Forest Whitaker, Terrence Howard, Lee Daniels Talk THE BUTLER

Forest Whitaker, Terrence Howard and "The Butler' director Lee Daniels talk to CineMovie about adapting the true story of Eugene Allen, a White House butler who served dozens of US Presidents.

THE BUTLER chronicles the life of Cecil Gaines from 1952 through 1968 when political and racial unrest rocked the United States.  Forest Whitaker plays the butler and act opposite Terrence Howard, Oprah WInfrey as his on screen wife, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Mariah Carey and along with some unlikely celebrity faces playing ex-presidents. Robin Williams portrays President Dwight D. Eisenhower, X-Men’s James Marsden as John F. Kennedy with Minka Kelly as his First Lady Jackie Kennedy, Live Schreiber as President Lyndon B. Johnson, John Cusack as President Richard Nixon, Harry Potter’s Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan along with Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan.

Justine Browning sat down with Forest Whitaker, Terrence Howard and director Lee Daniels in New York City.  While in the make-up chair for three hours to become Cecil, Forest tells CineMovie he like to use the time and meditate on the character.  Terrence plays the Gaines neighbor who allegedly had an affair with Mrs. Gaines (Winfrey), but the film only touches upon it lightly.  Terrence speaks to that in terms of needs rather than lust. He saw this character as someone coming from a place of "loss, pain and emptiness." 

Director Lee Daniels says the father/son issue is the important aspect of the story rather than focusing on the marriage between Cecil and Mrs. Gaines.

THE BUTLER is now playing in movie theaters.