Tonight’s episode of Star on Fox at 9 pm, is sure to shake up some emotions. Lee Daniels, writer, producer and director, is known for bringing us movies and scenes in his TV shows that make our skin crawl. His work, such as Monster’s Ball, Precious and The Butler are movies that cause controversy. He’s since brought us the massive television hit Empire and now Star. Star is a story about young ladies who had a rough upbringing, some in the foster system who are now pursuing careers in the music industry. Let’s just say ‘ish gets real. Tonight’s episode will surely make you uncomfortable and that’s the point. We live in an era where we all know someone in the LGBT community and probably love someone who has been through stuff that hurts. Like the scene in Empire, where Jamal is thrown into the trash can.
Amiyah Scott, a beautiful transgender woman, who plays Queen Latifah’s son who is now a woman, will be prayed over tonight. As in they’re trying to get the gay out. Actor/singer Tyrese, who plays the pastor that is dating Queen Latifah, says it was a very difficult scene to film. Lee writes scenes that we can all relate to. Whether we heard about a cousin going through it, a friend or an immediate family member. Lee says he knows he’s striking a chord when he feels naked. When he feels like “wow, this may be too much for America to see”, that’s when he knows we as a country need to see this.
Actress Amiyah, says the episode will shed light on issues that need to be addressed. “Imagine what it would be like to see this in real life. This is real life, people have been prayed over and they’ve tried to take the “Gay” out of them.” Lee and Amiyah want people to recognize that there is nothing wrong with someone wanting to be who they are.
Lee said, “It’s not a choice, me living as a gay man is not a choice. It’s my choice to believe it’s not a choice. Just like it’s your choice to believe that it wasn’t a choice that we are black people. It brings open a conversation. Like Jamal being put in the trash, it lays the foundation for us to step it up a notch and talk about other issues.”
Lee Daniels, who is openly gay, knows his story lines upset a lot of African Americans but it’s also liberated many Americans. His work speaks for itself and its him living in his truth. When asked why he wanted to create so many diverse people and stories, he answered,
“All of us aren’t the Huxtables, I don’t come from a Huxtable background. I wanted to show a different side of black culture. Where Dynasty was Empire and Star is Good Times.”
Lee dares to tell the stories that people are scared to tell because you’ve never seen it. He’s tapping into stuff that’s going to make you squirm. Lee is unapologetic for his realness and for many of us viewers and fans; it’s what attracts us to his work. Daniels says, “I’m not here to make everybody happy. My work is not wrapped up in a neat bow, it is life as we know it, take it as it is and bye”. This attracted Tyrese to the project and he’s just as excited about his role on the TV show. Check out his interview with Wendy Williams and on the breakfast club where he talks about the TV show and episode.
I’m excited to see tonight’s episode. Join us in watching and opening up the lines of communication on real life things that make us uncomfortable.
Tyrese on the breakfast club: http://thebreakfastclub.iheart.com/onair/the-breakfast-club-40716/tyrese-talks-his-controversial-scene-on-15556701/
https://youtu.be/cWKMGl8gHfI
