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Oprah Winfrey and Alan Ball are teaming for an HBO movie. HBO Films has acquired the rights to Rebecca Skloot’s non-fiction best seller The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks to develop a feature-length adaptation executive produced by Winfrey, Ball, Kate Forte and Peter Macdissi. The book tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor black mother in Baltimore, whose cancerous cells – taken without her knowledge – enabled some of the most significant advances in 20th century medicine, but with devastating, and later liberating, effects on her family. Ball’s Your Face Goes Here Entertainment and Harpo Films will produce. Both Ball, creator of Six Feet Under and True Blood, and Harpo are under deals at HBO.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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I love True Blood and Alan Ball is a terrific writer.
Grow up.
Does anyone ever recall Winfrey ever make any movie about other race besides black? I think she’s a racist and only try to promote black to help further her race , when the reality contradicts what she wants to people to believe:) How much more can people process the blacks are victims before they throw up! Movies should be about artistic vision, not a promotion for racism, unless she wants to do a documentary! Black this, black that, I’m a victim because I’m black or my genes are so great that science used me. Please, they use rats in labs for cosmetics! Wimfrey needs a reality check, great therapist because her perception is distorted! She should do a movie about why the fact is that the majority of the prison inmates are black, I dare her! Will it be too embarassing to face the truth about blacks? I’m so over her racism! Next topic!
Dear “over it” — looks like a little therapy for yourself might do some good. Oprah and her production company have produced several films that are not “black this, black that..” For example, two adaptations of Mitch Albom books, “David and Lisa” remake, “Amy and Isabelle”; she also is in development with “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle”. No that there’s anything wrong woth being “Black this, black that”!
“To face the truth about blacks”? Am I the only one troubled by this rant, that has less to do with the story, than racism? Please name another black studio head who can greenlight a movie for theatrical or television? Will Smith is huge and can’t even get a black woman cast to play his wife/love interest in films because it may not play well for the masses/int’l. White people tell white stories devoid of black people, so how dare Oprah!!??
How is it racist to tell a true story? Everyone at Harpo is white except Oprah btw, so maybe you should take your complaints to Kate Forte who would laugh you off the planet. I’m sure you don’t complain when there is yet another Holocaust movie that no one goes to see. This is a compelling story, period. The fact that it is true makes it even more compelling. No one is asking for sympathy, but don’t be afraid of the truth. Know your history.
Henrietta Lacks was a poor black tobacco farmer from southern Virginia who got cervical cancer when she was only 30. A doctor at Johns Hopkins took a piece of her tumor and, without her consent, gave it to group of scientists who had been trying to grow tissues in culture for decades without success. No one knows why, but her cells never died creating the first immortal cell line which led to the development of a polio vaccine and the achievement of other scientific landmarks such as cloning, gene mapping and in vitro fertilization. Her cells were also the first biological material ever bought and sold, making money for scientists (and presumably corporations), but not for Henrietta’s family who never benefited from those sales. Henrietta’s story is important because all too often the contributions of black people to our society go unnoticed and are underappreciated.
As for your claim that Oprah is a racist, do you even understand what the term racism means? It means that one group of people can systematically oppress another in terms of access to education, health care, job opportunities, etc. Oprah can hate white men all she wants, but would her hatred of white men be enough to deny one of them a bank loan or admission into Harvard? No, because black people don’t hold that kind of power of whites. And the fact that you compared Henrietta’s cells – cells from a human – to “rats used in labs for cosmetics” is incredibly offensive and contains racist connotations within it.
As for your idea that Oprah “should do a movie about why the fact is that the majority of prison inmates are black, I dare her! Will it be too embarrassing to face the truth about blacks?” You seem to be suggesting that black people are more likely than whites to engage in criminal behavior. In simple numerical terms, whites commit three times more violent crimes each year than blacks. In terms of drugs, “Although blacks and Latinos are 90 percent of persons incarcerated nationally for drugs, they represent only 23 percent of drug users according to the most recent federal data. Meanwhile, whites, who are between 70 percent and three-fourths of users, comprise less than ten percent of those incarcerated for drugs.” (Tim Wise, zmag.org, 4/1/04).
Now what could possibly account for those kinds of racial disparities? The most logical answer is racism in the criminal justice system. And yes, a movie can be made about the number of blacks in prison and why they are there, and if we are going to be intellectually honest about it, the answer will be socioeconomic conditions in conjunction with racism at every step of the criminal justice system from initial police contact through trial, sentencing, and parole. Oprah, who has been black all her life and knows more about racism than I can ever know as a white woman, most likely already knows the “truth” as to why there are racial disparities in incarceration rates and has no reason to be “embarrassed”. If anyone should be embarrassed, it is you for spewing such ignorance onto Nikki Finke’s site.
AMEN!!!!!
“Black this, black that, I’m a victim because I’m black or my genes are so great that science used me.”
so you’re okay with unauthorized human experimentation? you’re a sick fuck.
Have you noticed that most of the movies are about white people? I wonder who makes those movies…hmmmm
Is u dumb or stupid? If not Oprah who? Have you noticed the race of most of her proteges? Also, the prison comment is funny. It makes you come off as racist. The disproportianate number of blacks in jail? Guess what – probably racism imbecil.
Dear “Over It”,
If you even had the slightest understanding of our true American History, realities of injustice inflicted upon African Americans, and the social, economic, and cultural impacts such injustices have had on their lives; you would not make such ignorant comments. Please go educate yourself and come back and apologize to all of us who witnessed such idiotic statements. Seriously, do yourself a favor so you do not continue to make such undeniably stupid remarks. If you ever get a clue, you will feel only embarrassment for what you have posted. I can only hope that one day you will realize how very wrong you were. It is insane to me that you can call yourself an American without having the slightest understanding of American History and the obstacles African Americans are still overcoming because of that history. And before you make remarks in regards to Rebecca Skloot’s novel, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”, maybe try picking up the book and reading it. Your comments prove you do not have a clue. Many of the greatest medical achievements in our history happened because of Henrietta Lack’s cells, and yet her children and family can’t even afford the same prescriptions that only exist because of Henrietta’s cells. Next time you seek medical attention you should feel ashamed, because most likely Henrietta’s cells will be there in some way helping you recover from your illness. The same person whose cells could potentially save your life if you, god forbid, become ill, and whose cells made the prescriptions and vaccines that keep you healthy – that same person you compared to a rat. I hope you realize how much you personally have benefited from Henrietta’s cells, not to mention how much all of us have benefited from them. Her cells have saved millions of lives through preventative treatments and new medical advances, and most Americans do not even know her name. Do you know why? Because she was a poor African American who was discriminated against and taken advantage of. Please refrain from being such a fool next time you feel compelled to express an opinion about issues you clearly know nothing about. I urge you to educate yourself about American History, the long-term socioeconomic impacts African Americans are still overcoming today because of the injustices inflicted upon them (including the continued discriminatory practices of our legal justice system), and the remarkable story of Henrietta Lacks.
Speak of things that are positive,forward-moving or from a place of caring (love) when you speak or act, then you are a part of what lifts us all. You, just you. Anger comes from fear, depravation and/or delusion. All anger and rage rises from a weakness of character and a corruption of the self.
Dear “Over It”,
I can’t wait to see the HBO special and watch it over and over again. I will then buy a copy and place it next to Color Purple and Beloved! Walk a mile in a man’s shoes before you judge him. I am always amazed and slightly amused by the fact that people who perpetuate ignorance have no basis for their claims, yet assume they are correct.
You are not the one who needs to be over it. I am not Jewish yet am enthralled by the writings of Elie Weisel. Try his book “Night”…it is not too long and the vocabulary is simple, yet it is very profound. I wonder if the National Holocaust Museum (that’s in Washington, D.C.:))should be torn down, in your opinion and the Hebrews should “get over it” along with African Americans? Please note: African Americans did not receive checks or a museum, but you think the group should just be spontaneously healed of it’s inflicted wounds?
In short, buy a vowel and get a clue. Your statements are truly unfounded and you are significantly misguided. I will pray for you and all of the others like you.
You obviously didn’t read the book. Read it, then re-read your comment. After that, look into the mirror and say “Shame on you!!!”
Please don’t turn HBO into the Oprah Winfrey network. That’s why she has her own network now. If any other producer submitted this book, HBO would’ve said it’s a lifetime movie. or a Hallmark hall of fame movie at best.
It must be the height of paranoia to hear Oprah’s doing a project and then to worry she’ll be talking over HBO (even though she’s starting up her own network).
As for her subject matter, it’s not really a lifetime movie sort of thing because it’s a true story.
As for the black thing, can you blame her? The next time you watch tv count how many black people you see on any given show (that’s not on BET).
Modern Family: one black person, an unwed mother who had a baby with the least responsible and most flaky character on the show.
Cougar Town: none
Happy Town: none
It’s her money so stop complaining or just complain directly to her.
maybe i’m an amateur, but can someone please explain to me how hbo movies make money?
i don’t mean that in a cynical way, just curious what their business model is?
exploiting their content. one example would be licensing movies to overseas markets.
They make money by getting people to subscribe to HBO, and if they have any of the distribution rights, they make money through DVD sales later.
over it – Don’t fear blackness, including blackness on HBO. They’ve made a lot of coin and won awards with black-cast projects, including a few with a medical bent. And without Oprah’s help, even! Take yourself to IMDB and look up Miss Evers’ Boys (1997 – four Emmys) and Something the Lord Made (2004 – three Emmys).
OverIt, what’s your damage?
As a writer and journalist, I know that rule number one for success in any project is to write, or talk about, WHAT YOU KNOW.
So sorry that you believe if someone doesn’t validate every second of every minute of every hour of your day that somehow they’re against you and/or your ethnicity. They have medication for that level of paranoia, so please look into it.
Why not do black-oriented stuff? Oprah has enough power to help sway the imbalance of ‘non-diverse’ programming out there. Having never seen the book, can hardly comment on the Hallmark comment – let’s hope w. a writer like Ball that it really is appropriate for HBO.
I don’t see how making a film over this subject makes Oprah racist or for that matter her making any film in regards to African-Americans. Have you even read the book? Do you even understand what it’s about? A black woman had cancer and the doctors took her cells without her consent and they helped create medical breakthroughs. Pharmaceutical companies have been making MILLIONS off her genes without any prior approval from her family for decades. Let’s be honest, if it was your grandmother you would be pissed. If I hear another person complain about a black actor, producer, or anyone for that matter making a film about black people I will self-destruct. The majority of films out there in theaters or ever for that matter were written for/by/about white people. To claim that Oprah is racist simply because she decided to make a film about a black person and promotes and tries to empower her fellow black people in her various projects is asinine. Shall we complain and criticize when Steven Spielberg decides to make another film about his Jewish heritage? I would hope that we (as in all people) would be progressing towards a place and time where we could all be tolerant of our various heritages and backgrounds. To hear this commenter above makes me terribly sad that we are definitely not.
there’s a lot to your post, but i’ll only address one thing. basically, had the woman been asked for her permission, the doctors would’ve had her fill out a form saying ‘it is okay to use my cells for medical science.’ NO ONE would ever have offered her money or a percentage of future profits that might come from pharmceutical companies.
i don’t think oprah is a racist. but she sure is annoying.
Totally agree Albert.
And its not Modern Family you must mean Parenthood. Modern family doesnt have any black people.
And as for ‘over it’ comments he/she it is an idiot. Would they say the same comments to Woodey Allen?
Oprah is black so dont be hating on her for relating to a story that touches her its her money.
I could name a hundred directors, producers, writers who go to projects that are culturally connected to them (whether its the white/jewish/asian/rich or poor experience) and there is no agruments about that- and why should there be.
Before making such stupid comments maybe you should read the book first and once you’ve read it, read it again so you know exactly what you are talking about before making such unintelligent comments on this board.
I vote NO on the Oprahfication of our airwaves. Enough is enough! If this film is to be made I’d prefer her hands to be off it completely. Schmaltz anyone?
I don’t care what race she is Oprah is fuggin’ annoying. I can’t stand her anymore. Used to love the woman until I got XM and listened to her show. After 10 mos I could no longer stomach her or Gayle. The illusion of her fabulousness was shattered for me. The woman never shuts up. The sound of her own voice is all she desires (Gayle too – no wonder they’re besties!) She’s a horrible interviewer, someone more interested in what SHE’S thinking or feeling. Oprah doesn’t listen – she waits to speak. Or she interrupts. Constantly. Her recent kid-glove interview with Rielle spoke volumes. For someone who claims to be above it all, she will stoop to conquer if there’s a promise of high ratings. I’ve no doubt her ego is severely wounded by the recent drop in viewers.
Anyhow Oprah has a huge crush on Travolta (yay!) and Aniston (ugh), so she’s no racist. But we have a joke around work that AA always seem to get the warmest hugs on her show. Lol! Make of that what you will.
(dry wit firmly intact)
Oprah is amazing. I swear this website is a place for a bunch of bitter and out of work film people to anonymously rag on people, especially the successful! Oprah’s first movie of the week was staring Ellen Barkin,( last I checked she is not black ) and she won an Emmy. It was called “Before Angels had Wings” and it was about how abuse is passed down through the generations. It was healing and enlightened. I suggest all of you people who so freely bash others, and in a chicken shit anonymous way, look at yourselves and try to be honest. You seem jealous. That simple. That is the only problem I have with the Nikki Fink website. Anonymity can be a stage for some real destructive comments, not necessarily credible.
The book in question is an amazing story in so many different ways. This film should be made so that people know who Henrietta Lacks is! Alan Ball will do a great job. However, i’m SO OVER Oprah.
!
These comments from Over It are beyond ludicrous in the context of the cable network that gave us The Wire, surely the definitive depiction of black street crime in our time. Just what the doctor ordered. Right?
I suggest that before you post again, you check out all five seasons of that show and learn a little something about the context and meaning of a word like racism, maybe get a sense for the lives and deaths of black men and women in inner city America, and catch a taste of the wider world in which arguments like yours have their echo. The Wire was created by white folks, it’s true, but their efforts seem to have been directed at every turn towards grasping what is not easily understood from outside. Their work may not tell the whole story–what work could?–but it is a kind of bridge across race and sensibility, and it is the best possible answer to your rant.
Oprah and Ball follow in a grand tradition. I can’t wait to see what they do with this material.
Hey, if you’ve got the money and power to produce something, you can do whatever you want. And I’m glad Oprah has both in a media landscape that’s all too lily white. We need a diversity of viewpoints on the airwaves. Over It, I assume you live in Arizona where they’ve just banned “ethnic studies.” And I assume you wear your white sheets when you go out at night? Shame on you for being such a small-minded bigot. I’m surprised you read Nikki’s website. You don’t seem sophisticated enough even to have heard of it.
I LOVE OPRAH !!! keep a good work miss Oprah. Anyone who so over Oprah are just jealous because they didn’t get a car. So eat your brownies folks …..because everyone in America are racist
)
Thank you Oprah and all the producers. Henrietta was my mom’s first cousin and I am ecstatic that you are doing this movie!!
It is a true legacy for all of her descendants.
My son who is starting Howard Medical School nearly fell over when I told him he was third cousin to the HeLa cells.
I said, “You go out there now and make her proud!”
I’m going on my own personal journey now because I believe my mother was mentioned in the book and I want to learn more!!!
Perfection!!! for The amazing and talented Rebecca Skloot(Journalist) who spent a decade investigating the story of Henrietta Lacks and her family. Henrietta’s story effects everyone as her cells made a signifigant contribution to helping cure aids, cancer, polio, and the list goes on. It should also be said that Rebecca, Oprah and Alan Ball were on the same page, and that is to show what happens to a family who were not told about their mother’s story or contribution to the medical world and the effect it had on those that Henrietta left behind!!! As for Alan Ball, whose had many set backs in his own life, this is just another extraordinary effort to tell stories that are signifigant and meaningfull for every person and every race.God I miss six feet under-thank god for DVD’s