00:00I am here with this fabulous gentleman to my right, the wonderful and talented Mr. David Oyelowo.
00:10How are you? I'm very well, thank you. Very well. And I'm loving what you're wearing. Who do you have on?
00:15Dolce & Gabbana. I love it. I love the blue and the gray. It's absolutely fabulous.
00:19So I'm just going to jump right into it. What does Black Women in Hollywood, this event, mean to you?
00:24Well, you know, I have been the beneficiary of some incredible black women in Hollywood.
00:31Some of them being Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay.
00:36To me, what I love so much about this event is that it's a true celebration in the sense that it's about encouragement.
00:45It's about building confidence. It's about acknowledging achievement.
00:49But it's also about acknowledging the fact that it's tough in our industry and for everyone, but particularly for black people, particularly for black and brown women.
01:00But they are no less talented. They are no less gifted. They are no less worthy of every opportunity.
01:07And so, you know, to me, it is just a wonderful opportunity to platform these amazing women.
01:12We are celebrating right now 45 years of Essence, of Essence Magazine, and we've been talking a lot about inspiration and empowerment and what fueled your passions.
01:21Was there a particular scene in cinema or television that made you say, this is what I want to do?
01:27Well, you know, I mean, The Color Purple is a favorite film of mine. It's a really favorite film of mine.
01:33And, you know, I can't really pick out any particular moment. There was just something about that film and, you know, watching Whoopi in that, watching Oprah in that, watching that cast, and particularly the women in that, very strong.
01:48And so that was a moment for me where I guess I saw what was possible.
01:54There haven't been enough of those in the run-up since then.
01:58But, you know, for me, one of the inspirations is to see women like Ava DuVernay, to see ladies like Gugu, you know, get their due.
02:08And I'm absolutely committed to seeing that happen.
02:11Thank you so very much for your time. I know there are Russian folks in the ballroom.
02:14Thank you, David. It's been a pleasure to meet you and enjoy the show.
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