Lee Daniels: The Butler

Everything changed for filmmaker Lee Daniels when Precious was released in 2009 to critical acclaim. He became only the second black man nominated for an Oscar for Best Director, and suddenly the opportunities to make films were flush. His next film, The Paperboy, was a flop with critics and at the box office, but Daniels used that disappointment as fuel to keep telling the stories he was passionate about, no matter what anyone said. For his latest film, Lee Daniel's 'The Butler,' he collaborated with everyone from Denzel Washington, who helped him craft that harrowing first scene of the film, to Oprah Winfrey, who takes a stunning turn in the film as the protagonists feisty wife, Gloria Ganes. He talks about why the world needs more films that address racism and slavery, plus, he talks about his twins, Clara and Liam, who he adopted from his brother when they were three days old, and why they're his most valuable critics.

Banner image courtesy of the Weinstein Company