We were on hand at the NYC premiere of HBO’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
We caught with the movie’s stars Oprah Winfrey, George C. Wolfe and Renée Elise Goldsberry on the red carpet. Check out our interviews after the jump.
Oprah Winfrey: I do the work. I release the work into the world. And however it lands with you, whatever part, whatever character, whatever scene, whatever moment, if it’s family, if it’s the cells, if it makes you think more about your own family legacy, whatever it does. I’m just creating the story and hope it lands someplace that it leads a heart print.
What about Deborah do you admire most?
Oprah Winfrey: Hmm … what do I admire most about Deborah? Well, that she never gave up. Really! That she never gave up. She never gave up.
Everyone talks about what an amazing actress you are, and since the beginning you’ve always played characters with such a struggle.
Oprah Winfrey: There’s no story without a struggle. And, you know, I honor my own struggle. I honor my own difficulties. I honor my own challenges because I recognize that there is not one thing that has ever happened to anybody that cannot be useful in the future. Because everything that’s happening to you is happening to you as well as for you. So I tell stories with women who have been through turmoil, who’ve had difficulties and challenges, and end up victors in their own heart, in their own way, if not even for the face of the world, but for themselves. You know, if you look at Deborah’s story, people say, “Oh, she died before she got to see what happened.” I know. I certainly do believe in my heart that she died with a sense of peace that the work that she’d come to do, to tell her mother’s story, to get that story done, had been completed. And then she left the planet.
Is there an “aha-moment” that you hope people get from this?
Oprah Winfrey: You know, I learned long ago after doing “Beloved” – and that was not considered successful at the box office – I learned to stop doing things and having an attachment to the outcome. I do the work. I do the work.
Boy, do you!
Oprah Winfrey: I do the work. And then you release the work, and however you see-
Everybody said you were just the perfect ensemble actress. That you came in and were not only the Executive Producer. You were just one of the team, and you were just phenomenal.
Oprah Winfrey: Well, I think, you know, it would be crazy for me- I mean, first of all, even in my own life, in my own kitchen, where I have people to help me and serve me and wait on me and all that stuff, I still am as humble and as kind as I know how to be. So it would be crazy for me to be on a set acting like anything other than myself.
You must be pitched so many projects. Tell me, what made you choose to sign on to this one?
George C. Wolfe: Well, because one, it’s kind of dumb to use the word “important.” Everybody says everything’s important. But this is the story of a woman who died when she was 31 and her cells have transformed modern medicine. I mean, you start there. Then you move on to her daughter who is ferociously determined to know her story, who does not have one memory of her mother. So it has this incredible emotional angle to it. Then you have just the fact that for 20 years, while this woman’s cells were saving people’s lives, her family knew nothing. So those elements combined make it so, you know, it’s like, do it now! You know what I mean? Don’t sleep. Don’t eat. Do it now!
How did you and Oprah join forces? How did that happen?
George C. Wolfe: Oprah and I have been talking about doing a show on Broadway together. For whatever reason, that didn’t happen. She was attached to this, as a producer, then spoke to me and said, “She might be in it.” Then I talked to her about what I thought it was about. Then she talked to me. And then we ended up working together. It was wonderful.
So you had a power meeting and made it happen?
George C. Wolfe: We had a meeting. I don’t know if it was a “power” meeting! It was a fun conversation just about the material and the story and why it needed to be told.
What about that Broadway play? What’s next?
George C. Wolfe: You need to talk to her! I think we should, exactly. I’m going to do Oprah Winfrey’s story. She’s going to direct me in that. How about that? How about that?
That I would pay a chance to see!
George C. Wolfe: Exactly. Exactly.
So what would be your message to viewers? What do you want viewers to walk away from this film thinking? Or is there an action item to it?
George C. Wolfe: I think you need to be- at the end of the film, there’s a statement that says, “They can use your cells, as long as they keep you anonymous.” To this day. So that’s one thing. Be aware. Everything’s about awareness. And also to know it is very important, be like Deborah. Don’t give up until you know your story. Know your story as deeply and as fully as you possibly can. Because it empowers you.
And the last thing. Oprah did a phenomenal job as Deborah. How would you rate her as an actress?
George C. Wolfe: She’s an extraordinary actress and she needs to do more, and more, and more, and more.
With you!
George C. Wolfe: With me and with everybody. I think she’s brilliant. I think she’s astonishingly brilliant.
Love it. Thank you so much.
Talk about this amazing project and how you got involved.
Renée Elise Goldsberry: I got involved … I don’t know how I got involved. I got an email one day from George C. Wolfe that says, “You need to play Henrietta Lacks in my film, and have you read the book? Astonishing.” And I was like, “Oh my God! George C. Wolfe wants to work with me? Yes.” And, “No, I haven’t read the book. I’m going to read it right now.” Oh, I’ve read it! I’ve read it since then! Oh my goodness! I’ve read it several times. But this was my discovery of this woman and I’m grateful that I know who she is now.