behind the lens
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photo by steed media service
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denzel washington travels to marshall, texas
to premiere the great debaters
The 24,000 residents of Marshall, Texas are only accustomed to seeing movie stars via TV, movie or computer screens. But two weeks before Christmas, the small town played host to Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and the cast of The Great Debaters, a film produced by Oprah Winfrey and directed by Washington.
Washington and his co-stars Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett and Denzel Whitaker expressed their gratitude to the students and staff members of Marshall’s Wiley College. The school serves as a backdrop for the film, which is based on Wiley professor Melvin B. Tolson who led the accomplished debate team in the 1930s.
Washington spoke at Wiley College and walked the red carpet before introducing the Golden Globe-nominated film at the Marshall Cinema. “My father was raised in the South and my mom was born in Georgia,” Washington said. “So visiting Marshall, Texas was like coming back home. This place reminds me of what real hometown folks are like. My only problem was that I ate too much. I’m just glad to be here and I’m proud to say that I’m a part of this important story.”
– amir shaw
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