Source: The 89th Annual Academy Awards Arrivals Featuring: Ava Duvernay Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 27 Feb 2017 Credit: Apega/WENN.com
Just in case you didn’t know, producer/director Ava DuVernay is on the rise and has been for quite some time (get familiar).
The Compton native’s relatively late to the movie game and has already got some pretty impressive films under her belt like Selma, 13th, and more recently, A Wrinkle In Time.
Today the talented director checked into The Breakfast Club to talk about getting into the game at a “late” age, getting Sade to cut a song for the soundtrack to A Wrinkle In Time, and why she passed on directing Black Panther.
Here are the 7 things we learned from Ava DuVernay on The Breakfast Club.
1. Late Bloomer
Ava actually didn’t go to film school and didn’t pick up a camera until she was 32-years-young. She found her way behind the camera working as a publicist for other people on set and eventually decided to give it a try. Never too late to learn something new.
2. Sade
When Disney asked her who she wanted to get to do the song for AWIT, she chose Sade doubting she’d actually agree. So Ava sent her an email and an actual snail male letter, and after 24 hours Sade responded saying she’d love to be a part of the movie on the music tip.
3. Black Panther
Ava was initially asked to direct Black Panther a few years ago, but turned it down because she wanted to make a film that was more “woman focused.” She says she and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler actually edited their respective films from rooms across each other.
4. OJ Simpson
She was an intern for CBS News during the OJ Simpson trial in the 90’s and though she had hopes of being the Black Walter Cronkite, her assignments disenchanted her from pursuing a career in journalism.
5. White No More
Ava doesn’t like saying “white people” anymore because she feels that it’s implying something negative in today’s political atmosphere, so she’s decided to refer to them as Caucasian people.
6. Family Feud
When Jay-Z originally reached out to her to direct his video “Family Feud,” she felt she was too nerdy to take on the project. Eventually she did and it was so dope other artists have reached out to her for their videos but she declines because she makes actual movies.
7. Kids
Ava DuVernay says she doesn’t want to have kids because she’s not a kid person. She’s felt that way since she was a young’n and still feels that way to this day. She does love working with them in films though.
