As a gamer with a knack for binge-watching TV shows, I can’t help but empathize with Lee Daniels‘ rollercoaster journey through the world of Empire. The man behind Precious and The Butler has certainly had an eventful career, and his experiences on this hit music drama seem to be no exception.
Lee Daniels found tremendous success with his popular TV series, Empire, set in the music industry, which premiered on Fox in 2015. Despite its eventual success, working on the show seemed challenging for Daniels, the co-creator, who described the experience as “awful.” In recent weeks, his candid remarks have generated much attention. However, Daniels has since attempted to clarify the feelings he expressed.
During an interview for his new film, “The Deliverance,” (with some striking dialogue from Glenn Close), the director of “Precious” reflected on his completed TV series while discussing his past work on “Empire.” When probed about this experience, the filmmaker described it as “definitely the most challenging.” In an interview with The Film Stage, he elaborated that despite the difficulties, there was one positive aspect: “The financial success of the musical drama allowed me to send my children to college.” This, he emphasized, made all the hardships worthwhile.
During an interview with Andy Cohen Live on Sirius XM, Lee Daniels somewhat retracted his previous statements. He clarified that he didn’t view his entire tenure working on the Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard-led show in a negative light. However, there was one particular aspect of the work environment that proved challenging for Daniels.
That’s so not true. … What I meant was the worst experience because all of my films have been independently financed, it was the first time that I was taking notes from anybody. You have to understand, no one gave me notes to do anything. … It’s normal, you know, it’s normal for the studio to sort of do that, but it was like, ‘What?’ It was jarring for me…
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Anyone accustomed to working within a studio environment is well aware that creative choices often need approval from multiple individuals. For some, this can indeed be a hurdle when dealing with feedback from various higher-ups, and it appears this was the situation for the creator of Star. Despite this, the show suggests he managed to largely realize his vision in conjunction with co-creator Danny Strong. One of the show’s most startling scenes, in fact, was inspired by Mr. Daniels’ own life experiences.
In this series, the narrative revolves around the exploits of Lucious Lyon, a man who once dealt drugs but later established Empire Entertainment, a record label. Over six seasons, Lucious faced challenges from his three ambitious offspring, all vying for control of the business. At the same time, he was also navigating the tumultuous relationship with his ex-wife, Cookie. Later, in an interview with Andy Cohen (available on YouTube), Lee Daniels expressed a sense of pride as he discussed the cultural influence this show has had.
As a gamer, let me tell you, the landscape has transformed dramatically since the days of Empire. Back then, there were no Black writers in the room, no Black directors on TV screens, and certainly no Black Panther or Insecure. It was tough times, growing up with limited representation and creative opportunities due to a system that wasn’t designed for us. It was a constant struggle, but they got it, they understood that change was needed. For the first time, someone said, “Enough! I won’t be told how to be Black. The madness must stop!” It was a pivotal moment for all of us, challenging at first, but eventually, it became an incredible experience.
In spite of the creative hurdles he encountered, it’s refreshing to learn that Lee Daniels’ overall experience in producing the show wasn’t an absolute nightmare. Since then, he has taken up Executive Producer roles on shows like The Wonder Years and The Ms. Pat Show. Given these subsequent projects and his previous experiences, I find it hard to imagine Daniels agreeing to be a showrunner for another ongoing series again. For the moment, enthusiasts can enjoy all six seasons of Empire by subscribing to Hulu or streaming them for free on Tubi.
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2024-09-25 00:42