Hollywood titans Oprah and Ava DuVernay hosted the “Queen Sugar” premiere in L.A. Go inside for the red carpet fabness…
It doesn’t get much better than this!
Media mogul Oprah and award winning directress Ava DuVernay hosted an exclusive screening of their upcoming “Queen Sugar” series at the Warner Bros. Studio Lot’s Steven J. Ross Theater in Burbank, California yesterday.
Lady O, who serves as executive producer, and Ava, who wrote and directed the series, were all smiles as they welcomed guests to get the first look at their highly anticipated original drama series that will make its debut on OWN.
Looking GOOD Lady O!
Oprah and Ava sat down with Entertainment Weekly to dish on how many times Ava had to go back to the drawing board after presenting the first draft of the series. Here are a few highlights:
DuVernay: The first time I pounded it out, adapted the book, and gave it to her very proudly. And she said, “Oh, I thought it was going to be more than this.” That’s what she said. I thought, “Yeah, okay, I’m going back and adding something.” Second one, I added people doing voodoo, murders, stabbing, a frickin’ hurricane. I added a lot. What does she want?
Winfrey: I’m not down with the voodoo.
DuVernay: She was like, “Whaaat?” In true Oprah fashion, she said, “What do you want to say? This is a show that will be on every week in people’s homes.” I drilled into that. And I told her, “This is the last one I will do. And I’m going to put in what I want to say, and if it’s not it, then I don’t know.” And that was the pilot.
Winfrey: That was the one. I remembered Toni Morrison said to me that she wrote her first novel because that book wasn’t available to read. She wrote a book that she would want to read. With that in mind, I said to Ava, “What is the story you would most want to see that came from you that you would most want to tell?” I can be down with that.
The drama, backed by an all female directorial team, will follow three siblings who must come together to take care of their father’s sugar cane farm after he suddenly passes away.
Oprah made her rounds on the carpet, snapping pics with the show’s lead stars Dawn-Lyen Gardner (who plays Charley Bordelon West), Kofi Siriboe (who plays Ralph Angel Bordelon) and Rutina Wesley (who plays Nova Bordelon).
“Scream Queens” star Niecy Nash flossed her newly trimmed bod in a black one-shoulder midi dress that fit like a glove. The EMMY nominee said she was working on getting her body right for the EMMYs and chick has clearly reached that goal.
Beyoncé's step-sister Bianca Lawson, who stars in the drama series as Darla, hit the red carpet in a printed floor length dress.
Hollywood veteran Glynn Turman was on the scene looking dapper in all gray as he stars in the upcoming drama.
“Being Mary Jane” star Salli Richardson-Whitfield (who's a part of the female directorial team) and her husband/actor Dondre Whitfield made it a date night. Werk Salli!
Miles Ahead star Emayatzy Corinealdi brought the floral fab and her natural hair realness.
“The Mindy Project” actress Xosha Roquemore and Straight Outta Compton actor Keith Stanfield were coupled up at the event, despite this awkward stance.
"Fear The Walking Dead" actor Colman Domingo was also on the scene.
Ava stopped for a fun group shot with all of the female directors behind the drama, including Kat Candler, So Yong Kim, Victoria Mahoney, Neema Barnette, Tina Mabry, Tanya Hamilton and Salli Richardson Whitfield.
The Hollywood titans also snapped a group shot with the cast and crew who will bring this story to life.
Set your DVRs! "Queen Sugar" will premiere September 6th and 7th at 10 pm EST on OWN. The series will air Wednesday nights at 10pm EST for the remainder of its 13-episode first season.
Peep the extended trailer below:
Who's ready?
Photos: Wire/Getty/WENN