The Unlikely Journey of "Precious"

Katie Couric Talks with Filmmakers and Star of Gritty New Drama That's Both Unconventional and Universal

(CBS)  It's not some feel-good, Friday night date-movie or some big-budget popcorn thriller. In fact, "Precious," at times, is so hard to watch, you can't look away.

Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe stars as Clareece Precious Jones, an obese, illiterate black teenager from Harlem. She is pregnant for the second time by her father and physically and verbally abused by her mother, but she still dares to dream of a better life. CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric talked to the people behind the film.

Now that "Precious" has plucked her from virtual obscurity, Sidibe, 26, says the world's sudden interest in her takes some getting used to.

"Everytime I'm in the airport, the people are like 'Oh my God, you're that girl that's almost famous. You're about to be famous,'" Sidibe said.

The movie's journey to the big screen is as unusual and unlikely as Sidibe's.

In 1996, a former teacher turned poet who calls herself Sapphire wrote the novel "Push," based on memories of teaching literacy to Harlem teenagers in the 1980s.

During that time she met a 32-year-old woman who told her she had to arrange for a babysitter for her mentally-impaired daughter who was 20 years old. (The woman had been impregnated by her father when she was 12.) The character of Precious is loosely based on that woman.

"It's not a rags-to-riches story. It's not 'The Biggest Loser.' She doesn't lose 100 pounds and find a boyfriend," Sapphire said. "We watch small changes affect her life."

"Push" became an underground classic. Filmmaker Lee Daniels couldn't put it down.

Daniels grew up in south Philadelphia, where he saw people like Precious every day on the street, in the 'hood and in the mirror.

"Growing up gay in the projects, in the ghetto, is hard. It's hard enough growing up there. But growing up as an outsider in that environment is terrifying," he said.

Daniels had already produced the critically-acclaimed "Monster's Ball" when he began to pursue Sapphire for the film rights to "Push." But it wasn't easy. Sapphire felt turning her novel into a movie would mean the exploitation of overweight black women. She said no.

But once she saw Daniels' directorial debut, "Shadowboxer," an unconventional movie about a female assassin diagnosed with cancer, she gave in.

"I just thought this is someone who is willing to take a risk," Sapphire said, "and at the same time, is a real artist."

Daniels canvassed the country, auditioning more than 400 girls, to find an actor who could handle the harrowing lead role. He found her at Lehman College in the Bronx.

Sidibe was studying psychology at City College in New York at the time, but had performed in productions at Lehman. She never imagined she would end up acting for a living.

"A girl like me, there's no way," Sidibe said. "Just because I don't look like most actresses do. And I never thought I could. And I didn't want to."

But she cut class and went to the audition anyway.

Daniels' casting choices for the film are unconventional: Comedienne Mo'nique plays Precious' monstrous mother; rocker Lenny Kravitz is a male nurse; and Mariah Carey is an unglamorous social worker.

Some critics have charged that "Precious" does little to challenge stereotypes. But once Sapphire watched the movie with a nearly-all-white audience she says she realized its theme was universal.

"They gave us a standing ovation. And then a white woman in the back stood up and she said, 'I'm 60 years old. And this is my story,'" Sapphire said.

The movie has two other very influential fans. Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry signed on as executive producers, which may make an art house film into a commercial success.

As Gabby Sidibe adjusts to life walking red carpets, she says she's mindful of who the movie is dedicated to: precious girls everywhere just like her.

"Ultimately, I hope it means that people will not count me out because of my size," she said. "I just hope that people can get past what I look like, and what other people look like, and see the heart and the soul of the person."


For more info:
"Precious" (Official Movie Web Site)

[dan0305]

RE: Katie Couric's report on the movie "Precious."
The only thing missing was Frank Sinatra in a white suit singing Ole Man Ribber!
When Millionaire White Girl Katie Couric addressed the Billionaire White Girl movie angel with "How does a nice girl like you . . .?, Couric quite effectively distanced the two of them from the subject matter of the movie, and with them all viewers who chose to see themselves as aligned with these "nice girls." Nothing else in the report told us more about how to see it a la Couric than that unmasked minute.

[avigil2]

This is certainly the movie that everyone is talking about. I can't wait to see this film.

[bestshowever]

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!UPLOAD VIDEO footage of Katie Couric's interviewing the star of precious on her campus telling her story. Gabby just beams with wisdom and confidence. I really want my girls to see that excellent piece. It was soooooooooo well done.

Thank you!!!

[wilsonah]

What a great segment on Sunday Morning? Where can I get a copy of the entire segment on "Precious"?

[erb0087]

"In fact, "Precious," at times, is so hard to watch, you can't look away."

Typo ? ("...so hard to watch, at times you want to look away" ?)

It sounds like a great film. I'll add it to my Netflix queue.

[Cas2dy]

Actually, the author is saying that just like when you see people jumping out of windows, you still just have to look on in morbid disbelief. Most people don't turn away from the sight until they hear the "thud". This is quite a lot like society in geenral; we see so much of the tragedy's that occur, but we don't make much protest other than to go on the Internet and say "***???". Life sucks so much worse for the one's who are falling, who are abused and who we need to protest for in order to protect them and the one's who might come afterward.

[drsam8]

BOB LIOYD SCHIEFFER, TIRED OLD JOURNALIST?On Joe Liberman

Bob Schieffer?s interview with Joe Lieberman this morning (November 1, 2009) on Face the Nation was a disgrace. After more than 40 years as a journalist with the CBS, Bob has become tired, and lazy. He allowed Lieberman to blather on his stand on ?public option? without seriously challenging him on the issue., and even allowed some lies like ? ?Obama said nothing about that? during the campaign. Bob?s lack of preparation for this interview was only too obvious. How about asking Lieberman why he is opposed to what about 68% of his constituents want? Is inappropriate to expose his conflict of interest and ask about the size of health industry financial contribution to the Liberman political campaign? Bob suggested about $400,000 whereas informed reports suggest more than $1,000,000. Other questions might include Liberman?s and family members ownership of health company stocks; Lieberman?s statements against use of filibuster in the past; his failure to have ever used it during the Bush years; and why he wants to use it now against the Democratic Party and still remain a Democrats and retain all his perks as the Chainman of the Homeland Security Committee? Clearly, Katie Couric would have done a far better job! Sunday morning shows are not just a platform for politicians to hold conversations with journalists, but to challenge them on current issues.

[rondivoo]

why are you commenting on something that has absolutely nothing to do with this story?? .... go away!

[Markie33tx]

What the heck are you talking about. This is not a story about Face the Nation!

[avigil2]

Posting by dummy drsam8 IGNORED!