PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: PALEYFEST 2018: QUEEN SUGAR {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media's 35th William S. Paley Television Festival in Los Angeles. Held this year at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, the festival celebrates the excellence and diversity of American television and is dedicated to television's creative community. This PALEYFEST 2018 seminar honors "Queen Sugar," the drama series based on the novel by Natalie Baszile, which explores the lives of the Bordelon family of Louisiana.
Host Rene Reyes (executive in charge of production, The Paley Center for Media) offers opening remarks, and welcomes Nischelle Turner (correspondent, Entertainment Tonight) to the stage. She introduces a clip reel of scenes from the show's second season.
Next, Turner moderates the following panelists: executive producer/creator Ava DuVernay; executive producer Kat Candler; and cast members Dondre Whitfield (Remy Newell), Bianca Lawson (Darla), Kofi Siriboe (Ralph Angel Bordelon), Dawn-Lyen Gardner (Charlotte "Charley" Bordelon West), and Rutina Wesley (Nova Bordelon).
The panelists touch on such topics as: DuVernay's having long insisted on the necessity of "inclusion riders" on her projects; why only women have directed episodes of "Queen Sugar"; DuVernay's decision to write the second season finale; how the show is asking viewers to question the meaning of "family"; Siriboe and Lawson's reactions to a shocking revelation involving their characters; DuVernay's habit of plotting twists and turns long before they appear in a script; Whitfield's choice to make his character into a tribute to his mother and grandmother; why fans have a love/hate relationship with the character of Charley; Wesley's efforts to make a controversial scene more realistic; Candler's transition from director to producer to showrunner; themes that will be developed in season three; why the show appeals to more than black viewers; the continuing growth of options for viewers seeking to have all colors and creeds represented on television; how playing Nova has made Wesley "more comfortable" expressing herself; and if Sirboe's intense scenes with young Ethan Hutchison (Blue Bordelon) has increased his desire to be a father.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics, among others: how minorities can get past a "closed door" in the entertainment industry; Wesley's feelings on similarities between Nova and Tara Thornton, her popular character on "True Blood"; Gardner's unique method to show that Charley is "a trailblazer"; how Lawson has now come full-circle from appearing in the 2001 film "Save the Last Dance"; DuVernay's desire not to explain the ongoing pleasure a young boy takes in playing with a doll; and fans' vocal reactions to a potential romance between the characters of Nova and Remy.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 1999 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:27:18
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 132097
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Rene Reyes … Host
- Nischelle Turner … Moderator
- Ava DuVernay … Panelist
- Kat Candler … Panelist
- Rutina Wesley … Panelist
- Dawn-Lyen Gardner … Panelist
- Bianca Lawson … Panelist
- Kofi Siriboe … Panelist
- Dondre Whitfield … Panelist
- Natalie Baszile
- Ethan Hutchison