Lee Daniels and Oprah Winfrey
"Oprah felt her part needed more development," says Daniels (with Winfrey), "[such as] to make her an alcoholic and have an affair." Otherwise, says Winfrey, "She was gonna be the black June Cleaver."
"Oprah felt her part needed more development," says Daniels (with Winfrey), "[such as] to make her an alcoholic and have an affair." Otherwise, says Winfrey, "She was gonna be the black June Cleaver."
As Reagan, Rickman (with Whitaker) joined such actors as Robin Williams, John Cusack and James Marsden as the former presidents.
Daniels leavened the story’s more serious elements with his trademark humor. “Lee would bust out laughing in the middle of a scene or weep uncontrollably,” says Whitaker (third from left, with Daniels, Winfrey and other crewmembers on set).
David Oyelowo plays the title character’s son who, resentful of his father’s job, goes from Freedom Rider to Black Panther.
Mariah Carey — in a particularly unglamorous role as a plantation worker — was but one of the high-wattage African-American actors who signed on to The Butler, joining Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz and Cuba Gooding Jr.
Jane Fonda, as Nancy Reagan, receives pointers from a pajama-wearing Daniels.