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Joining Audacy Atlanta V-103’s The Big Tigger Morning Show with Jazzy McBee to discuss their new Netflix movie The Deliverance, Director Lee Daniels along with Andra Day and Caleb
McLaughlin, chatted all about the inspiration and message behind the film, and more.
LISTEN NOW: V-103's Big Tigger Morning Show - Cast of Netflix's 'The Deliverance'
Chopping it up with “the director of this particular situation,” Daniels as well as two of its stars, Andra and Caleb, ahead of its August 30 arrival, Tigger had some questions about the “very scary” movie.
“It's based on true events, but I switched it up a little bit,” Daniels revealed, “just because I believe that spirits both good and bad come on you… So I just changed her mom in the film to white, because I wanted to explore what a biracial girl goes through having a white mom.”
Admitting he had reservations about even making the movie, “because I didn't want the spirits on me.” Daniel’s added, “but I realized that we are in dark times right now.” And after sitting with the movie for more than 10 years (since he did Precious), it was finally the time to do it.
“I didn't do it then because I thought that… it was horror only," Daniel’s noted, “and now I realize it was time to do it because it was about me finding my higher power, me finding the light. And and so I got the courage to do it.”
Taking inspiration from an Indy Star story from 2011, about a woman named LaToya Ammons who claimed her children had become possessed by a demonic spirit, Jazzy made note that in the film, Lee related it to “something that we all kind of deal with… demons internally and externally.”
“I'm glad you picked up on that,” Andra expressed, “because I think that was a big point for him,” she said about the director. “It’s definitely based off a true story, it’s based off true events, it’s based off of her real experience and the possession with the kids, those things were real… But it's not just a horror film. In my opinion, he's almost created an entirely new genre. A faith-based thriller… a soulful thriller.”
Yes, “there are horror elements to it, but it's also a family drama,” Andra continued. Noting that she makes sure to tell people, “If you just think it’s horror, and you don’t do horror, I think you would be remiss to not see the film, because there's transformation… generational healing. Ebony, my character is trying to heal a lot of trauma in her life and be the best mother she can be to her kids, and there's a spiritual aspect to it as well. As Lee always says, his goal with this film was to scare you to your higher power.”
To hear how they got into character, the extremes of dealing with a movie about a demon, and more, listen to the entire conversation above.
The Deliverance also stars Glenn Close, Mo’Nique, Octavia Spenser, Omar Epps, and more. Watch the trailer below.