Radio One Founder and Chairperson Cathy Hughes to Host Special Featuring Director Steve McQueen and Stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o and Alfre Woodard
SILVER SPRING, Md. – TV One has announced that it will premiere 12 Years A Slave: A TV One Special with Cathy Hughes, a one hour program featuring a discussion with the film’s director Steve McQueen and cast members Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o and Alfre Woodard. Set in pre-Civil War era America, 12 Years A Slave is based on the true story of Solomon Northup (played by Ejiofor), a free Black man from upstate New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. The special will air Saturday, November 9 at 7 p.m./ET exclusively on TV One.
“As part of our commitment to serve the African American community with programming that inspires conversation, this emotional special serves a dual mission,” said Hughes, Radio One Founder and Chairperson. “At once generating awareness about this painful and brilliantly executed story, the special is also bound to ignite critical cultural retrospection among our viewers.”
Hughes will engage her guests in disclosing the emotional transformations they underwent in portraying the Black experience during this particularly troubling and shameful period in American history. Additionally, the special offers viewers a thought provoking look into the making of the film, the graphic historical perspective it provides, and the anticipated impact it will have on the African American community. Finally, the program will provide a forum for British director McQueen (Shame, Hunger), British actor Ejiofor (Salt, American Gangster) and Kenyan actress Nyong’o to share their insights from a collectively non-American perspective.
12 Years A Slave has debuted at select film festivals in the U.S. and Canada and opened in limited U.S. release October 18. The Fox Searchlight Pictures film has won honors including the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival “People’s Choice Award,” and the 2013 Hollywood Film Festival “Breakthrough Award” (Breakthrough Directing, Steve McQueen) and “New Hollywood Award” (Lupita Nyong’o).
