Washington proves words have power

by Caroline Basile, editor-in-chief

In his latest movie, "The Great Debaters," Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington takes on the role of Melvin B. Tolson, the coach of an all-African-American college debate team.
 

The film, based on the true story of Wiley College's debate team in the 1930s, is Washington's second film to direct and star in. Since opening on Christmas Day 2007, the film has received great reviews from critics and earned a nomination for Best Picture at the Golden Globes.

In an interview with the Plainsman Press, Washington says that he chose to direct the film because he enjoyed the script.

"You know when I read the script, I just liked the script." Washington said. "I thought it was an interesting story. Sort of 'the little train that could,' and it just affected me on an emotional level. I really looked at it as sort of a sports movie. As a script, it made you laugh, it made you cry, and it made you cheer. And I'm like, 'That's good enough for me.'"

Joining Washington's cast is fellow Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker and several up-and-coming actors, including Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Whitaker and Nate Parker.

"Forest is, needless to say, a great actor," Washington continued. "In fact, his wife and my wife are very good friends. But he's a great guy. I was just happy that he helped us out -- helped me out-- to be in the film, and needless to say, he's excellent in it. He was gracious, and kind, and sensitive, and just wonderful. It was a great experience."

Media giant Oprah Winfrey's company Harpo Productions produced the film, and Washington said that he appreciated Winfrey's involvement.

"Oprah is great," Washington said. "She's there when you need her, and supportive in every way and kept the ball moving. She's there now helping to, you know, really promoting the film as well. So it was her baby long before it was mine."

In the film, Wiley College's debate team faces off against Harvard. But in reality, Tolson's team was competing against the University of Southern California.

"This is inspired by true events; it's not a documentary," Washington said. "And somehow using Southern California for an audience today to me didn't ring well. Harvard just sounded better to be quite honest."

Washington added how he learned more about Tolson as he played his character.

"It was a story I didn't know," Washington said. "Of course, I knew about the Congress of Racial Equality, and I knew about James Farmer. I didn't know that much about Mel Tolson. I heard about him, but I hadn't read his poetry. However, it was so interesting also because it was this small school, what they call a historically black college. My son graduated from a historically black college, Morehouse College, so I guess there was some attachment there. And it was the little guys against the big guys. I just like the idea of that."

Washington also talked about the budget of the film and how acting in it made a huge difference in the amount he had to make the film.

"It's not a big budget film,” he said. “I mean we spent $25 million, but basically, the number was going to be more like $10 or $12 million. So to make a film for that amount is a lot of money. But it's a period film, and it was going to be very difficult. And I'm surely not interested. I am not interested in being in the films I direct at all."

With the budget on the line, Washington decided to act in the film to get a bigger budget and make the film he envisioned.

"They give you a budget that they know you can't make the movie for and you know two or three years after you've been working on it,” Washington explained. “And then I said, 'OK, I'll play a small role in it,' and that still wasn't enough money to make the kind of picture I wanted to make."

Washington said he could not decide whether he will stick to just directing or acting in the future.

"Well, it's not an either/or," Washington said. "Right now, this is a new and exciting point in my life, so I'm passionate about it. I have no plans to direct another film right now.  I didn't want to act and direct now. These are not vanity projects, because I wanted them to be - you know I have had great success as an actor, and I have no desire to want to direct myself. I mean, that is the last thing I wanted to do. It was strictly in order to get these kinds of stories, which are a little bit tougher to get made. You know I have a lot of box office clout. You know, obviously. So I leveraged some of that in order to get these kinds of stories told."