“Empire” was one of the most game-changing Black series of the 21st century. It showcased a successful, messy, talented Black family dominating the music business, while also dealing with a never-ending stream of secrets, betrayals and surprises. Turns out, behind the scenes, co-creator Lee Daniels was feeling just as much drama as his on-screen characters.
While promoting his new film, “The Deliverance,” he revealed his true feelings about working on the Fox series. The Oscar nominee wanted to have the experience of working within a formal studio system. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the artistic collaboration he wanted it to be.
“Horrible. Absolutely the worst experience,” he told The Film Stage. “F—king that money, money, money! I was able to put my kids through college and shit.”
We imagine going from independent projects like “Precious” to a full-fledged, big time network series was a shock. The indie scene gave the filmmaker a lot of freedom, but it doesn’t always provide the best stability. Despite his familiarity with independent filmmaking, Daniels wanted to change things up.
“I don’t like staying in the same lane just as a creative,” he said. “When I got into television, I really just wanted to be able to answer to suits. I wanted to know what that experience was like.”
No matter how much money their films make, almost every director in Hollywood has to answer to a studio boss — something Daniels recognizes. However, when they reach a certain level of success, the notes these directors receive become somewhat less intrusive.
It’s rare for Black artists to get to such a high level — Tyler Perry exists in a very rare air — but Daniels has certainly proven that he’s willing to take risks and jump into new genres.
And if we’re being honest, the last two seasons of “Empire’s” run went completely off the rails, signaling that maybe Daniels wasn’t the only one having a horrible time.