Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 8 March 2018
Q&A: Oprah plays life coach to 'Wrinkle in Time' co-stars

By LINDSEY BAHR there about women?' He
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "A couldn't name one. And I
Wrinkle in Time" director said, 'OK, so is it fresh. Be-
Ava DuVernay insists she cause if you've never seen
didn't consciously assem- it I think that is pretty much
ble three of the entertain- the definition of fresh.' I
ment industry's most suc- saw this video of little girls
cessful and entrepreneurial and someone asked them
women to play the celes- to name an inventor and
tial, all-knowing "Mrs." char- all they could name were
acters in Oprah Winfrey, men. There are all these
Reese Witherspoon and female inventors and they
Mindy Kaling. don't know any of them.
"I guess I'm attracted to KALING: I don't know any of
that kind of energy: Like- them....
minded take over the WITHERSPOON: Because
world-ness," DuVernay said. we haven't told their stories!
Winfrey, Witherspoon and WINFREY: So now are peo-
Kaling spoke recently ple calling you for what
with The Associated Press your ideas are? I would
about the film, DuVernay's think that now you could
achievement, a changing go wherever you want.
industry and Winfrey's life WITHERSPOON: Definitely.
advice. WINFREY: But do they only
Remarks have been edited In this Feb. 25, 2018 photo, actors Mindy Kaling from left, Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon want you to repeat what
pose for a portrait at The W Hotel in Los Angeles to promote their film, "A Wrinkle in Time," opening
for clarity and brevity. nationwide on Friday. you've already done?
AP: You've all become fast Associated Press Or are they open to new
friends it seems. things?
WITHERSPOON: It's great around the drains because dinary when a company and over and over and WITHERSPOON: No they
to be around people who they will pull you down.' of this size puts their money get hired over and over want new stuff. They want
inspire you and lift you up. WINFREY: Oh, that's good, into it and their entire mar- and over again and you me to bring the female per-
My grandma used to say, grandma! keting into this. This is not can't just get one turn at spective or whatever. I'm
'People are either a ra- AP: What do you think of the level of marketing I'm bat. And your one turn at thinking, 'It's 2018, I'm not
diator or a drain. Surround the historic fact that Ava used to. bat you have to hit a home the only woman.'
yourself with people who DuVernay got to direct KALING: I'm like Carrie Brad- run? Or you're out? That's AP: What can men do to
radiate light and goodness this? shaw where I'm walking impossible statistics. help this progress contin-
and love and do not stick WITHERSPOON: It's extraor- down the street and see a But I love that studios are lis- ue?
bus with my face on it. tening to audiences. When KALING: Hire female writing
WINFREY: That happened Disney makes this choice, staffs, hire female directors,
to me! I'm driving down the they're saying: We care tells stories about women
street and I see my face about the audience. We're that are starring women.
on a bus stop and I'm like, listening. We hear you. You Hire women over the age
'Stoppppp! Stoooopppp! want to see yourselves. You of 25. That's it.
That's me!' want different storytellers. WITHERSPOON: I would like
KALING: How cool is that? KALING: But it can't be like, to see some big actors say
I'm a 38-year-old Indian 'Well there's Ava and she's that they are going to work
woman and I'm on a bus. the exception.' with different types of direc-
WINFREY: That is some Dis- WITHERSPOON: Like how tors. Take the opportunities
ney power, baby. everybody goes 'Meryl that they've had and use
AP: Do you think the enter- Streep works over 50.' them to lift other people
tainment industry is ready Yeah? Name another one. up. We all need to mentor
to give women second Who else makes a whole a lot of young people too.
chances if their film under- lot of money past 50? WINFREY: You're going to
performs or isn't 'The Force AP: Have you felt a change take on mentoring now
Awakens'? Even if some- in the past few months? too?
thing is a modest success, Are people more receptive WITHERSPOON: I'm doing
sometimes it's treated as an to your ideas? a camp this summer for fe-
anomaly. WITHERSPOON: After 'Big male filmmakers. Thirty girls
KALING: Well we're kind of Little Lies' it's been totally between 18 and 20 are go-
chipping away at that with different. It's incredible ing to learn how to write
your Ryan Cooglers and what that show did for my their own stories and shoot
Jordan Peeles and Patty producing career. I've their own movies.
Jenkins. been enormously grateful. KALING: The Reese Wither-
WITHERSPOON: But a lot I do remember a year and spoon Summer Academy?
of female directors are al- a half ago walking into a WINFREY: You're going to
lowed to make one film studio and talking about do that in between produc-
and if it isn't a gonzo suc- the projects we wanted to ing "Lies" and in between
cess they're relegated to make and this guy goes, producing your new series
the sidelines and never 'Well we don't really make with Jennifer (Aniston) and
given another opportunity. biopics because they're between ... ok ...
Meanwhile there are so not really fresh.' And I said, WITHERSPOON: It makes
many men who fail over 'How many biopics are me excited!q