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Actress/Screenwriter/Director

Kasi (pronounced KAY'-see) Lemmons is one of the best directors you've never heard of. She wrote and directed the critically acclaimed Eve's Bayou as well as Caveman's Valentine. Her latest project, Talk To Me, is a biopic on the late Ralph "Petey" Greene, a controversial yet beloved D.C. radio personality. Recently, Lemmons shared with rolling out the backstory of bringing Talk To Me to the big screen. "The script had come to me and I thought it was an interesting story," she says. "Petey was such a dynamic and spontaneous voice. In many ways it was a very relevant film for today's audience. Lemmons had her work cut out for her in terms of researching the story. "I didn't have that much access to their material," she concedes. "I had two of Petey Green's Washington shows, I had a comedy tape and I had articles. More importantly though, I had the real Dewey Hughes [Greene's best friend and mentor] as a resource." Lemmons also addressed how the cast members were able to create and maintain the wonderful synergy that flows through the entire movie. "It helps if you cast well," she says with a chuckle. "The first trick is getting really great actors. If they trust you as a director, you've really done a whole lot of the work. The script was tight, the writing was good and we knew what we were doing. I was incredibly proud of Eve's Bayou, but this film was the most fun I've ever had in my career. It was such a wonderful experience that it's gonna be hard for me to top." - g. mcclaren forde

To view Kasi Lemmons' interview and read the studio in its entirety, log onto www.rollingout.com/video/klemmons.


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