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Portrait Of Ruby Dee

Source: Anthony Barboza / Getty

Director Muta’Ali Muhammad said creating the documentary was the perfect excuse to interview and spend time with his widely-admired grandmother.

 

Ruby Dee, the late artist, activist and writer, is igniting our TV screens once again this Sunday in a debut documentary directed by her grandson entitled, Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee.

In the film, Dee is depicted talking about a host of things, including her best pieces of wisdom on love and family as well as her influential career as a civil rights activist. Director Muta’Ali Muhammad explains that he was inspired to create a film celebrating the family legacy sparked by his grandparents when Muhammad’s grandfather (and Dee’s famous better half), Ossie Davis, passed away in 2005.

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The Huffington Post reports the director as saying:

“It left me with that feeling that seems to be universal when an elder passes away – you regret not having taken the time to sit with them and talk with them about important, deep things.

“This piece has served as an inspiration and an excuse to those people who have wanted to record interviews with their loved ones.”

Muhammad said that Dee was originally resistant towards the film project. She eventually became supportive idea when Muhammad emphasized that the intent was show Dee’s love for her relatives and not so much to brag about her long and incredible acting career.

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Dee has won a host of awards including an Emmy, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, three NAACP Image Awards and an Oscar nomination for her supporting role in 2007’s American Gangster. Various celebrities will be appearing in the documentary including: Phylicia Rashad, Epatha Merkerson, Angela Bassett, Spike Lee and Sonia Sanchez.

Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee will air on BET’s Centric this Sunday, Jan 17 and will later be available through iTunes, Google Play and Amazon on Feb 1.

[SOURCE: Huffington Post]

RELATED LINKS:

Angela Bassett & Audra McDonald To Honor Ruby Dee At Memorial

Introducing Dr. Viola Davis & Dr. Cicely Tyson! Actresses Awarded With Honorary Degrees

http://hellobeautiful.com/2012/08/17/the-top-25-wealthiest-black-female-actresses/

 

SOURCE: HelloBeautiful.com

Article Courtesy of Hello Beautiful

Picture Courtesy of Getty Images and Hello Beautiful

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