Seattle Slim | 
06 21st, 2007| 
Oprah Winfrey is set to produce The Great Debaters directed by and starring Denzel Washington. Now before you panic, this isn’t Winfrey’s first time producing. She’s produced a number of films to include Their Eyes Were Watching God, Halle Berry’s project for ABC, a few years back. The movie is based on the true story of an underdog debate team that went on to beat Harvard’s team.
As for Washington, this is his second directorial job following the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, in which he also served as one of the producers.Written by Robert Eisele and Suzan-Lori Parks, The Great Debaters is based on a true story of Melvin B. Tolson. As a professor at Wiley College in East Texas, he has been inspires by his students to create the college’s first debating team, which successfully conquered Harvard in the national championships.
The Great Debaters, which is currently in production, features Washington as Mel Tolson, along with other cast members such as Jermaine Williams as Hamilton Burgess, Nate Parker as Henry Lowe, J.D. Evermore as Captain Wainwright, Justice Leak as Harland Osbourne, Breon Pugh as Wiley Student, Charissa Allen as Benita, and Robert X. Golphin as Dunbar Reed among others.
In addition to Washington’s film, Winfrey will also serve as the executive producer of Oprah Winfrey Presents: Mitch Albom’s For One More Day, which is scheduled for production this July and is expected for broadcast in December this year.
This woman LOVES to work. I’m happy to see she is doing everything she wants, but aren’t vacations in order? How about producing a marriage to Steadman?
(Spotted at BuddyTV)
