Lee Daniels’ The Butler tells the historical true story of White House butler Eugene Allen’s account of what he witnessed over three decades during eight presidential terms. As changes are being made in society such as the civil rights movement, those changes are also being viewed as how they are directly affecting the lives of Allen and his family. Forest Whitaker plays the lead role of Cecil Gaines, the character based on Allen and Oprah Winfrey plays his wife, Gloria.
The film also looks into the relationship between Gaines’ and his son Louis played by David Oyelowo who was deeply involved in the civil right movement.
With a supporting cast of well-known, award winning actors and actresses like Robin Williams, John Cusack, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Jane Fonda along with Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey just to name a few, Oscar buzz is sure to follow.
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Whitaker took on the fact that not many know the history of the story being portrayed in this film.
“Sometimes people are afraid to look at the face of what’s going on.” He states. “So to put them in front of people paints the point that not only did that happen then, they’re concurrently happening, so we don’t want to look at a film that’s too present.”
On the upcoming episode of Oprah’s Next Chapter airing this Sunday August 11th at 9 PM, Forest Whitaker and David Oyelowo as well as the film’s director Lee Daniels will talk about the trials and tribulations of attempting to bring such an important story to life as well as this being Winfrey’s most recent role in over a decade after playing Sethe in Beloved.
Lee Daniels’ The Butler will be released to theaters nationwide August 16th.
