PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: PALEYFEST FALL PREVIEWS 2017: OWN: QUEEN SUGAR {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of seminars presented as part of The Paley Center for Media's 2017 Fall Preview PALEYFEST events in Los Angeles. This evening celebrates "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 introduces the second mid-season premiere, "Yet Do I Marvel," which is then screened in its entirety. (For synopsis and credits, see ACCNUM 130750.) After the screening, Dominic Patten (senior editor, Deadline) moderates the following panelists: executive producer/creator/director/writer Ava DuVernay; and cast members Timon Kyle Durrett (Davis West), Nicholas Ashe (Micah West), Bianca Lawson (Darla), Dondré Whitfield (Remy Newell), Omar J. Dorsey (Hollingsworth "Hollywood" Desonier), Tina Lifford (Violet Bordelon), 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 recent win of three Emmy Awards for her documentary "13th" (2016); her sense of writing the show as a collaborative effort with the actors, who now know their characters; exploring new sides to Charley and her relationship with her mother Lorna, portrayed by Sharon Lawrence (present in the audience); changes for Ralph and his complicated path to "happily ever after"; Darla's engagement to Ralph and her lack of closure with her troubled past; why the audience does not "trust" Darla, a recovering addict; Nova's "uncomfortable" dinner party scene and her uncertainty about her budding relationship with Dubois (Alimi Ballard); DuVernay's interest in avoiding "very special episodes" by routinely exploring social issues over entire seasons; the decision to acknowledge the show's specific place in time by including dialogue about real 2017 issues; why widower Remy is "caught off-guard" by his bond with Charley; his quiet strength and intention to "honor" all of the important people in his life; Violet's sense of denial about her cancer and desire to "put on the right face" for her family; Hollywood's "Papa-Bear mode" and Dorsey's appreciation for the lack of focus on the age difference in his romance with Violet; Micah's increased sense of action in his own personal journey; Durrett's views on Davis' maturation and growing awareness of his past misdeeds; the memorable scene in which Micah confides in his father about his traumatic experience with the police; and how Durrett's real-life role as a father informs his performance.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics, among others: reactions to the scene in which six-year-old Blue (Ethan Hutchison) plays with a Barbie doll; DuVernay's interest in "interrogating black masculinity" and depicting layered characters who subvert stereotypes; telling women's stories without "emasculating" male characters; Gardner's love for her "challenging and conflicted" character; and her personal closeness to Charley's "fractured" identity as a biracial woman.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 1999 1:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:32:32
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 130736
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Rene Reyes … Host
- Dominic Patten … Moderator
- Timon Kyle Durrett … Panelist
- Nicholas Ashe … Panelist
- Bianca Lawson … Panelist
- Dondré Whitfield … Panelist
- Omar J. Dorsey … Panelist
- Tina Lifford … Panelist
- Kofi Siriboe … Panelist
- Dawn-Lyen Gardner … Panelist
- Rutina Wesley … Panelist
- Ava DuVernay … Panelist
- Sharon Lawrence … Guest
- Alimi Ballard
- Ethan Hutchison