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EXCLUSIVE: Daniels is coming off two Academy Award nominations for his last film, Precious, including Best Director and for Best Picture. He also won Best Director Award at the Independent Spirit Awards for what was his second film as director, the Helen Mirren-Cuba Gooding Jr-starrer Shadowboxer was his debut. This is a surprise move, as his WME reps have pretty much tied down his next film after months of work. Daniels is likely to helm The Butler for Sony Pictures Entertainment, with Denzel Washington attached to play the title role of Eugene Allen, an African American servant in the White House over 34 years who had a unique perspective on the civil rights struggle and was invited back after retirement to witness the inauguration of the first African American president, Barack Obama. Daniels has been rewriting a script by Recount‘s Danny Strong. Laura Ziskin is producing.
Daniels is also attached to the independently-financed Selma (The Weinstein Company is prepared to come aboard as distributor), which is based on the life of Martin Luther King Jr., with Plan B producing. WME also closed a deal to attach him to a remake of the 1957 pic Nights of Cabiria. Daniels, who started his career as casting director on Purple Rain before moving up to produce such films as Monster’s Ball and The Woodsman, has also been circling the Kander and Ebb musical The Scottboro Boys, which just ended its Broadway run.
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Good luck CAA, this is one difficult guy to work with. Most studios refuse to work with him and he is as unpleasant as they get.
I’m confused– this article says that he has deals at Universal (who owns the rights to Cabiria) and Sony. Additionally, Weinsteins are doing Selma. Are those not major players? They sound like it to me. Don’t know the guy– he may be an asshole– but his movies are incredible. Funny how success breeds jealousy…..
I agree Peter…….how stupid is this bunch of people ?
I think they are the interns from william morris endeavor – using fake names – just pissed they lost yet another client to CAA.
If Daniels wants to move agents – what business is it of yours ?
We have no idea why…..get a life. Go do something nice for someone instead of all the hatred…come on people – get a life !
On second thought, I guess this is your life…at least until you get fired from WME after the new year – when it’s clear they have lost more and more clients.BUSTED !
OMG….what is all the hate about ???????
I don’t believe for one minute that any of you HATERS know this Daniels personally.
If you do, then ‘man up’ and put your real name so we can all comment on you and your tired lil’boring $5.00 an hour chicken pot pie eaten coolade drinkin’ rocked over heal wearing nothing better to do with my pathetic life but write negative comments on strangers……
I think you have let us know exactly where your jealously is coming from – STUDIO LACKEY….nice name. NEED I SAY MORE ??!!!
Attention…..
I have been a friend and also worked with Lee Daniels for over 30 years.
Lee is off the chain when it comes to creativity and making things happen. He’s an independent filmmaker that has worked his ass-off for many years in an industry that does not always welcome strangers….not to mention, gay black strangers.
He has had to fight, push and yes, at times, lie his way to get what was needed to make his dreams come true and his films hit the screen….. That was the old Lee.
The new Lee has grown-up in many ways (just as we all have). He is a great dad, friend, producer and director.
What folks don’t know about Lee is that he has had tons of pain in his life and often (in the past)the darkness took center-stage. The thing about him that has keep us friends is the simple fact that Lee would not intentionally hurt a fly. He hates even telling someone NO….he hates to fire people (even though they suck at their job). But I guarantee, if you met Lee and sat and actually talked with him (face to face and not behind his back in a nameless BLOG) you would find yourself laughing your ass-off. He is funny as hell…with all the darkness, he always sees the light…and the lighter, funnier side of life. This is a special quality he has…..Love him or hate him – Lee Daniels is a very complex and special human being.
Until you, David, Studio Lackey, Joey B, Oh Man, Wawa Lisa, Jeez, Jonathan, Get it Straight and m/m Anonymous walk one day in the shoes of Lee Daniels – I suggest you tone it down.
Well said. I never pass judgment without knowing a person. I will listen to what Simone Sheffield says before I listen to a bunch of wannabes.
whats wit’ the haters ? DAMN!
did all you losers take the anti lee daniels pill this morning ?
get a LIFE !
Someone asked a question: what’s with all the haters?
Well, as Obama can attest being a smart, articulate and successful person of color in a world run by crusty white men brings its own brand of uniquely vicious animus. Same thing applies to women (Oprah and Hillary Clinton come to mind) who dare reach for rarified air. They get dubbed “bitchy” or “highfalutin’ ” or “irascible”
Sad commentary on where we are as a society in 2010.
If Mr. Daniels were a young white guy he would be deemed “a talented but tortured artist who keeps it interesting on the set but always delivers” — or some equally diplomatically invoked spin. Because he’s the wrong ‘paint color’ the boxing gloves have come off.
As Mike’s post states, WME made miracles happen for this guy. not sure what more CAA will be able to do for him.
PRECIOUS was his 3rd film — Mike overlooked the wonderful masterpiece that was TENNESSEE.
Yes, TENNESSEE – completely overlooked – sadly so as it showcased a terrific performance by 1/ Adam Rothenberg and 2/ an amazing performance by Ethan Peck in his first film role! Pity no one got to see except attendees at TRIBECA.
I wonder if any of this means Daniels will ever get around to taking care of all those assistants he screwed over the last decade or so. It’s hilarious how many stories I hear about pay with that guy.
Good luck CAA. He is hands down, one of the worst human beings that I have worked with in 20 years being in hollywood. WME should be happy he is gone. The lying, the game playing the outbursts, good luck to all that have the misfortune of being in his sphere.
Its amazing to me how well he can lie and scam people into his web of BS.
If I am correct in assuming that you are talking about the classic Fellini film, then it should read “Nights of Cabiria”, not “Knights of Cabiria”.
…Another nappy sellout. File along with T. Chapman and M. Gray.
Why did this comment get through moderation? The race-baiting is so unnecessary.
Agreed. It’s so unnecessary and offensive. People of all races are fans of this site and should be able to read a post about a black actor/director/agent without having to read this garbage.
That would be NIGHTS OF CABIRIA.
This is one “get” that CAA will soon regret. Lee is, without a doubt, one of the most difficult, selfish, ungrateful, hateful pariahs this business has spawned. This will not be a long lasting relationship.
There is truly no more of a disgusting over rated entity in the business. And that’s if you rate him at all. Who would ever want to endure a daily dialogue with this fraud?
Ungrateful crazy bastard.
if they let this crazy touch fellini. oh my god
Crazy is right. WME should be happy for him to move on. Good luck dealing with him–CAA.
Daniels writing, Daniels directing, when will the sham come to light, people will figure it out sooner or later. Denzel will eat him alive, we can all wait and see…
I can add that he bounced 2 checks on me while employed at Lee Daniels Management. He was a troubled man then. Hopefully his demons are a thing of the past.
11 bounced total during my time there. I feel your pain.
Does anyone have anything good to say about this dude?
It pains me to read some of these postings. To those who say Lee is “difficult,” the same can be applied to almost any top working filmmaker – from Fincher to Hooper to Cameron to Tarantino. He is a talented guy with a truly unique voice. Those who know him also understand that he is a warm person with a good heart. He has accomplished a lot using very limited resources, and look forward to seeing what he does next.
lee. is that you?
“almost any top working filmmaker – from Fincher to Hooper to Cameron to Tarantino.” Seriously? Oscar-bait King’s Speech may be getting lots of Google hits right now, but surely, you’re not including its helmer in this group. (Or Lee Daniels for that matter.) Now, if you meant Tobe Hooper… well, snark rescinded.
Its not what he accomplished that measures who he is as a person. It’s the disdain and lies he treats those who worked for him with. Everyone plays the game and juggles the truth in this business – and let’s face it, it’s a world of eclectic personalities to say the least, but when you can’t take care of your support staff – the same staff you expect to lie for you and cover your ass – and then take it out on them when you are bouncing checks, that’s a hell of a way to live your life. There’s a lot of bad karma out there on Daniels and I’d hate to be there when it returns to him.
Anyone know who’s repping him at CAA?
I guess I’m learning what’s not”Precious”, loyalty. But it sounds more like a good riddance than a get from what I’m reading.
the excuse that almost any top working filmmaker is difficult is a crock to. Yes, when it came to some of the names you mentioned, it’s consistent with what I have heard but abhorrent behavior shouldn’t be tolerated regardless of talent. It’s a team sport.
I agree that he appears to be immensely talented, but the glow of the Oscar gold buzz will soon dull.
Is it the studios pigeon-hole, the agents bookings or his choice to only get projects with strong african-american leads. Is this part of his problem with management? does he want to branch out? I was just curious.
As I’ve never met him, I hope these stories are exaggerated because the based on the stories he’s told on screen, that’d be a sad hypocrisy.
Jesus…The hatred is almost overbearing.
@ Tom H.: It’s easy to accomplish “a lot using very limited resources” when you are screwing people out of their paychecks. The issue is not whether he is merely “difficult.” There are far too many people on here saying he screwed them out of money owed, and that is NOT something that can be said of “almost any top working filmmaker.” I’m not saying the accusations are true, but there certainly do seem to be an uncomfortably large number of them.
I wonder if some of the people posting here have actually seen a Lee Daniels film? Studios refusing to work him him? Difficult?
Well, maybe Heath Ledger’s character should have lived in Monster’s Ball. Perhaps Kevin Bacon’s pedophile character should have been cured in The Woodsman and why not have Mo’Nique’s character be really compassionate in Precious from time to time…………….then Lee Daniels would not have been so difficult to work with, and his films would have been nice and mellow. Instead of portraying the harsh reality of things.
Come on…he is as daring as any filmmaker today, maybe he’s difficult because he’s dedicated, but he has created unforgettable characters on screen for the past 10 years.
I can’t wait to his take on Eugene Allen and MLK.
i wrote off daniels years ago. and then i saw precious. it took a lot of vision to make that movie. and get people to see it. you have got to give him credit for that. it is a great movie. do not underestimate him. he may be ‘crazy’ (read ‘difficult, tempermental, erratic’) but in this business, which is after all, entertainment, it may not be such a bad thing.
Daniels may or may not be the cretin people are describing him as, I have no idea, but I have to say I’m shocked to see the word “ungrateful” used so frequently in all these posts, and even at Nikki listing off WME’s “accomplishments” in repping him. As if Daniels owes them something.
Come on people, this is a business, these are professional relationships. The people at WME weren’t repping him out of the goodness of their hearts, they were acting out of self-interest, just as his reps at CAA will.
The word “grateful” pertaining to talent/agent relationships has never made sense to me. Sure, some reps work their asses off for their clients. Great, that’s their job — that’s why they get a huge take of their clients’ earnings, who also works his/her ass of.
And a lot of these actors/directors have worked their assess off for years and years and YEARS making dogshit pay from their work, and then when their talent and work brings them success they turn over a third of their earnings to their reps (manager/agent/attorney) who make DEALS, not MOVIES, but apparently they’re supposed to be terribly “grateful” to the dealmakers for taking a third of their earnings out of their pocket.
Come on people sitting out there at your desks at salaried jobs, how would you feel about turning over a third of everything you make to someone else? What would you expect in return? You would expect that person to work their asses off for you, I hope.
Daniels’ reps at WME didn’t make a commercially and critically-successful film, and they didn’t direct Oscar-winning performances. Daniels did. Hustling for clients is a rep’s job, people. It doesn’t entitle them to anything.
HW. get a clue. dude, agents and managers work 100% on commission. and agents and attorneys work their asses off to protect their clients. if he had to put them on retainer he’d be forking over infinitely more dough.
i hear he’s a great guy… big tipper
Who cares, I am sure all you people would be just as bad if not worse, if you were in the same position. Give this guy a break, he has made some GREAT movies that many people really enjoyed. Isn’t that what matters?
Which great movie?
Precious – Pandering racist, self-hating politically correct bs
Woodsman – Heroic pedophile
Monster’s Ball – Racist redeemed by sex with a black woman.
SHADOWBOXER – Incest.
He couldn’t get the MLK film off the ground because he wanted to show him screwing white prostitutes.
When Hollywood cleans its toes, guys like Lee fall out.
Grow some balls….or merely continue watching your Katherine Heigel movie collection.
Precious sucked – could of been an episode of Biggest Loser meets Supernanny – that being said if all clients were easy no one would rep anyone – clients are a pain in the ass. Keep them spinning Lee.