry, Fantasia Barrino, Gayle King, Grace Hightower, Keisha Whitaker, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Marisa Tomei, Monique Coleman, Nancy O’Dell, Naomi Watts, Bevy Smith, Nick Cannon, Stedman Graham, Tichina Arnold, and Tika Sumpter.
We spoke with the cast and some of on the red carpet. Check out highlights from our red carpet interviews:
Elijah Kelley plays Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey’s youngest son in the film.
What was it like working with Oprah and Forest?
Elijah Kelley: It was amazing. It was the best thing that any young performer can ask for. You have living legends. Living legends! I can’t say anything past that to magnify how they are in real life.
And you and David Oyelowo have some tension in the film. Tell me how did you guys bond as brothers?
Elijah Kelley: Well the funny thing is that we did “Red Tails” together about the Tuskegee airmen and from that, we created a bond. And having that bond on screen wasn’t extremely difficult, but having it in the sense that he had to now, be to me what no other person can be to be, which is a real big brother and call me out on my stuff and I call him out on his stuff and we come to amicable terms. We end up still loving each other and still being brothers and it’s tragic what happens at the end of the movie, but before that happens, we have our moment and everything’s good with us.
What was it like working with Lee Daniels?
Elijah Kelley: Amazing. He’s like the greatest coach. I use the analogy of Phil Jackson having Michael Jordan. You have Michael Jordan, who’s the greatest player, you’re not going to put him in a box, you’re going to hone in on what he does and that’s what Lee does, he hones your true talent and he assists you evolving what you do.
David Oyelowo plays Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey’s oldest son in the film.
Was there a scene that you remember as being challenging?
David Oyelowo: Yes. The sit-in. When we were all at that lunch counter and we had to be spat at and I had coffee thrown into my face and having racial epithets thrown at us. Even though it’s make believe, take after take after take, it’s hard and the lines get blurry. We had a few situations like that – being hosed down, the freedom bus where we’re being fire bombed and the Ku Klux Klan again throwing racial slurs at us. There were some moments where it got a little touchy.
What is your favorite music of the moment?
David Oyelowo: I know everyone loves him, but I’m still loving Macklemore. That album, “The Heist,” I’ve worn it down. I do really really love that.
Aml Ameen plays young Cecil Gaines.
Tell me about your character.
Aml Ameen: I play young Forest Whitaker, Cecil Gaines. I basically predates before he goes to the White House. Him living on the plantation, him escaping the plantation as he goes onto greater horizons.
And you worked with Vanessa Redgrave.
Aml Ameen: Vanessa Redgrave, Clarence Williams III; just a lot of extraordinary thespians.
Tell me about working with Vanessa Redgrave.
Aml Ameen: Vanessa’s funny. She makes a lot of jokes, She’s been around for forever so she makes a lot of jokes and makes light of situations, but when they say, “Action,” something happens and she’s just on and it’s beautiful.
Can you tell me about the casting process for you?
Aml Ameen: I basically did three auditions. Lee said to me, “You’re great, you’re great. But you don’t’ look like Forest”…so I said, “Alright, I didn’t get the part.” And then a couple months later, he calls me and says, my instincts have been drawn towards you so you have the part.” And it’s a dream come true moment for me.
Yaya Alafia plays David Oyelowo’s love interest and a fellow civil rights activist.
What will you forever take away from this experience?
Yaya Alafia: It’s really special to be embraced and encouraged and just given praise I guess by actors that you admire. I grew up watching Oprah of course as everyone did, Forest Whitaker. I mean there’s so many greats in this film and to admire their work, and then to be on set and have them go, “Alright little sister, you’re doing a good job,” just feels so good. It feels like I’m in the right place and I think that’s the main thing.
Jesse Williams plays Rev. James Lawson in the film.
Who are your favorite hip-hop artists this summer?
Jesse Williams: It’s a big summer. I like the J. Cole album; I’m excited by Drake’s album. I loved “Yeezus,” I like Mac Miller’s album. But what I’m liking now is that kind of 90′s lyricism is coming back, with Underachievers. A lot of these Brooklyn and Queens artist, Pro Era is doing their thing. I like that. I really do.
Danny Strong wrote the screenplay for “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.”
What was it like collaborating with Lee?
Danny Strong: I had written about four drafts over a year, and then he came on board and we have just spent the last three years and change working on this project together and it’s been an amazing experience.
You’re also an actor, and so how has acting helped you as a writer?
Danny Strong: I think it’s made a huge difference the way I approach character and the way I approach dialogue. I think I approach it from an actor’s point of view since that was my whole life ever, so it’s kind of influenced everything for me.
Sheila C. Johnson served as executive producer on the film.
How did you come to produce the film?
Sheila C. Johnson: Actually Laura Ziskin brought me the project along with Pam Williams. Laura was at the last days of her life and she asked me to take this project over with Pam Williams, so I really read the script and I believed in it and this is one of the best scripts I’ve ever read. Then I met with Lee Daniels for hours and we talked about how this movie should come about. So I put a lot of seed money into it and I help raise a lot of money for this movie.
Do you see yourself in any of these characters?
Sheila C. Johnson: I remember from the Civil Rights Era, I remember Martin Luther King Jr., it was like reliving my childhood. This is a very important movie, it’s an educating movie; everyone should see this, especially our young people.
Pamela Williams also produced “The Butler.”
Tell me about taking on the project after Laura passed away.
Pamela Williams: I was Laura Ziskin’s producing partner for the last eleven years of her life, so trying to do this movie without her has been very difficult and at the same time, Lee and I both say, “Laura is still here with us.” She is in every decision we make and we say, “What would Laura do?” And when we know what that is, since she was such a definitive person, we do that and everything works out. So I really feel that she’s still with us, you’ll see her name up there because she still very much produced this movie with us.
What was it like collaborating with Lee?
Pamela Williams: Lee Daniels is a mad genius. And you hear it from our cast constantly how he keeps everybody off their toes and spontaneous, and that’s great for actors. As a producer, you want everything very controlled, tried and true. And he will, at the beginning of a day, say “We’re not going to do this scene, we’re going to do another.” And yet out of that creative chaos comes absolute brilliance. You’ll see it in the cast – the performances are just amazing. And that’s all Lee.
After the film ended, Lee Daniels called the entire cast to the front to be acknowledged by the audience. Then guests headed to a very exclusive after-party at The Bowery Hotel. We attended the premiere and party as a guest of DeLeón Tequila. As soon as we entered the party, a waiter offered us a DeLeon Tequila inflused “The Butler” cocktail, which consisted of Deleon Diamante, Fresh Ginger, Ginger Beer and Fresh Lime. Guests were also able to sample DeLeon Reposado and DeLeon Anejo. There was also a Samsung Galaxy Photo Booth where partygoers could take photos and share on social media. DJ M.O.S. kept everyone on their feet with throwback tunes and current hits like “Blurred Lines.” Some of the featured light bites included chicken and pesto, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, mushroom polenta and gorgonzola and smoked salmon. Lemon bars and brownie brittles were served for dessert.
Most of the cast gathered in one of the lounge areas in the back. We spotted Oprah chatting with Mariah Carey and Director Lee Daniels. Forest Whitaker, who was joined by his wife and two daughters graciously posed for photos with fans. Lenny Kravitz spent most of the evening catching up with Marisa Tomei, the iconic Cicely Tyson, DeLeon Tequila founder and CEO Brent Hocking and Elijah Kelly. Before she left, Oprah embraced Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts and posed for a few photos with them. Overall, it was an unforgettable party.
“Lee Daniels’ The Butler” hits theaters on August 16, 2013.
