JENNIFER HUDSON & DAKOTA FANNING - WITH GREAT
POWER
COMES GREAT
RESPONSIBILTY
Words by DeWayne Rogers
Images by Dave Ellis for Steed Media Service
The pace of the entertainment world can be maddening when you’re on top. Take this
picture — sign this autograph — do this interview — and smile and be gracious the entire
time. As the orders continue to rain down from a trusted set of “handlers,” it becomes
increasingly difficult to feel any sense of control over one’s career. Initially, the time spent
with Jennifer Hudson for this interview seemed to unequivocally endorse this assertion
regarding the inner workings of the entertainment industry.
“What are we about to talk about today, the movie or my album?” the Oscar-winner
inquires while searching for a comfortable position in her seat. “I hope you don’t think I’m
crazy for asking that, but sometimes it’s hard to keep track of what I’m doing. They have
me all over the place, so the interviews start to blend together.”
“We’re here to talk about your role in The Secret Life of Bees,” I replied. “But I’m sure
we’ll talk about everything before we finish.”
“Oh good,” she said with a sigh. “The promotion for this movie has actually been a
breath of fresh air for me. For the past few weeks, all I’ve been doing is promoting my
album, so switching gears is just what I need. I’m ready to get started whenever you
are.”
1964 – TIBURON, S.C. The nation, much like today, was filled with social and racial
strife. Yet there was still one place that remained impervious to the strident voices of
racism in the segregated South. That place was the Boatwright estate. On those grounds
an African American woman by the name of August Boatwright insulated herself from
a hateful world by using her home as a safe haven to spread the principles of strong
spirituality, entrepreneurialism and solid family values to all who sought as much.
**The previous description was inspired by the brilliant work of New York Times best bestselling
author Sue Monk Kidd, and serves as the backdrop
for the upcoming Fox Searchlight release The Secret Life
of Bees. The film, though fictional, provides a useful segue
into a deeper discussion of America’s perception of black
women.
TWO KINDS OF
BLACK WOMEN “Barack Obama will never win the presidency as long as
he has a black wife.” –Chris Rock on his HBO special, “Kill
the Messenger.”
I’m 200 percent certain that Rock’s revelation during his
latest HBO special was spoken in jest. But his words do
open the door to a more complex debate. So what exactly
is America’s perception of the
black woman? If you listen to
Rock’s diatribe, then a black
woman is a bossy know-it-all
who doesn’t know how to keep
her mouth shut.
Whether you agree or
disagree with Rock’s assertion,
the view of black women isn’t
so cut and dry in The Secret
Life of Bees film. Two starkly
different personality types are
prominently on display. On the
one hand, there is Hudson’s
character Rosaleen Daise, a
subservient, angry, and largely
uneducated black woman.
But the imagery evoked by
Rosaleen is in direct contrast
to the stronger images of black
womanhood presented by the
Boatwright sisters, played by
Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and
Sophie Okenedo. The sisters
are empowered, educated,
cultured entrepreneurs — in
other words, the polar opposite
of black women commonly
highlighted during that time
period.
When probed, Hudson
shared that the latter example
deserved a more prominent
place in the greater discussion on black women. “I think
it was important to see the examples of black women that
were played by Queen, Alicia and Sophie,” Hudson replies
when asked to compare the two character types. “You see
too much of the angry black woman on TV. Even back
then, there were educated black businesswomen that were
very successful. They were driven, educated, cultured …
nothing like my character. It’s a shame that even today, we
still don’t have as many positive examples of black women
for people to see.”
THE CHOSEN FEW
Forty minutes later, with a blanket wrapped around her
waist in an effort to battle the chill of the hotel suite, Hudson
took another sip of her hot tea, and cast a contemplative
gaze out of her 19th story window. According to Hudson,
each day brings a greater sense of that calling.
“People are always coming up to me, and telling me that
I inspire them and make them feel good about themselves,”
she shares, seemingly mystified by such an occurrence.
“But I enjoy listening to their stories, because it helps me
to learn things about myself. Women tell me that they love
my confidence, but then I look at myself and wonder, ‘I
have confidence? Really?’ So having them see it in me,
allows me to see it even more within myself. So they help
me just as much as I seem to help them.”
Those warm feelings aside, Hudson also understands
that her calling extends far beyond a mutual exchange of
pleasantries with an adoring fan base. It’s much deeper,
and her responsibility in turn, is much greater. “I realized
a long time ago that it’s not about the fortune or the fame,”
she shares. “But if I’m able to make a difference, or help
someone increase their faith, then to me that’s what it’s
all about. It’s not many of us that are chosen to be in this
position.”
A closer look at the talent assembled for The Secret
Life of Bees speaks to a group long familiar with the
responsibilities that come along with being a part of the
“chosen few.” There’s Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Dakota
Fanning — wait — Dakota Fanning? Isn’t she barely
pubescent? Surely she can’t understand the power and
influence that she and her cast mates wield as industry
titans. But that’s not the way Hudson sees it.
“She is such a grown woman,” Hudson states in a tone
filled with both disbelief and admiration. “I swear she’s
been here before, because she totally gets it. You always
hear these stories about kids getting crazy and losing
their minds once they get famous. But not Dakota. I don’t
think you’ll ever have to worry about her having any of the
problems that you see other people have. She has a great
family, and a good sense of who she is as a person. I’m
almost jealous, because
I wish I [had been] that
mature when I was her
age.”
To her credit, Fanning
deflected Hudson’s
praise, instead using the
opportunity to laud the
efforts of her cast mates
on this monumental
undertaking. “I feel very
fortunate to be a part of this
film,” she expresses with a
glowing smile. “The story
is so beautiful, and I even
cried a couple of times
when I watched it for the
first time.”
When pressed for her
own personal encounters
on the other side of racism,
Fanning was quick to point
out, “I’ve never personally
witnessed racism, but I
know that it’s real, and I
hate that some people
still think that way. But
thankfully, I have never
had anyone in my life that
has ever expressed that
kind of hate, and I hope
that I never will.”
LET’S TALK ABOUT
RACISM IN AMERICA
The discussion of race in America was certainly highlighted, but was far
from the central theme in The Secret Life of Bees. By allowing race relations
to serve as a sub-plot instead of the crux of the film, perhaps the message of
racial injustice became more palatable for all races to accept. That hasn’t
always been the case though, filmmakers have traditionally discussed
race in a more pointed manner. Below are some of the more prominent
examples.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin –1987 Avery Brooks, Phylicia Rashad
Glory – 1989 Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman
Rosewood – 1997 Ving Rhames
The Long Walk Home – 1990 Whoopi Goldberg
Ernest Green Story – 1993 Morris Chestnut
Mississippi Burning – 1989 Gene Hackman
HISTORY WITHIN
HER SIGHTS
With the release of her self-titled debut album, Jennifer Hudson stands
on the verge of completing the final leg of a historical run. Having
already won an Academy Award for her work in Dreamgirls, Hudson
stands to join the illustrious ranks of accomplished entertainers who
have won both a Grammy and an Oscar.
THE DUAL WINNERS: FRANK SINATRA •
RITA MORENO • RICHARD ROGERS • MIKE
NICHOLS • BARBARA STREISAND • MARVIN
HAMLISCH • HELEN HAYES • JOHN GIELGUD
• CHER • JONATHAN TUNICK • WHOOPI
GOLDBERG (the only African American to
win both awards) • ROBIN WILLIAMS • MEL
BROOKS
My apology..., IMDB didn't show a grammy for Whoopi but I found a wikipedia listing where Whoopi Goldberg did win a Grammy in 1985. But she is not hte only African American to win both awards; Isaac Hayes still should have been listed as an Oscar and... read more»
Charles Henry Atkinson Metro Atlanta, Georgia
Posted at 5:31pm on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
After reading this article I went online and did the researchto verify if Whoopi Goldberg won both an Oscar and a Grammy; she did not and the article is WRONG! She won an Oscar and an Emmy; she won an Oscar and a Golden Globe. But she didn't win the ... read more»
Charles Henry Atkinson Metro Atlanta, Georgia
Posted at 4:06pm on Monday, October 27th, 2008
Your Oct. 9th JENNIFER HUDSON & DAKOTA FANNING article states that Whoopi Goldberg is the only African American to win both an Oscar and a Grammy, but I remember Isaac Hayes won both for "Shaft" in 1972, way before Whoopi even made the scene in Holly... read more»
Lawanda McGowan Greenville,Mississippi
Posted at 10:10am on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008
Mane,that article was excelent I like the article.
Charles H. Atkinson Atlata, Georgia
Posted at 10:42am on Monday, October 13th, 2008
JENNIFER HUDSON & DAKOTA FANNING article states that Whoopi Goldberg is the only African American to win both an Oscar and a Grammy, but I remember Isaac Hayes get tboth for "Shaft" in 1972, way before Whoopi even made the scene in Hollywood.
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Posted at 10:10am on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008