OPRAH'S NEXT CHAPTER: BLACK WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD (TV)

Summary

One in this interview series, also known as "Oprah Prime," hosted by Oprah Winfrey. This episode focuses on the experiences of black actresses in Hollywood over the decades and features guests Viola Davis, Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad and Gabrielle Union. Woodard briefly talks about her annual "Cinema Sistahs Soirée," to which she invites the actresses of color nominated (or snubbed) for their recent work, and Union discusses her remarkably candid speech at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards in which she acknowledged working to reform her competitive "mean girl" ways. The women agree that there is often a sense of rivalry between them, as there are noticeably few roles for actors of color and even fewer of strong quality. Union, who has openly discussed surviving a rape at age nineteen and later went on to a successful modeling and acting career, states that her trainer and life coach A.J. Johnson called her out for denigrating another actress, pointing out that she "gained nothing" from being unkind. The guests then discuss colorism and how many Hollywood roles are given only to "cute," meaning light-skinned, actresses, and Rashad dismisses the debate as "a waste of time and life." They discuss the groundbreaking "Cosby Show," noting that it was unfairly accused of being unrealistic because of its portrayal of a married doctor/lawyer black couple, and agree that the black middle class is rarely represented in mainstream media.

Davis, who has won two Tony Awards and received two Oscar nominations, discusses her role in "The Help" (2011) and facing criticism for portraying a maid in the Civil Rights-era South, which many felt was stereotypical. She states that "art is about what's ugly" and that the character had validity as well as flaws, and Union points out that Hollywood is interested primarily in projects that will make money. Union notes that she auditioned for the lead role in "Scandal," which eventually went to Kerry Washington, and they debate whether losing out on a role is encouraging about future opportunities or simply disappointing. Davis states that her success in "The Help" allowed her to create her own production company, JuVee Productions, which she intends to use to support other actors of color. Davis was the second black woman, after Rashad, to win the Tony Award for Best Actress for "Fences" in 2010, and she states that she is proud of that performance as well as her role in "Doubt" (2008), though admits that her quiet character Aibileen in "The Help" was somewhat "lost" in the script and was not given the chance to show her interior voice.

Union states that she was disappointed when more opportunities for black actresses did not immediately appear after Halle Berry's Oscar win for "Monster's Ball" (2001), and they agree that it is easy to start questioning oneself and one's appearance after many rejections, noting that there are far more actors than there are good roles. Davis notes that she has not been offered many "sexy" roles because of her age and skin tone, but the women agree that their interest in telling stories is stronger than their fear of rejection and that the cinema world is progressing, albeit slowly, concluding that they must be persistent and support one another to achieve true success. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: OWN
• DATE: 9:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:42:38
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: 122003
• GENRE: Education/Information
• SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - News/Talk; Education/Information; Black entertainers
• SERIES RUN: OWN - TV series, 2011-
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Tara Montgomery … Executive Producer
• Andrea Wishom … Executive Producer
• Jenna Kostelnik … Co-Executive Producer
• Eric Peltier … Co-Executive Producer
• Brian Piotrowicz … Co-Executive Producer
• Veronica Votypka … Co-Executive Producer
• Jason Bellue … Producer
• A. Chris Gajilan … Producer
• Erinn McNeill … Producer
• Brad Opperman … Producer
• Elianna Bodner … Co-Producer
• Amanda Cash … Co-Producer
• Lindsey Meglio … Co-Producer
• Stacey Rossman … Co-Producer
• Collin Del Cuore … Associate Producer
• Julia Dilday … Associate Producer
• Andrea Dres … Associate Producer
• Corinne Gilliard … Associate Producer
• Lisa Richards … Line Producer
• John Strolia … Supervising Technical Producer
• Harpo Sounds … Music by
• Oprah Winfrey … Host
• Viola Davis … Interviewee
• Gabrielle Union … Interviewee
• Alfre Woodard … Interviewee
• Phylicia Rashad … Interviewee
• Halle Berry
• A.J. Johnson
• Kerry Washington