Lee Daniels claimed in an interview with TheFilmStage that curiosity was the main driving force for his choice to co-create “Empire” with actor Danny Strong.
In the thought-provoking conversation, Daniels discussed his most recent horror film on Netflix, “The Deliverance,” calling his time on “Empire” the “worst experience” of his career.
The director expressed his distaste for “staying in the same lane just as a creative” in a recent interview.
He recalls being curious about having to “be able to answer to suits” during his time working on Empire, saying he “wanted to know what that experience was like.”
He said, “All my friends, they get notes and shit.” “And I’m thinking, ‘What the heck is that?'”
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Do you understand what I mean? Since each of my films had been an independent production.
All my shit is independent. You know, my first movie was developed with drug money. Monster’s Ball. We won the first Black woman an Oscar.
Every one of my films has been independently financed, where I’m able to… do my thing and nobody is in my head.”
He continued, “There’re so many filmmakers and writers that I respect that have to answer to people.
So I only did Empire just so I could see what that experience was like.”
When asked what the experience was actually like, he admitted, “Horrible! Absolutely the worst experience.”
Daniels did see a benefit to creating the series, though: “Fuck that money, money, money!” “I managed to send my children to college and do other things.
Thus, that was worthwhile in and of itself.
He said, “I didn’t understand what we were doing when I made Empire,” he further stated. Actually, I didn’t.
I was trying to get over the fact that I was actually changing the culture, but I was too preoccupied with Cookie’s hat and the music hat.
But he did admit that “there wouldn’t have been an Insecure, Black Panther, or Black-ish, if not Empire.
I did what I did, and all of that crap happened. I dared to say that I didn’t give a damn about the notes they were giving me.
I’m going to fucking do what I want to do because I don’t need you,” said Daniels.
Empire, which ran on Fox from 2015 to 2020 and starred Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Jussie Smollett, and Bryshere Y. Gray, was a huge smash. Right now.
Even though Daniels didn’t have the best time making Empire, the TV show went on to become one of the highest-rated Fox programs and garnered` eight Emmy Nominations.
Photo Credit @leedaniels
