A few weeks ago, I had a wonderful opportunity to go see the Oscar-nominated movie Selma. I highly recommend this movie and would give it a 5 out of 5. Following the movie, there was a Q&A session with director Ava DuVernay, David Oyelowo (who plays MLK Jr. in the movie), Spencer Averick (the editor), and Oprah. The movie was very well done and extremely moving, but the most special part was listening to them talk about how they all came to be involved in the project. I wish I would have recorded the Q&A, because I normally do when I go to these types of events. However, I was in the front row even to where Spencer was sitting and was so close that it felt odd holding up my phone to record.
Oprah talked about being hesitant to act in the film and had originally only intended to be a part of it behind the scenes. She changed her mind when she thought about Annie Lee Cooper, the woman who she would be playing. Annie Lee worked hard to have the right to vote, and Oprah found out that she was a huge fan of the Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah decided to do the movie as a thank-you to Annie Lee and the others who did so much during the civil-rights movement. Oprah and David had previously worked together on The Butler, and they talked about David showing Oprah a film that he had previously done with Ava DuVernay and how that all led to the three of them working together on Selma.
My main reason for going to the event was to try to meet Oprah because I have been a fan of hers for a long time. Getting to be around Ava and David as well was an incredible blessing. I had not realized before that evening that David plays Oprah’s son in The Butler and that I had seen his work before. David did such an incredible job as MLK Jr. that when he started talking, I was shocked to hear his British accent. He is really a wonderful actor and a joy to listen to. I hope that David continues to be involved in great movies and that you would check out some of his work. I was blessed by getting some pictures and was very close to getting a picture with Oprah, who was very gracious and patient about meeting fans after the Q&A ended. The event took place at the Landmark Theatre in Los Angeles, and one thing that I really loved about the event being hosted at this theatre is that when you go online to purchase your tickets, you can pick your seat. Most of the time when I go to events like this, it requires me to get to the venue a few hours before it starts in order to try to get as close to the front as possible.
I picked a seat in the center of the front row because I knew that after the movie they would bring Oprah and the others before the front row. I figured that the front row would be my best chance of getting a picture with Oprah. After the Q&A finished, the audience was asked to remain seated so that they could get the panel out of the room. I stayed seated, but several others rushed to Oprah, who signed autographs and took pictures with about forty to fifty fans. In that case, because I listened and stayed in my seat, I wasn’t able to push my way through the crowd to meet her. Do I wish I would have gotten a picture with Oprah? Of course! But just being there and hearing all that they had to say about the movie was special enough.
Oprah, David Oyelowo, Ava DuVernay
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