Award-winning director Lee Daniels, best known for “Precious” and “The Butler,” said that Americans are showing their true racist colors now that a black man is in the White House.
Mr. Daniels made the comment during an appearance on CNN’s “Piers Morgan Live” Monday night, after Mr. Morgan asked if the nation is more or less racist since Barack Obama was elected president.
“That’s a powerful question,” Mr. Daniels said. “I think that people are angry that he’s president and I think that they are showing their true colors and I think that when Danny Strong wrote those words, ’any black man could be killed by any white man and get away with it,’ Trayvon Martin had not happened. I end the movie with hope. He’s walking down and Obama’s giving that famous speech and then I come out of my edit room and Trayvon Martin has happened.”
He surmised that the country is more racist now, though rocker and “Butler” star Lenny Kravitz, who joined Mr. Daniels on the program, disagreed, saying “things are getting better with each generation.”
“The Butler,” which stars Forest Whitaker, debuted at the number one spot over the weekend, raking in approximately $25 million.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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