Lee Daniels got Hollywood’s attention when he produced Monster’s Ball, which earned Halle Berry an Oscar for Best Actress. His most recent film is the equally powerful Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire. Talk about anticipation — there are debates all over Hollywood about which actors will get Oscar nominations.

When Jeanne Wolf talked with the director, he revealed his own tortured connection to the story of an obese teenager whose mother, played by Mo’Nique, is unrelentingly abusive.

“I just told her she had to be a monster who was abusive and unforgiving. Mo’Nique told me that she could do that by remembering her brother who treated her horribly growing up…”

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