Thursday, March 28, 2024

Oprah Winfrey ‘Intimidated’ Playing Henrietta Lacks’ Daughter

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*Oprah Winfrey attended the New York premiere of the HBO documentary, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” this past Tuesday (04-18-17).

She serves as an executive producer on the project, which tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, whose unique cancer cells were used in research that led to many medical breakthroughs.

Oprah, who plays Lacks’ daughter, Deborah, said the role left her feeling “intimidated.”

“This story is about a daughter’s yearning,” said Oprah, 63. “Her longing to know who she is and to find her own identity through the identity of her mother. If she can figure out who her mother is, she will know who she is. She can find herself through that.”

“It’s rare that I feel intimidated, but I felt intimidated,” she added.

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In an interview with the LA Times, the media mogul said performing fulfills her in a way that’s different from interviewing celebrities.

“It’s really stimulating to probe the depths of yourself, searching for emotions that otherwise would go untouched or unexplored, particularly for me,” says Winfrey.

“I have to go really, really, really deep to pull up rage and anger. Really. Really. Really deep,” she says. “I don’t live in that space.”

The HBO pic is based on a novel of the same name by Rebecca Skloot. She recalls back in 2000 riding in a car with Deborah Lacks, who had a prophetic vision:

“‘This book is going to come out and it’s going to be a bestseller. There’s going to be a movie. Oprah is going to star in it,'” Skloot recalls Lacks saying during that drive. “And I was there going, ‘Deborah, Deborah, whoa, whoa, that’s crazy. Let’s be realistic here.'”

Nearly two decades later, Lacks’ prediction has been realized.

“The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks” will premiere tonight, Saturday, April 22nd at 8pm EST on HBO.

Watch the trailer below:

 

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