Bringing Harriet Tubman’s ‘Freedom Story’ To Life

For a lot of, the story of Harriet Tubman is the primary and solely historic instance of an American of African descent who was bodily invested in liberating herself and others from the barbarism of slavery. Nonetheless, to say that Harriet’s story is one that’s solely painted with the indigos of oppression is a misnomer at finest. The fiery reds of passionate resistance and deep, contemplative violet hues are additionally obvious, each within the lifetime of Harriet Tubman and the brand new movie bearing her identify.

RELATED: Harriet Tubman Honored For Liberating Herself

Lately, BET was available to debate the brand new movie Harriet with pioneering filmmaker Kasi Lemmons, lead actress Cynthia Erivo and multi-talented actor and musician Leslie Odom Jr., who performs abolitionist William Nonetheless.

The director and solid members mentioned how they went about crafting this necessary story for the large display.

BET: I’ve all the time felt the story of Harriet Tubman was one which lent itself completely to cinema. What do you assume was stopping that from taking place previous to your movie?

Kasi Lemmons: I feel that we’re simply now proving that feminine protagonists are viable, to not point out Black feminine protagonists in interval dramas which can be additionally action-adventure movies, you realize what I imply? It is such a giant idea. It is so attention-grabbing that now it looks as if a no brainer, nevertheless it’s such a posh idea. It was difficult. Folks have been attempting to make a film about Harriet Tubman for a very long time.

BET: Cynthia, one of many issues that drew me into your character and made me really feel her on a visceral stage is the way in which you reacted. The place did you pull that from? As a result of I actually felt like I used to be there with you whilst you have been taking pictures these scenes. Your facial expressions simply drew me in and knowledgeable me of your connection to the work.

Cynthia: I need to say I acquired it from the folks round me, the solid that was with me. Each time I am taking part in a scene with another person, you pay attention and take that to coronary heart. I attempt to ensure that I am totally current at each second on the set with somebody or on the display. That is the story. You need to ensure that no matter info I used to be getting, it was registering, in order that you would really feel what I used to be feeling.

We additionally studied her face, checked out her face and requested, “How did this down-turned mouth occur?” There was a disappointment inside her eyes, and I needed to include that with my very own. To interchange what I’m together with her.

BET: I am certain you are conscious of the pushback throughout the African-American group concerning “slavery movies,” however I by no means felt that this was a slavery story, though, after all, the weather are there. What made you push previous that criticism and have the ability to create a piece of your individual exterior of that noise, if you’ll.

Kasi: We all the time thought the Harriet story was a freedom story. Even when you ask a small little one what is the Harriet Tubman story about, they’d say that. She escaped for her freedom and went again to liberate others. The escape and liberation, the exhilaration of freedom and what one girl was keen to do for it. She can be free or die, and what she was keen to take action that others might have freedom.

Kasi: Although a lot of the world acknowledges Leslie Odom Jr. as a musician and Broadway actor, Leslie Odom Jr.’s on-screen resume is slightly intensive, relationship again greater than 15 years.

BET: I actually did love your character in Harriet. It harkened again to all my reminiscences of how I felt an abolitionist must be. Upstanding, well-spoken and, for the time, very, very progressive. What was it about this character that made you need to play him?

Leslie Odom Jr.: The truth that he did nearly all of his work in Philadelphia. I grew up in Philly. It speaks to the person but additionally speaks to the town. You concentrate on the Boston Tea Occasion and issues like that. Having traveled to Boston, I now notice that would have solely occurred in Boston. It is one thing in regards to the folks there. You see why, at one time, Philadelphia was the ultimate cease on the Underground Railroad. They landed in Philly. Philly guided them there. I feel that speaks to the town and what we’re product of within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love, the place I grew up. That drew me in addition to Kasi, Cynthia, Deborah Martin Chase and the like.

BET: I felt like there was a specific amount of soulfulness inherent throughout the script. You being a musician, have been these soulful notes obvious whereas studying the script?

Leslie: Yeah, for certain. I feel that Kasi writes, each author writes, with a sure form of musicality. It both speaks to you or it would not. I really like Kasi’s writing. I actually do. I do assume that when folks ask if me and Janelle Monae did a bunch of singing on the set. We did not in the way in which you may anticipate, however we actually did attempt to make these scenes sing. It is one thing about once you do the dance proper, it does really feel musical at a sure level.

BET: You even have a really intensive Broadway resume as properly. Have been you in a position to convey these facets of your self over such a function movie as this?

Leslie Odom Jr.: From the theater I attempt to convey, you realize, theater is about full-body storytelling. That is what we have been doing in Hamilton, attempting to inform a narrative with our complete our bodies that would have an effect on a room of 1,400 folks. Typically it will possibly get slightly smaller in movie, however I am actually attempting to convey that full “bodyness” to movie. The movie stuff continues to be new to me. I’ve spent much more time within the theater than I’ve spent on movie. I am very grateful to Kasi and others who maintain giving me the chance to strive.

Harriet opens in theaters nationwide on November 1. Fantastically shot and emotionally shifting, it’s a movie whose time has come.