PRECIOUS DIRECTOR SPEAKS OF ABUSE
THE FACTS
The director of the film Precious reveals his own story of abuse and pain in an interview with The Daily Beast.
THE SPIN
Much like the main character of the much-buzzed film, Precious, Lee Daniels, who serves as director, has his own tale of gritty abuse.
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Daniels revealed how the book behind the film, Push, brought out memories of his own rough childhood.
Daniels grew up in the projects of Philadelphia, and recalled seeing girls like Precious Jones be abused by their parents.
On reading the novel, Daniels said:
“It brought back a feeling I had when I was 11 years old and living in the projects in Philly. I answered the door one day, and a neighbor of ours, a light-skinned black girl who was about 5 years old, was standing there naked and bleeding. She’d been beaten with an electrical cord. I looked in my mom’s eyes, and it was the first time I ever saw fear in her eyes. When I read Sapphire’s book, those memories came back, and I felt I have to deal with this.”
And while working on the film, Precious, more painful memories surfaced. Daniels revealed how he suffered the brunt of his father’s abuse due to being the oldest son and being gay.
He said:
“I was beaten quite a bit for no reason,” he says. (His father, a police officer, was killed on duty when Daniels was 13.)
“One of my earliest memories is of being put in a trash can,” he says in a quiet voice. “I was 5 years old. My dad was playing cards with some of his friends. I put on my mother’s red high heel shoes because they looked pretty to me. He saw me and he got furious. He said I was gay and would never amount to anything, and he threw me in a trash can. And I remember the only way I could deal with it was to escape to a fantasy world. That’s what gave me the idea for the fantasy scenes in the movie, which were not in the book.”
Daniels also touched on what got him drawn to film and why he believes so much in comedic actresses like Mo’Nique with The New York Times magazine:
Source
YOUR SPIN: Have you ever dealt with abuse? Tell us here.
Image courtesy of zimbio.com
(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One. TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)
I don’t support the gay lifestyle BUT no one deserves to be treated like that. His dad was definitely in the wrong. Its one thing not to approve of your son’s sexual orientation, its another to put him in and lock him in a trash can! That’s true child abuse, not the nit-pick stuff we see today.
Anyway, glad to see the man is doing well.
That is probably the saddest thing I have heard today. We should not tolerate abuse of any kind.
Yes, saintdiva1. Don’t get me wrong, an ass-whippin’ here and there to set your child straight is one thing but what this man’s father did was just plain abuse. A trash can? Like he’s nothing?! Even at their worst, my own mother and father (who did go overboard with the discipline at times) didn’t do that!
Again, its one thing not to like your child’s sexual orientation, its another to treat him like dirt.
What Ervin said
some people shouldnt be allowed to have children, sounds like his father was one of them! that is really sad, looks like he made it thru the storm and things are going good for him now
THE ervin THAT GETS ON THIS T.V.ONE WEBSITE IS A LIAR.ervin DOES SUPPORT GAY LIFE,ervin IS GAY,THIS IS THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT ervin PEOPLE ervin DOES HAVE A BOYFRIEND NAMED ROACH rance.
I don’t support anyone to abuse any child, and destroy that childs character before he/she becomes who God wants them to be. This grown cruel man ruined this man child, and NO! he is not doing well. Things happen to people in their earlier years can have an big impact on their lives in later years.
This man telling his story is a scare on him forever. No one will ever overcome abuse, it’s how they will have to deal with life.
My prayers for this brother and hopefully that his story will help others who have endured or going through the same abuse.
I understand the father’s embarrassment, but not the way he acted upon it. To humiliate his own child in front of his friends just to save face, is not the action of a loving parent. His love for his child should have taken precedent over what his friends would think of him.
To Karen C. and Rance, that’s what I think people don’t understand. What you do and say to people can impact them years from now. Now, I mentioned earlier that my own parents could be pretty rough too when I was growing up. Difference was my mom was concerned (usually) about correcting me rather than what others though. Occassionally, she would whip me just out of what others though and those times she has actually apologized for because it wasn’t from a place of love and discipline but rather ego.
My father, on the other hand, has this type of attitude “you should just get over it.” He doesn’t get it and, short of God himself paying him a visit, I don’t think he ever will get it. He’s not the level of this man’s dad but he wasn’t too far from it.
Yes, you must move on with life like I had to do BUT if I said the things from the past didn’t still affect me today, I’d be a liar. Words and actions do hurt and no, they shouldn’t just “get over it.”
When I read in this story that the father was later killed in the line of duty as an officer, I was mixed. On one hand, I can’t say I was too sorry but at the same time, this was still a life and I quickly felt ashamed that I even had that reaction.
Anyway, I agreed with Rance and especially Karen C.
Lee Daniels, the bridge is over so now its time to man up and live right. No more excuses for why you are a boutie boy. Now it’s time to turn it over to God and he will fix your condition. It’s time to live in the presence all that has happened is behind you.
Chaz
on November 2nd, 2009 at 2:47 pm Said:
THE ervin THAT GETS ON THIS T.V.ONE WEBSITE IS A LIAR.ervin DOES SUPPORT GAY LIFE,ervin IS GAY,THIS IS THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT ervin PEOPLE ervin DOES HAVE A BOYFRIEND NAMED ROACH rance.
YAWN! Please stick to the topic!
V.O.S., yes you have to live in the now BUT to pretend that what happened in the past doesn’t affect you is kind of ignorant. Yes, you must live for today and not in the past but anyone that still lives by “sticks and stones..etc” is probably a bully themselves and usually has some serious flaws.
At least you stick to the topic V.O.S.! LOL!
Ervin, I think you had the right idea all along: don’t even bother to acknowledge her limp insults.
V.O.S. — You are truly a pathetic person to make such a demonic comment! How in the world do you know if this man has not sought the face of God to be healed of the things that have happened to him in the past?! Hell, I can testify that for years I CRIED OUT TO GOD to be healed emotionally — for years I thought the only way out was to commit suicide. Why? Because God never answered my cries! NEVER! But I tell you one thing — because I’ve endured heartache and pain, I’m so very sensitive to other peoples feelings and the abuses that they have endured. My friends who haven’t experienced a thing, can’t relate at all. And even though some of them are SAVED, I look at them and truly wonder how saved can they be when they can’t relate to humanities struggles.
So before you go trying to tell someone to go to God for healing — check yourself. They may be crying at the foot of the cross on a nightly basis. If you were so SPIRITUAL, you’d add your prayers with their and help them to believe for their miracle — but, instead … you judge.
Physical & sexual abuse from a man at a young age, as well as prison, is propably why so many of our black men are turning out to be gay. What are the unmarried sista’s options going to be in the next 10-15 years.
Because they help to protect the surface of a countertop or wooden dresser where you keep yours .
I never once believed that Oprah/Gayle are lesbian.