Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Film Strip: Lee Daniels and Benjamin Bratt Talk ‘Star’ [EUR Exclusive!]

'Star' cast

*I caught up with Lee Daniels and Benjamin Bratt at the after party for a special screening of Fox TV’s series ‘Star,’ at the Crosby Hotel in New York. Daniels, the creator of “Empire,” new show airs Wednesday, December 14, also focuses on the music industry.

“Star” features original music and stars Jude Demorest (Star), Brittany O’Grady (Simone), Ryan Destiny (Alexndria) as three singers desperate for a new start and success. Queen Latifah is Bessie, a surrogate mother, Benjamin Bratt is the talent agent Jahil and Lenny Kravitz as Alexandria’s father.

The Film Strip asked Daniels what has been the key to his success and ability to continuously crank out successful projects? “My belief in God, a higher power, and my belief in myself.” As they say, “Enough said.” With God on your side, who can be against you?

READ RELATED STORY: LEE DANIELS HAD TO ‘SHIFT COURSE’ ON NEW SERIES ‘STAR’ AFTER TRUMP ELECTION

lee daniels - benjamin bratt
Lee Daniels and Benjamin Bratt at Crosby Hotel. (MMoore Photo)

With a number of films under his belt—the latest being “Doctor Strange”—Bratt told me what brought him back to TV is Daniels. “It’s the inherent challenge of working with Lee Daniels. If you look at his body of work, you see Lee has no problem pushing actors to their absolute limits,” Bratt explained.

“Lee’s done it in almost everything’s he’s done,” Bratt continued. “I worked with him before when he was a producer on a film called the ‘Woodsman,’ and so while he terrifies you, he invites you to come and play. There’s also an excitement in the challenge he presents and that’s why any actor would want to work with him.

“I’m playing a younger version of Lee,” Bratt went on to say. “That was the other thing he shared with me that Jahil Rivera on some levels is based on who he was as a young man when he first came to Hollywood. He was a talent manager for actors and he didn’t have his sh!t together. And because he didn’t, he derailed himself and now he gets to live that out through this characterization.”

“Star” debuts Wednesday (12-14-16) at 9/8c on Fox!

Syndicated Entertainment journalist Marie Moore reports on film and TV from her New York City base. Contact her at [email protected]

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