20th Television is singing “Who Can I Turn To” now that Hulu is no longer moving forward with its planned limited series about Sammy Davis Jr. Deadline reported Hulu’s decision on Friday, adding that 20th Television is launching an “aggressive effort” to find the series a new home, with plans to “attach additional high-level talent” to lure prospective buyers. The news comes a year and a half after Hulu ordered the series, which comes from co-creators and former Empire colleagues Lee Daniels and Thomas Westfall. The series is based on the Wil Haygood biography In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr.and stars Elijah Kelley (pictured at left below) as the famed singer. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images “Sammy Davis Jr. rose from childhood stardom on the vaudeville stage to become one of the most famous African American entertainers of the...
- 12/2/2023
- TV Insider
Hulu is giving a member of the Rat Pack the limited-series treatment, picking up an eight-episode drama about singer/actor Sammy Davis, Jr., from executive producer Lee Daniels (Empire).
Based on Wil Haygood’s book In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr., the untitled project explores “Sammy’s life through the lens of his racial identity and his complex relationship with the Black Community,” per the official synopsis.
More from TVLineWhy Did S.W.A.T. Leader Go on the Run? Was Killing Eve Closing Too Harsh? Did Ghosts Do Alexa Proud? And More Qs!TVLine Items: Making the Cut Renewed,...
Based on Wil Haygood’s book In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr., the untitled project explores “Sammy’s life through the lens of his racial identity and his complex relationship with the Black Community,” per the official synopsis.
More from TVLineWhy Did S.W.A.T. Leader Go on the Run? Was Killing Eve Closing Too Harsh? Did Ghosts Do Alexa Proud? And More Qs!TVLine Items: Making the Cut Renewed,...
- 4/14/2022
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Hulu has given Lee Daniels’ Sammy Davis Jr. series a full season order with Elijah Kelley starring as the late music legend. The so far untitled limited series will consist of eight episodes and is based on Wil Haygood’s book In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr., per Deadline. Daniels will direct the first two episodes, and Kelley will help create the show’s original music. The series premiere date and other casting announcements will be made at a later time. “Sammy Davis, Jr. rose from childhood stardom on the vaudeville stage to become one of the most famous African American entertainers of the 1950s and ’60s (and the only Black member of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack),” the logline describes. “At the same time, he spent most of his career surrounded by controversy and ridicule — over his affairs with white film stars, his 1960 marriage to Swedish actress May Britt,...
- 4/14/2022
- TV Insider
The candy man is coming to Hulu. The streamer has ordered eight episodes of a limited series about Sammy Davis, Jr. from Lee Daniels and 20th Television. It’s based on the Wil Haygood book In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr.
Multi-hyphenate performer Elijah Kelley will portray the title role in the untitled series, having starred in NBC’s The Wiz Live! and New Line’s Hairspray. He previously collaborated with Daniels on Lee Daniels’ The Butler and Fox’s Star.
2022 Hulu Pilots & Series Orders
Here’s the official logline: Sammy Davis, Jr. rose from childhood stardom on the vaudeville stage to become one of the most famous African American entertainers of the 1950s and ’60s (and the only Black member of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack). At the same time, he spent most of his career surrounded by controversy and ridicule–over his affairs with white film stars,...
Multi-hyphenate performer Elijah Kelley will portray the title role in the untitled series, having starred in NBC’s The Wiz Live! and New Line’s Hairspray. He previously collaborated with Daniels on Lee Daniels’ The Butler and Fox’s Star.
2022 Hulu Pilots & Series Orders
Here’s the official logline: Sammy Davis, Jr. rose from childhood stardom on the vaudeville stage to become one of the most famous African American entertainers of the 1950s and ’60s (and the only Black member of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack). At the same time, he spent most of his career surrounded by controversy and ridicule–over his affairs with white film stars,...
- 4/14/2022
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Giant publisher Condé Nast today named Dawn Davis editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit, several months after previous editor Adam Rapaport resigned amid a blackface scandal and complaints of racially insensitive behavior at the publication.
Davis, who starts Nov. 2, was most recently vice president and publisher of 37 Ink, an imprint of Simon & Schuster that she founded. Conde Nast praised the 25-year industry vet as “an award-winning publisher and storytelling advocate who, for over two decades, has championed and elevated underrepresented voices.” In her new role, she will oversee the editorial vision of Bon Appétit and Condé Nast other food brands Epicurious, Healthyish and Basically across digital, video, Ott, social and print.
“A proven trailblazer in publishing and known for her innovative approach, Dawn’s ability to find emerging voices and give them the platforms to transform our society is unparalleled,” said Roger Lynch, CEO of Condé Nast.
Rapoport resigned June 8 after...
Davis, who starts Nov. 2, was most recently vice president and publisher of 37 Ink, an imprint of Simon & Schuster that she founded. Conde Nast praised the 25-year industry vet as “an award-winning publisher and storytelling advocate who, for over two decades, has championed and elevated underrepresented voices.” In her new role, she will oversee the editorial vision of Bon Appétit and Condé Nast other food brands Epicurious, Healthyish and Basically across digital, video, Ott, social and print.
“A proven trailblazer in publishing and known for her innovative approach, Dawn’s ability to find emerging voices and give them the platforms to transform our society is unparalleled,” said Roger Lynch, CEO of Condé Nast.
Rapoport resigned June 8 after...
- 8/27/2020
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
A miniseries on legendary crooner Sammy Davis Jr. is in the works from Lee Daniels Entertainment and Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s Playtone production banners.
The project, titled “Sammy,” is in its early stages, but its producers are considering basing it off Wil Haygood’s 2003 book “In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr.”
Playtone has several Emmy-winning miniseries to its credit, including “Band Of Brothers,” “The Pacific,” “John Adams” and “Olive Kitteridge.”
Also Read: 14 Music Biopics in the Works After 'Rocketman,' From Elvis Presley to Aretha Franklin (Photos)
This isn’t the first attempt at a Davis Jr. biopic — a project was announced at Paramount Pictures in 2018 with Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Lionel Richie and Mike Menchel, as well as Davis’ estate, signed on as producers.
Davis was an American singer, musician, dancer, actor, comedian and activist known for doing comedic impressions of celebrities. From a young age,...
The project, titled “Sammy,” is in its early stages, but its producers are considering basing it off Wil Haygood’s 2003 book “In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr.”
Playtone has several Emmy-winning miniseries to its credit, including “Band Of Brothers,” “The Pacific,” “John Adams” and “Olive Kitteridge.”
Also Read: 14 Music Biopics in the Works After 'Rocketman,' From Elvis Presley to Aretha Franklin (Photos)
This isn’t the first attempt at a Davis Jr. biopic — a project was announced at Paramount Pictures in 2018 with Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Lionel Richie and Mike Menchel, as well as Davis’ estate, signed on as producers.
Davis was an American singer, musician, dancer, actor, comedian and activist known for doing comedic impressions of celebrities. From a young age,...
- 6/5/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Lee Daniels and his Lee Daniels Entertainment have teamed with Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s Playtone to develop a miniseries about dancer-singer-actor-musician Sammy Davis Jr., I have learned.
The project, titled Sammy, is still in preliminary stages, but I hear the producers are circling the 2003 book In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr. by Wil Haygood as source material.
For Lee, bringing Davis’ story to the screen has been a longtime passion; in 2013 there were reports about him eyeing a movie about the former Rat Pack-er that was in the works at HBO.
Meanwhile, Playtone brings in a strong track record with a slew of Emmy-winning miniseries including Band Of Brothers, The Pacific, John Adams and Olive Kitteridge.
There have been multiple attempts at a Sammy Davis, Jr. biopic, most recently a project set at Paramount Pictures last year with producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Lionel Richie...
The project, titled Sammy, is still in preliminary stages, but I hear the producers are circling the 2003 book In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr. by Wil Haygood as source material.
For Lee, bringing Davis’ story to the screen has been a longtime passion; in 2013 there were reports about him eyeing a movie about the former Rat Pack-er that was in the works at HBO.
Meanwhile, Playtone brings in a strong track record with a slew of Emmy-winning miniseries including Band Of Brothers, The Pacific, John Adams and Olive Kitteridge.
There have been multiple attempts at a Sammy Davis, Jr. biopic, most recently a project set at Paramount Pictures last year with producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Lionel Richie...
- 6/5/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: David and Jessica Oyelowo and their production company Yoruba Saxon have sealed an exclusive, first-look deal with Mwm Studios to develop both film and television projects. Yoruba Saxon, founded in 2014, is the company behind such films as A United Kingdom (Fox Searchlight Pathe), Captive (Paramount), Nightingale (HBO) and Five Nights in Main (Filmrise).
Oyelowo, of course, is the actor who won international kudos for his brilliant portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma and who is also an acclaimed stage actor, having played everything from King Henry VI at the Royal Shakespeare Company in London to his recent turn as Othello opposite Daniel Craig in the New York Theatre Workshop.
Mwm Studios has had a great few years with its Emmy-nominated NatGeo series Genius with Imagine Television and its Academy Award nominated film Hell or High Water (with Ske). Mwm was formerly known as OddLot Entertainment before the...
Oyelowo, of course, is the actor who won international kudos for his brilliant portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma and who is also an acclaimed stage actor, having played everything from King Henry VI at the Royal Shakespeare Company in London to his recent turn as Othello opposite Daniel Craig in the New York Theatre Workshop.
Mwm Studios has had a great few years with its Emmy-nominated NatGeo series Genius with Imagine Television and its Academy Award nominated film Hell or High Water (with Ske). Mwm was formerly known as OddLot Entertainment before the...
- 5/31/2018
- by Anita Busch
- Deadline Film + TV
Ryan Coogler's "Creed" topped the NAACP Image Awards nomination which were revealed this morning. "Creed" received nods for best picture, director for Coogler, actor for Michael B. Jordan, writing for Coogler and Aaron Covington, and supporting actress noms for both Phylicia Rashad and Tessa Thompson.
We'll find out the winners on February 5 on the live airing of the ceremony on TV one.
Here is the full list of nominees of the 47th NAACP Image Awards:
Entertainer Of The Year
Michael B. Jordan
Misty Copeland
Pharrell Williams
Shonda Rhimes
Viola Davis
Television
Outstanding Comedy Series
.black-ish. (ABC)
.House of Lies. (Showtime)
.Key & Peele. (Comedy Central)
.Orange is the New Black. (Netflix)
.Survivor.s Remorse. (Starz)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Andre Braugher . .Brooklyn Nine-Nine. (Fox)
Anthony Anderson . .black-ish. (ABC)
Don Cheadle . .House of Lies. (Showtime)
Dwayne Johnson . .Ballers. (HBO)
RonReaco Lee . .Survivor.s Remorse. (Starz)
Outstanding Actress...
We'll find out the winners on February 5 on the live airing of the ceremony on TV one.
Here is the full list of nominees of the 47th NAACP Image Awards:
Entertainer Of The Year
Michael B. Jordan
Misty Copeland
Pharrell Williams
Shonda Rhimes
Viola Davis
Television
Outstanding Comedy Series
.black-ish. (ABC)
.House of Lies. (Showtime)
.Key & Peele. (Comedy Central)
.Orange is the New Black. (Netflix)
.Survivor.s Remorse. (Starz)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Andre Braugher . .Brooklyn Nine-Nine. (Fox)
Anthony Anderson . .black-ish. (ABC)
Don Cheadle . .House of Lies. (Showtime)
Dwayne Johnson . .Ballers. (HBO)
RonReaco Lee . .Survivor.s Remorse. (Starz)
Outstanding Actress...
- 12/8/2015
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
A deeply moving melodrama about a subtly subversive black butler at the heart of the White House. You will need Kleenex. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It’s most likely apocryphal, but that quote attributed to Winston Churchill is appropriate here: “The Americans can always be trusted to do the right thing, once all other possibilities have been exhausted.” For this is one tiny slice of the dramatic history of civil rights progress in the United States as seen through the eyes of a black man who worked as a White House butler for decades… and the subtle impact he had on making America’s leaders realize that all other possibilities except acknowledging the humanity of nonwhite people were being exhausted. The story of Cecil Gaines (Forest...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It’s most likely apocryphal, but that quote attributed to Winston Churchill is appropriate here: “The Americans can always be trusted to do the right thing, once all other possibilities have been exhausted.” For this is one tiny slice of the dramatic history of civil rights progress in the United States as seen through the eyes of a black man who worked as a White House butler for decades… and the subtle impact he had on making America’s leaders realize that all other possibilities except acknowledging the humanity of nonwhite people were being exhausted. The story of Cecil Gaines (Forest...
- 3/10/2014
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Digital Release Date: Dec. 31, 2013, Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Jan. 14, 2014
Price: DVD $29.98, Blu-ray $34.99, Blu-ray Combo $39.99
Studio: The Weinstein Company/Anchor Bay
Acclaimed drama movie Lee Daniels’ The Butler scored a whopping $116 million at the box office, a huge number for a so-called quiet film.
Inspired by a true story, the movie follows Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker, Platoon), who rises up from being a slave boy to a career as a butler serving seven Presidents in the White House. Over the years, he witnesses some of the most tumultuous and defining moments for race relations in the U.S. in the 20th century.
The all-star cast also includes Oprah Winfrey (The Color Purple) as Cecil’s wife, plus John Cusack (The Raven), Jane Fonda (All Together), Cuba Gooding Jr. (Machete Kills), Terrence Howard (Prisoners), Lenny Kravitz (The Hunger Games), James Marsden (Robot & Frank), Alan Rickman (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part...
Price: DVD $29.98, Blu-ray $34.99, Blu-ray Combo $39.99
Studio: The Weinstein Company/Anchor Bay
Acclaimed drama movie Lee Daniels’ The Butler scored a whopping $116 million at the box office, a huge number for a so-called quiet film.
Inspired by a true story, the movie follows Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker, Platoon), who rises up from being a slave boy to a career as a butler serving seven Presidents in the White House. Over the years, he witnesses some of the most tumultuous and defining moments for race relations in the U.S. in the 20th century.
The all-star cast also includes Oprah Winfrey (The Color Purple) as Cecil’s wife, plus John Cusack (The Raven), Jane Fonda (All Together), Cuba Gooding Jr. (Machete Kills), Terrence Howard (Prisoners), Lenny Kravitz (The Hunger Games), James Marsden (Robot & Frank), Alan Rickman (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part...
- 12/6/2013
- by Sam
- Disc Dish
Forest Whitaker is quietly powerful as a White House servant who lived through the long battle for civil rights
On the eve of Barack Obama's election victory in November 2008, the Washington Post tracked down "a story from the back pages of history", that of Eugene Allen, who served in the White House for 34 years before retiring as head butler in 1986. Described as "a figure in the tiniest of print", Allen had been called "Gene" by Truman, talked golf with Ford, been invited to dinner by the Reagans. More importantly, he had seen America change from a segregationist country in which he wasn't allowed to use public lavatories in his native Virginia to a superpower ruled by its first black president.
Defined in appropriately woolly terms as "inspired by the true story", Lee Daniels's star-studded screen adaptation of Wil Haygood's article plays fast and loose with the facts,...
On the eve of Barack Obama's election victory in November 2008, the Washington Post tracked down "a story from the back pages of history", that of Eugene Allen, who served in the White House for 34 years before retiring as head butler in 1986. Described as "a figure in the tiniest of print", Allen had been called "Gene" by Truman, talked golf with Ford, been invited to dinner by the Reagans. More importantly, he had seen America change from a segregationist country in which he wasn't allowed to use public lavatories in his native Virginia to a superpower ruled by its first black president.
Defined in appropriately woolly terms as "inspired by the true story", Lee Daniels's star-studded screen adaptation of Wil Haygood's article plays fast and loose with the facts,...
- 11/17/2013
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
What could have been a powerful story of race politics set in the White House is held back by the whiff of Downton Abbey
History is written by the victors, they say; this movie looks as if the history of American race politics as written by Julian Fellowes. It is based on the life of Eugene Allen, a black butler in the White House whose human-interest story was recounted by Washington Post reporter Wil Haygood as part of his paper's Obama victory coverage in 2008.
Allen had a ringside seat at history by serving every president from Eisenhower to Reagan and finally lived to see the dream come true. A black man was in the White House – in a position other than menial.
This treacly and stilted movie, directed by Lee Daniels, invites its audience on a guided tour of the postwar White House, upstairs and down, unveiling a waxwork set of president-cameos.
History is written by the victors, they say; this movie looks as if the history of American race politics as written by Julian Fellowes. It is based on the life of Eugene Allen, a black butler in the White House whose human-interest story was recounted by Washington Post reporter Wil Haygood as part of his paper's Obama victory coverage in 2008.
Allen had a ringside seat at history by serving every president from Eisenhower to Reagan and finally lived to see the dream come true. A black man was in the White House – in a position other than menial.
This treacly and stilted movie, directed by Lee Daniels, invites its audience on a guided tour of the postwar White House, upstairs and down, unveiling a waxwork set of president-cameos.
- 11/15/2013
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
‘The Butler’: ‘True story’ drama passes $100 million milestone at North American box office (photo: Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan in ‘The Butler’) Hailed as a sleeper hit upon its North American release in mid-August, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, featuring an all-star cast that includes Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Vanessa Redgrave, Jane Fonda, James Marsden, and Robin Williams, passed the $100 million milestone at the domestic box office last Sunday, September 15, 2013. As of Monday, the $30 million-budgeted The Butler‘s domestic box-office total stood at $100.5 million, as per Box Office Mojo. The "based on a true story" account of a black butler (Forest Whitaker) who served eight U.S. presidents, both Republicans and Democrats, during the course of three decades, The Butler was distributed by the Oscar-savvy The Weinstein Company. Considering the film’s domestic box-office success and the generally positive reviews — 80% approval rating and 7.1/10 average among...
- 9/18/2013
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
‘The Butler’: ‘True story’ drama passes $100 million milestone at North American box office (photo: Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan in ‘The Butler’) Hailed as a sleeper hit upon its North American release in mid-August, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, featuring an all-star cast that includes Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, James Marsden, and Robin Williams, passed the $100 million milestone at the domestic box office last Sunday, September 15, 2013. As of Monday, the $30 million-budgeted The Butler‘s domestic box-office total stood at $100.5 million, as per Box Office Mojo. The "based on a true story" account of a black butler (Forest Whitaker) who served eight U.S. presidents, both Republicans and Democrats, during the course of three decades, The Butler was distributed by the Oscar-savvy The Weinstein Company. Considering the film’s domestic box-office success and the generally positive reviews — 80% approval rating and 7.1/10 average among...
- 9/18/2013
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
I am going to be doing a lot of Oscar predictions updates once I get back home following the Toronto Film Festival, but not before. However, there is some news surrounding one of the the fest's world premieres that's worthy of note. August: Osage County screened to mixed reactions here in Toronto. I, for one, quite liked it and liken it to some of the best work we've seen from Mike Nichols over the years. One complaint some had was in regards to the film's ending, which (and yes, this is spoiler territory) currently ends with Julia Roberts driving off from the Weston house leaving her mother (Meryl Streep) in the house alone, presumably for the rest of her life. The suggestion is to avoid the entire addition of the Roberts scene and merely end with Violet shocked into solitude, which is how the play ends. I can accept the film either way,...
- 9/12/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
You may have heard about Wil Haygood's 2008 Washington Post article "A Butler Well Served by This Election," which told the story of Eugene Allen, an African American butler who served 30 years of presidents in the White House, from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan. His story, and that article, became the inspiration for the film "Lee Daniels' The Butler," and in some ways, it could be argued as an adapted screenplay. However, surely sensing that there was leeway, and no doubt taking note of how typically competitive the Best Adapted Screenplay race is this year, The Weinstein Company has kept...
- 9/12/2013
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
That's right — "Lee Daniels' The Butler" has 39 credited producers to its name, and it isn't just Lee Daniels 39 times. We're not sure if this is a record, but we are sure that it's a lot of f**king producers.
So what, exactly, did each producer do for the movie? In a NextMovie exclusive, we've obtained a verified* list of the various roles each producer filled during the production of the film. Needless to say, each was wholly necessary to the quality of the end result.
*Note: By "verified" we mean "not verified."
Horatio Bacon: Responsible for convincing director Lee Daniels to not film the movie in 3D.
Julia Barry: Responsible with supplying the production office with the proper Nerf guns for anticipated downtime.
Len Blavatnik: Responsible for assaulting any "nerd" who insists on putting another "s" after the apostrophe in the film's title.
Charles Sauveur Bonan:...
So what, exactly, did each producer do for the movie? In a NextMovie exclusive, we've obtained a verified* list of the various roles each producer filled during the production of the film. Needless to say, each was wholly necessary to the quality of the end result.
*Note: By "verified" we mean "not verified."
Horatio Bacon: Responsible for convincing director Lee Daniels to not film the movie in 3D.
Julia Barry: Responsible with supplying the production office with the proper Nerf guns for anticipated downtime.
Len Blavatnik: Responsible for assaulting any "nerd" who insists on putting another "s" after the apostrophe in the film's title.
Charles Sauveur Bonan:...
- 8/20/2013
- by Nick Blake
- NextMovie
Authors of books on the late president have protested over scenes critical of Reagan's approach to apartheid and race
Two biographers of Ronald Reagan have taken issue with Lee Daniels' film The Butler, claiming it presents a misleading impression of the former president's views on race relations.
"I've talked to many White House staff, cooks, housekeepers, doctors, and secret service over the years," the Hollywood Reporter quotes Paul Kengor as saying. "They are universal in their love of Ronald Reagan."
Kengor, the author of Reagan, The Crusader and also God and Ronald Reagan, takes particular issue with two scenes. The first shows Reagan, played by Alan Rickman, refusing without reason to support a bill imposing sanctions on South Africa's apartheid regime. Kengor cites the lack of context offered as evidence that the film-makers have pursued an "ideologically driven fiction".
The second scene involves a dinner party to which...
Two biographers of Ronald Reagan have taken issue with Lee Daniels' film The Butler, claiming it presents a misleading impression of the former president's views on race relations.
"I've talked to many White House staff, cooks, housekeepers, doctors, and secret service over the years," the Hollywood Reporter quotes Paul Kengor as saying. "They are universal in their love of Ronald Reagan."
Kengor, the author of Reagan, The Crusader and also God and Ronald Reagan, takes particular issue with two scenes. The first shows Reagan, played by Alan Rickman, refusing without reason to support a bill imposing sanctions on South Africa's apartheid regime. Kengor cites the lack of context offered as evidence that the film-makers have pursued an "ideologically driven fiction".
The second scene involves a dinner party to which...
- 8/19/2013
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
Weinstein Co turned in their first number one film since 2009's Inglourious Basterds with The Butler which posted a very decent $25 million debut. The Lee Daniels (Precious) film starring Forest Whitaker, opened in 2,933 theaters, averaging $8,527 per theater. Also on board the cast are Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, David Oyelowo, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams. Pic is based on Wil Haygood's Washington Post story "A Butler Well Served by This Election," adapted for the screen by Danny Strong.
- 8/18/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Oprah Winfrey to help ‘The Butler’ top the domestic box office? (Photo: Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard in ‘The Butler’) About a week ago, Oprah Winfrey was in the news for being told that a $38,000 crocodile-skin purse at a store in Zurich wasn’t really for her. The uproar was related to racism: possibly, supposedly, maybe the saleswoman-for-the-filthy-rich felt that a black woman wouldn’t be able to afford a $38,000 crocodile-skin purse, even though those stores for the disgustingly megarich — I mean, $38,000 for a goddamned purse? Crocodile skin? — surely cater to the wives and mistresses and aunts of megarich African entrepreneurs and dictators alike. Fast forward a week or so and … Oprah Winfrey is back in the news as a result of another "incident" related to ethnic issues: the weekend debut of Lee Daniels’ The Weinstein Company-distributed The Butler, about a black butler in the appropriately named White House. The Butler...
- 8/18/2013
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
The ambitious, topic-tackling historical drama, ‘The Butler’ finally hit theaters on August 16. But before you strap in to see the star-studded flick, find out if it’s worth the price of admission.
Not since Forrest Gump have we seen a movie so fervently take a look at the spectrum of American history like Lee Daniels’ The Butler (in theaters August 16). With Forest Whitaker (the fact that he’s named Forest has to be a coincidence) as a butler to seven presidents, the movie spans the 20th century and tackles heavy-hitting topics like the civil rights movement. It’s certainly an ambitious movie, but do the critics think it’s actually a good one?
‘The Butler’ Reviews
New York Times
Taking inspiration from an article by Wil Haygood in The Washington Post about the life of Eugene Allen, who worked as a butler in the White House during eight presidential administrations,...
Not since Forrest Gump have we seen a movie so fervently take a look at the spectrum of American history like Lee Daniels’ The Butler (in theaters August 16). With Forest Whitaker (the fact that he’s named Forest has to be a coincidence) as a butler to seven presidents, the movie spans the 20th century and tackles heavy-hitting topics like the civil rights movement. It’s certainly an ambitious movie, but do the critics think it’s actually a good one?
‘The Butler’ Reviews
New York Times
Taking inspiration from an article by Wil Haygood in The Washington Post about the life of Eugene Allen, who worked as a butler in the White House during eight presidential administrations,...
- 8/17/2013
- by Andrew Gruttadaro
- HollywoodLife
Near the culmination of President Barack Obama's first campaign, Washington Post reporter Wil Haygood was on the campaign trail, in search of a historic feature story about segregation and the White House. He couldn't have imagined it would lead to the making of a powerful film with an all-star cast -- but that's exactly what happened after Haygood got a tip about a remarkable butler who had served eight presidents over the course of more than three decades.
From the set of "Lee Daniels' The Butler," the movie inspired by the real-life butler from Haygood's reporting, Oprah chats with Haygood about the fateful turn of events that helped launch the film.
After receiving the tip, Haygood tracked down Eugene Allen, who started working in the White House as a pantry man during the Truman administration.
Four days before President Obama's election, Haygood visited Allen and his wife at their home in Washington,...
From the set of "Lee Daniels' The Butler," the movie inspired by the real-life butler from Haygood's reporting, Oprah chats with Haygood about the fateful turn of events that helped launch the film.
After receiving the tip, Haygood tracked down Eugene Allen, who started working in the White House as a pantry man during the Truman administration.
Four days before President Obama's election, Haygood visited Allen and his wife at their home in Washington,...
- 8/16/2013
- by Lisa Capretto
- Huffington Post
Washington (Rns) Eugene Allen served eight presidents as a White House butler, and his legendary career is the inspiration for “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” a film starring Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda and a host of A-list Hollywood talent.
But members of The Greater First Baptist Church knew the man who died in 2010 by other titles: usher, trustee, and a humble man of quiet faith.
“The attributes that made him a great butler made him a great usher,” said Denise Johnson, an usher at the predominantly black D.C. church where Allen was a member for six decades.
Those qualities were both external — black suits and white gloves — and internal — a dignified, soft-spoken manner.
On a recent Sunday, parishioners recalled Allen as a peacemaker, someone who never raised his voice.
His devotion to service extended far beyond the public and private rooms of the White House to the doorways and kitchen of his church.
But members of The Greater First Baptist Church knew the man who died in 2010 by other titles: usher, trustee, and a humble man of quiet faith.
“The attributes that made him a great butler made him a great usher,” said Denise Johnson, an usher at the predominantly black D.C. church where Allen was a member for six decades.
Those qualities were both external — black suits and white gloves — and internal — a dignified, soft-spoken manner.
On a recent Sunday, parishioners recalled Allen as a peacemaker, someone who never raised his voice.
His devotion to service extended far beyond the public and private rooms of the White House to the doorways and kitchen of his church.
- 8/15/2013
- by Religion News Service
- Huffington Post
Occasionally moving, sweeping in ambition yet often haphazard in execution, "Lee Daniels' The Butler" is an epic that more closely resembles a made-for-tv movie or miniseries, albeit one from the high-minded heyday of TV movies, the '70s. Think "Backstairs at the White House," if your memory goes that far back.
Covering more than 80 years of American history through the eyes of a White House butler and his family -- decades of strife and conflict, from segregation to the election of Barack Obama to the presidency -- "The Butler" features Oscar winner Forest Whitaker in the title role, Oscar nominee Oprah Winfrey as co-star, and Oscar winners Robin Williams, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vanessa Redgrave in supporting roles. The director of "Precious" is like catnip to actors.
We follow a sharecropper's son who saw his father murdered by a white landowner (Alex Pettyfer) in 1920s Georgia, a boy raised to know service,...
Covering more than 80 years of American history through the eyes of a White House butler and his family -- decades of strife and conflict, from segregation to the election of Barack Obama to the presidency -- "The Butler" features Oscar winner Forest Whitaker in the title role, Oscar nominee Oprah Winfrey as co-star, and Oscar winners Robin Williams, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vanessa Redgrave in supporting roles. The director of "Precious" is like catnip to actors.
We follow a sharecropper's son who saw his father murdered by a white landowner (Alex Pettyfer) in 1920s Georgia, a boy raised to know service,...
- 8/15/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Imagine your time on Earth began as a black man, young enough to see your father shot in the head in a cotton field with no repercussions for the shooter and you ultimately lived long enough to see Barack Obama elected as the first black President of the United States. Those two events alone would be enough to shock you to your core when placed side-by-side, but now imagine not only living through those two experiences, but also the events that transpired over the 82 years in-between and viewing them from a vantage point unlike any other. Lee Daniels' The Butler sets before it a daunting task of first introducing us to Cecil Gaines at the tender age of eight (Michael Rainey Jr.) as he watches his father fall with a bullet wound to the head before introducing us to the 34 years he would ultimately serve eight presidents as a White House butler.
- 8/14/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
One butler serving in the White House for over three decades sounds like a story made just for the movies. Surprisingly enough it really happened, and thanks to director Lee Daniels and writer Danny Strong (Emmy winner for "Game Change"), the story of Eugene Allen is now getting told on the big screen.
Inspired by Wil Haygood's Washington Post article, "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (remember that never-ending name change mess?) stars Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines, who is based on Allen. From 1952 to 1986 Gaines serves seven presidents -- but the film excludes Ford and Carter who seemingly weren't interesting enough -- while struggling to balance work with family at the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
With one of the biggest casts of the year -- from Robin Williams to Mariah Carey -- "The Butler" is already exploding with Oscar buzz. But does the historical drama hold up to the hype?...
Inspired by Wil Haygood's Washington Post article, "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (remember that never-ending name change mess?) stars Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines, who is based on Allen. From 1952 to 1986 Gaines serves seven presidents -- but the film excludes Ford and Carter who seemingly weren't interesting enough -- while struggling to balance work with family at the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
With one of the biggest casts of the year -- from Robin Williams to Mariah Carey -- "The Butler" is already exploding with Oscar buzz. But does the historical drama hold up to the hype?...
- 8/14/2013
- by Erin Whitney
- Moviefone
Standing strong in one’s beliefs, especially during decades of political and racial turmoil, can be a difficult process for anyone, particularly for a person continuously contending with discrimination over their race. But strong conviction in defending their values and freedoms can help pave the way for radical change. This is certainly the case in the new biographical drama Lee Daniels’ The Butler, which chronicles the trials and tribulations of an African American butler in the White House during almost 30-years of service in the 20th century, as he supports ethnic equality.
Set against the tumultuous political backdrop of 20th century America, Lee Daniels’ The Butler tells the story of White House butler Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), who serves during seven presidential administrations between 1957 and 1986. Inspired by Wil Haygood’s 2008 Washington Post article A Butler Well Served by This Election, about the real life of former butler Eugene Allen, the...
Set against the tumultuous political backdrop of 20th century America, Lee Daniels’ The Butler tells the story of White House butler Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), who serves during seven presidential administrations between 1957 and 1986. Inspired by Wil Haygood’s 2008 Washington Post article A Butler Well Served by This Election, about the real life of former butler Eugene Allen, the...
- 8/13/2013
- by Karen Benardello
- We Got This Covered
Despite my misgivings about the film that his life inspired (misgivings that have nothing to do with the real man himself, as I know him), if there's one very good thing that comes out of the release of Lee Daniels' The Butler, it's that it will likely generate public interest in the story of the real life butler, the late Eugene Allen - a story that apparently no one was interested in or intrigued by until journalist Wil Haygood, working on President Obama's 2008 presidential run, sought out stories from White House staff who had been employed there prior to the signing of the Civil Rights Act in the mid-1960s. Up until that glorious moment, no one had ever taken an interest in...
- 8/12/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
At this year’s National Association for Black Journalists Convention, I received the opportunity to talk briefly, one on one with Lee Daniels (director of ‘The Butler’) and Wil Haygood (the author of ‘The Butler’) about their new movie ‘Lee Daniels’ ‘The Butler’. They both talk about how this movie can help the younger generations learn more about their history and how their lives related to the movie. When you first read Wil Haygood’s story what was your vision for the movie?Lee Daniels: It was a father and son story. Around this time, I was watching my own son grow up at the age of 13. I saw the connection between me and my son along with Eugene (The Butler) and his son. Then, the bus...
- 8/12/2013
- by Troy Webster
- ShadowAndAct
For all the unlikely casting of U.S. presidents in "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (Robin Williams as Ike? James Marsden as JFK? Uh... okay...), the movie's highly subjective recreation of history actually seems to work. Maybe the actors aren't up to the task of playing such formidable real-life titans, but then, as seen by the long-serving White House manservant of the movie's title, these presidents are all just men, overwhelmed by the burdens of politics, world events, and history's eventual judgment. He sees them all at their most vulnerable and proves the old adage that no man is a hero to his valet.
Still, as subjective as the movie is about the many presidents that Forest Whitaker's character serves and the crises they address while he pours their coffee, it holds pretty close to the historical record. In fact, the movie takes its greatest liberties not with the presidents...
Still, as subjective as the movie is about the many presidents that Forest Whitaker's character serves and the crises they address while he pours their coffee, it holds pretty close to the historical record. In fact, the movie takes its greatest liberties not with the presidents...
- 8/12/2013
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 40 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the highly anticipated “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey!
“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” which is rated “PG-13” and opens on Aug. 16, 2013, also stars John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, James Marsden, David Oyelowo, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Liev Schreiber, Robin Williams and Alex Pettyfer from director Lee Daniels and writer Danny Strong based on the article by Wil Haygood.
To win your free “The Butler” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our unique Hookup technology below. That’s it! This screening is on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these...
“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” which is rated “PG-13” and opens on Aug. 16, 2013, also stars John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, James Marsden, David Oyelowo, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Liev Schreiber, Robin Williams and Alex Pettyfer from director Lee Daniels and writer Danny Strong based on the article by Wil Haygood.
To win your free “The Butler” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our unique Hookup technology below. That’s it! This screening is on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these...
- 8/12/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Once More With Feeling: Daniels’ Latest an Elegant, Necessary Recuperation
Previously berated by Armond White as helming the most racist film since The Birth of a Nation with his breakout 2009 hit, Precious, Lee Daniels’ shows his softer side with The Butler, a dizzying tunnel through several of America’s most tumultuous periods as seen through the eyes of a black butler working in the White House. White’s denouncement of Daniels is, in itself, indicative of the divisiveness inspired by unseemly or unwholesome portrayals of black characters in film, especially coming from a filmmaker like Daniels who has been operating outside of the cloying weight of a niche market. If the applause and accolades bestowed upon Precious were the result of (sub)conscious white guilt, the same guilt-ridden parties weren’t feeling quite as gracious for Daniels unfairly dismissed follow-up, 2012’s The Paperboy, a pulpy period piece that has brilliant...
Previously berated by Armond White as helming the most racist film since The Birth of a Nation with his breakout 2009 hit, Precious, Lee Daniels’ shows his softer side with The Butler, a dizzying tunnel through several of America’s most tumultuous periods as seen through the eyes of a black butler working in the White House. White’s denouncement of Daniels is, in itself, indicative of the divisiveness inspired by unseemly or unwholesome portrayals of black characters in film, especially coming from a filmmaker like Daniels who has been operating outside of the cloying weight of a niche market. If the applause and accolades bestowed upon Precious were the result of (sub)conscious white guilt, the same guilt-ridden parties weren’t feeling quite as gracious for Daniels unfairly dismissed follow-up, 2012’s The Paperboy, a pulpy period piece that has brilliant...
- 8/10/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Lee Daniels’ The Butler is set against the tumultuous political backdrop of 20th century America. Academy Award® nominated director Lee Daniels’ (Precious) epic drama tells the story of fictional White House butler Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), who serves during seven presidential administrations between 1957 and 1986. The film is inspired by Wil Haygood’s 2008 Washington Post article “A Butler Well Served by This Election” which chronicled the real life of former White House butler Eugene Allen. The film begins in 1926 and follows a young Cecil as he escapes the tyranny of the fiercely segregated South in search of a better life.
Along his arduous journey to manhood Cecil learns invaluable skills that ultimately lead to an opportunity of a lifetime: a job as a butler at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. There, Cecil becomes a firsthand witness to history and the inner workings of the Oval Office as the civil rights movement unfolds. At home,...
Along his arduous journey to manhood Cecil learns invaluable skills that ultimately lead to an opportunity of a lifetime: a job as a butler at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. There, Cecil becomes a firsthand witness to history and the inner workings of the Oval Office as the civil rights movement unfolds. At home,...
- 8/8/2013
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Robin Williams as President Eisenhower with Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines in The Butler Lee Daniels' The Butler interposes previously unexplored glances at life in the White House to cast a private light on the winding evolution in the Civil Rights Movement and the pondering positions of the Presidents.
At New York's Waldorf Astoria press conference, Liev Schreiber, James Marsden and Minka Kelly offered some insight on their roles and those played by Robin Williams, John Cusack, Alan Rickman and Jane Fonda.
Liev Schreiber as President Johnson in The Butler Daniels' Presidents and First Ladies are never mere caricatures, instead, the actors' intense performances compress years of power into meaningful scenes, often while watching TV, chatting with the butler.
Cecil Gaines played by Forest Whitaker served presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan (1957-1986) and is based on Wil Haygood's Washington Post article “A Butler Well Served By This Election” about...
At New York's Waldorf Astoria press conference, Liev Schreiber, James Marsden and Minka Kelly offered some insight on their roles and those played by Robin Williams, John Cusack, Alan Rickman and Jane Fonda.
Liev Schreiber as President Johnson in The Butler Daniels' Presidents and First Ladies are never mere caricatures, instead, the actors' intense performances compress years of power into meaningful scenes, often while watching TV, chatting with the butler.
Cecil Gaines played by Forest Whitaker served presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan (1957-1986) and is based on Wil Haygood's Washington Post article “A Butler Well Served By This Election” about...
- 8/8/2013
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Robin Williams as President Eisenhower with Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines in The Butler Lee Daniels' The Butler interposes previously unexplored glances at life in the White House to cast a private light on the winding evolution in the Civil Rights Movement and the pondering positions of the Presidents.
At New York's Waldorf Astoria press conference, Liev Schreiber, James Marsden and Minka Kelly offered some insight on their roles and those played by Robin Williams, John Cusack, Alan Rickman and Jane Fonda.
Liev Schreiber as President Johnson in The Butler Daniels' Presidents and First Ladies are never mere caricatures, instead, the actors' intense performances compress years of power into meaningful scenes, often while watching TV, chatting with the butler.
Cecil Gaines played by Forest Whitaker served presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan (1957-1986) and is based on Wil Haygood's Washington Post article “A Butler Well Served By This Election” about...
At New York's Waldorf Astoria press conference, Liev Schreiber, James Marsden and Minka Kelly offered some insight on their roles and those played by Robin Williams, John Cusack, Alan Rickman and Jane Fonda.
Liev Schreiber as President Johnson in The Butler Daniels' Presidents and First Ladies are never mere caricatures, instead, the actors' intense performances compress years of power into meaningful scenes, often while watching TV, chatting with the butler.
Cecil Gaines played by Forest Whitaker served presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan (1957-1986) and is based on Wil Haygood's Washington Post article “A Butler Well Served By This Election” about...
- 8/8/2013
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Sneak Peek more new footage from director Lee Daniels' upcoming historical drama "The Butler", based on a true story.
The film stars Forrest Whitaker as 'Cecil Gaines', a butler who served at the White House from 1952 to 1986.
Cast also includes Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Mariah Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams:
"...'The Butler', based on the screenplay by Danny Strong, is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years.
"From this unique vantage point, the film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society...
"... from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.
The film stars Forrest Whitaker as 'Cecil Gaines', a butler who served at the White House from 1952 to 1986.
Cast also includes Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Mariah Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams:
"...'The Butler', based on the screenplay by Danny Strong, is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years.
"From this unique vantage point, the film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society...
"... from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.
- 8/3/2013
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Weinstein Co's The Butler starring Forest Whitaker adds new photos for Awards contender. There's certainly a lot coming in for the eagerly-anticipated upcoming drama directed by Lee Daniels, but image-wise, we've been limited to mostly posters. Now, check out some great new images from the film screenwritten by Danny Strong, based on Wil Haygood's Washington Post story "A Butler Well Served by This Election." This certainly is a sensational cast, with names like Oprah Winfrey, Maria Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, David Oyelowo, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams in the mix.
- 8/3/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Robin Williams and Forest Whitaker in Lee Daniels' The ButlerPhoto: The Weinstein Co. The Weinstein Co. just went crazy with promotion for Lee Daniels' The Butler and unleashed three clips, a new poster and 13 pictures from the upcoming film, all of which I have compiled in this one post over the course of two pages with all of the pictures on page two. Written by Emmy-award winner Danny Strong ("Game Change") and based on Wil Haygood's article, "A Butler Well Served by This Election", The Butler tells the story of Eugene Allen (Forest Whitaker), the White House butler whose career started with Harry Truman in 1952 and ended in 1986 with Ronald Reagan. The film is based on a Washington Post report by Wil Haygood and is currently shooting in New Orleans. Alongside Whitaker the film features an all-star cast that includes Oprah Winfrey as Gloria Gaines, David Oyelowo as Louis Gaines,...
- 8/2/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Two new posters are available for Lee Daniels' eagerly-anticipated The Butler which opens in theaters via Weinstein Co on August 16th, 2013. Screenwritten by Danny Strong, the film stars Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Maria Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, David Oyelowo, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams. Set against the tumultuous political backdrop of 20th century America, historical epic The Butler tells the story of White House butler Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), who serves during seven presidential administrations between 1957 and 1986. Inspired by Wil Haygood’s 2008 Washington Post article “A Butler Well Served by This Election” about the real life of former butler Eugene Allen, the film begins in 1924 with a young Cecil living in the fiercely segregated South and facing the tyranny of the region’s prejudices. After years spent working in a hotel,...
- 8/2/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Photo: Anne Marie Fox © 2013 The Weinstein Company. All Rights Reserved.
Simon & Schuster Audio, in association with The Weinstein Company, has announced the August 2013 publication of The Butler: A Witness to History. This audiobook companion to the major motion picture is read by the stars who play the family at the center of the film: the title character, his wife, and his son– Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey and David Oyelowo.
Commented director Lee Daniels: “The story The Butler tells is one not only of epic historical significance, but a universal one about the importance of family. To have it come to life on screen and with this audiobook, through the tremendous talents of Forest, Oprah, and David, is a dream come true.”
Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker narrates the story of Eugene Allen, a butler who served no less than seven presidents, from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan. Allen was...
Simon & Schuster Audio, in association with The Weinstein Company, has announced the August 2013 publication of The Butler: A Witness to History. This audiobook companion to the major motion picture is read by the stars who play the family at the center of the film: the title character, his wife, and his son– Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey and David Oyelowo.
Commented director Lee Daniels: “The story The Butler tells is one not only of epic historical significance, but a universal one about the importance of family. To have it come to life on screen and with this audiobook, through the tremendous talents of Forest, Oprah, and David, is a dream come true.”
Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker narrates the story of Eugene Allen, a butler who served no less than seven presidents, from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan. Allen was...
- 7/27/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Ah, compromise. Both sides agree and everyone's happy … right? Well, maybe.
In the latest — and hopefully final — update of "The Butler" title saga, Warner Bros. and The Weinstein Company have settled on an agreement that will make everyone (somewhat) happy.
For those of you who haven't been anxiously awaiting the outcome of this oh-so-exciting dispute, here is little catch-up of what's gone down so far:
Sometime in 2012, back when no one gave two s**ts about the movie's title, Lee Daniels ("Precious") directed a film he called "The Butler", which tells the true story of a White House butler who served eight presidents over the course of thirty years. It is based on Wil Haygood's 2008 Washington Post article, "A Butler Well Served by This Election."
In Sept. 2012, The Weinstein Company acquired the U.S. rights to distribute the film, which features a stellar ensemble cast including Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey,...
In the latest — and hopefully final — update of "The Butler" title saga, Warner Bros. and The Weinstein Company have settled on an agreement that will make everyone (somewhat) happy.
For those of you who haven't been anxiously awaiting the outcome of this oh-so-exciting dispute, here is little catch-up of what's gone down so far:
Sometime in 2012, back when no one gave two s**ts about the movie's title, Lee Daniels ("Precious") directed a film he called "The Butler", which tells the true story of a White House butler who served eight presidents over the course of thirty years. It is based on Wil Haygood's 2008 Washington Post article, "A Butler Well Served by This Election."
In Sept. 2012, The Weinstein Company acquired the U.S. rights to distribute the film, which features a stellar ensemble cast including Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey,...
- 7/22/2013
- by Jacqueline Lem
- NextMovie
The third film poster has arrived for Lee Daniels' The Butler, starring Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Maria Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, David Oyelowo, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams. With an impressive cast like this, and Weinstein Co distributing, awards should pile up pretty high for the drama which is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years. From this unique vantage point, The Butler traces the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.
- 7/7/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
I've got eleven new movie posters to share with you from a wide range of upcoming movies including a second poster for The Butler starring Forrest Whitaker, an international poster for Carrie (10/18) with Chloe Moretz, a Hungarian poster for Despicable Me 2 (7/3), Escape Plan (previously known as The Tomb) starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the first domestic poster for Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster and two new posters for Machete Kills, one featuring Michelle Rodriguez and the other being a second poster featuring Sofia Vergara. I've also got a Mexican poster for World War Z, the doemstic poster for The Heat (6/28) with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock, a new character poster for Only God Forgives (7/19) featuring Kristin Scott Thomas and then the cream of the crop, the poster for the direct-to-video title Killing Season starring John Travolta and Robert De Niro along with the trailer or the film.
- 6/7/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Sneak Peek footage from director Lee Daniels' upcoming historical drama "The Butler", based on a true story.
The film stars Forrest Whitaker as 'Cecil Gaines', a butler who served at the White House from 1952 to 1986.
Cast also includes Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Mariah Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams:
"...'The Butler', based on the screenplay by Danny Strong & Lee Daniels, is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years.
"From this unique vantage point, the film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.
The film stars Forrest Whitaker as 'Cecil Gaines', a butler who served at the White House from 1952 to 1986.
Cast also includes Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Mariah Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams:
"...'The Butler', based on the screenplay by Danny Strong & Lee Daniels, is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years.
"From this unique vantage point, the film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.
- 6/7/2013
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
The Butler distributed by Weinstein Co opens in theaters on and is directed by Lee Daniels (Precious) from the script by Danny Strong. Also in the cast of the highly-anticipated, and awards-contending film are Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz, James Marsden, David Oyelowo, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Liev Schreiber, Robin Williams and Clarence Williams III. The Butler is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years. From this unique vantage point, The Butler traces the dramatic changes that swept American society...
- 6/6/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
When you have a cast that includes names like Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr, Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz, James Marsden, David Oyelowo, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Liev Schreiber, and Robin Williams, you don't need much else to draw people's attention. It's no wonder then that these notable names stand out front and center of the new poster.courtesy of Moviefone--for Lee Daniel's ambitious, generation-spanning biopic The Butler, while its star (Whitaker) keeps his back to us as he regards the brewing activism outside the White House where he serves. Inspired by Wil Haygood's article about longtime White House butler Eugene Allen called "A Butler Well Served by This Election," The Butler gives a look at the evolution of modern American politics' from a unique perspective. Allen (renamed Cecil Gaines in the movie) served under seven different presidents, including Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon,...
- 6/5/2013
- cinemablend.com
Sneak Peek footage from director Lee Daniels' upcoming historical drama "The Butler", based on a true story, starring Forrest Whitaker as 'Cecil Gaines', a butler who served at the White House from 1952 to 1986.
Cast also includes Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Mariah Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams:
"...'The Butler', based on the screenplay by Danny Strong & Lee Daniels, is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years.
"From this unique vantage point, the film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family..."
Click the...
Cast also includes Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Mariah Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Liev Schreiber and Robin Williams:
"...'The Butler', based on the screenplay by Danny Strong & Lee Daniels, is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years.
"From this unique vantage point, the film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family..."
Click the...
- 6/5/2013
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
The trailer for Lee Daniels' The Butler didn't do a lot for me in terms of making me want to see it, but with the Weinsteins behind it, and August release date and an impressive ensemble cast it definitely has "Oscar potential" written all over it. The fact it's based on a true story and has a previous Oscar winner in Forest Whitaker in the lead role and at least four (there may be more, I stopped counting) Oscar winners -- Vanessa Redgrave, Jane Fonda, Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr. -- joining him is just icing on the cake. Today the first poster for the film has premiered (via Moviefone) and can be viewed below. I've included the trailer above for anyone that hasn't seen it, do you see this as a major Oscar contenderc What categoriesc The Butler, based on the screenplay by Danny Strong and Lee Daniels,...
- 6/4/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Weinstein Co's distributes this one which is adaptated by Danny Strong and helmer Lee Daniels based on the Washington Post story "A Butler Well Served by This Election" by Wil Haygood. The Butler, inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article, tells the story of a White House butler who served eight American presidents over three decades. The film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society during this time, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.
- 6/4/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
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