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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
When Tom Cruise tried to recruit ‘weak-minded' Seth Rogen into Scientology: ‘Thank God Judd Apatow was there or…'
Actor Seth Rogen is turning heads and taking names with his new series The Studio, where the narrative attempts to pull back the curtain on Hollywood and what all goes on behind the big screen. Like the nature of the show, Rogen has always been outspoken about his experiences as a part of the film industry and about his relationships with his co-stars, whether good or sour. Being the comedic genius he is, Rogen was once called by none other than Tom Cruise to help him make a comedy film. However, things quickly turned away from the main motive of the meeting and somehow transitioned into Cruise talking about religion and how the 'big pharma' companies were plotting against him. Maybe Cruise had some Ethan Hunt flashbacks, a character who often finds himself being hunted, misunderstood or both. As according to Rogen, Cruise seemed all set to recruit him and actor Judd Apatow into the Scientology camp. 'I am a huge Tom Cruise fan, and I watch all his movies. We had a long meeting with him, and a couple of hours into it, the Scientology stuff comes up and how weird he has looked in the press lately. He tells us, 'If you just let me tell you what it was really about and give me 20 minutes, you would say no f***** way.' Rogen added that he and Apatow looked at each other confused and weren't really ready for converting to a new religion right then. ALSO READ: Tom Cruise shrugs off father's day question after daughter Suri dropped his name following a decade of of estrangement He said, 'Cruise started explaining to us how the pharmaceutical industry was trying to sabotage him and make him look bad in front of everyone. Cruise said, 'They're scrambling, and they're doing everything they can to discredit me so I won't hurt sales anymore'.' The 'making me look bad in the press' thing which Cruise is referring to is a collection of several instances where the actor condemned the use of antidepressants and, of course, his infamous lunge on Oprah Winfrey's sofa in 2006. When Rogen asked him about the Oprah show, Cruise said that the media edited the video to make it look worse and then compared his situation to Louis Farrakhan. For context, Louis was the head of the Nation of Islam and had made several anti-Semitic comments, including comparing the Jews to cockroaches. Rogen admitted that 'of all the strange sentences I've heard in my life, Tom Cruise name-dropping Louis Farrakhan is top three.' Rogen, who described himself as 'generally weak-willed, weak-minded person', said he was thankful the director was with him. He added: 'Thank god Judd was like, 'Eh, I think we're good. Let's just talk about movies and stuff.'' Cruise is one of Scientology's most famous followers and earlier described the religion as 'beautiful'. He was introduced to the organisation by his first wife Mimi Rogers in 1986 and has followed it since. Along with The Studio, Rogen will also be appearing in the upcoming film Good Fortune, with Aziz Ansari and Keanu Reeves. The movie marks Aziz's directorial debut.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
World marks Malcolm X's 100th anniversary of his Omaha birth
A bust sculpture of Malcolm X was unveiled at his May 2024 induction into the Nebraska Hall of Fame. The art was designed by Lincoln, Nebraska, artist Nathan Murray, who is shown here with Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz (right of the bust) and JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation. The bust's permanent spot is in a hallway of the State Capitol with other Hall of Fame busts. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) OMAHA — State Sen. Terrell McKinney recalls Nebraska's rockier relationship with Malcolm X, the rather rough road to getting the Omaha-born human rights leader into the state's Hall of Fame. John Ewing Jr., who last week became Omaha's first elected Black mayor, was a toddler when Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, and what sticks with him is how Nebraskans early on used him largely as a comparison point with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Standing out to JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike is the slow march toward gaining communitywide buy-in to build up the Malcolm X memorial birth site and nonprofit foundation she now heads. Burned into her mind is a moment 15 years ago when she thought: 'Where's the people? Where are the people who are going to move this thing forward?' But they and other fans said they've seen increased recognition and understanding in their state of what Malcolm X stood for. Buoyed by his rising national prominence, local voices have championed Malcolm X's journey as one of self-determination, personal reformation and quest to unify Black people — and have successfully advocated for ways to enshrine his name in the state where he was born. Efforts intensified as the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X's birthday approached — and is being observed Monday, May 19. 'There's a shift of the tide,' McKinney said, for the Black empowerment advocate he says is often misunderstood. 'People are actually honoring his legacy and respecting it. It's a show of understanding of who he was and what he means to North Omaha, the city, and the world.' Born Malcolm Little, his family left Omaha after suffering harassment from white supremacists, before Malcolm X was two years old. He evolved from a street hustler who, while in prison, became self-educated and converted to the Nation of Islam. He took the new surname 'X' to signify the unknown African surname of his ancestors. After completing a pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm X had a new outlook that abandoned concepts of racial antagonism. He changed his name again and denounced the Nation of Islam, which led to death threats. At 39 years old, as he was about to give a speech in New York City in 1965, the father of six daughters was shot multiple times at close range by three gunmen identified as members of the Nation of Islam. McKinney, a lawmaker who represents the North Omaha area where Malcolm X first lived, reflected on the Little family that he said was a target of racism. Malcolm's father, a minister, was active in the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which led to the family's being harassed. McKinney said the Littles would not have fathomed the recent turn of events in Nebraska. Consider these milestones: In May 2024, the state inducted Malcolm X as the 27th person and first African American into Nebraska's Hall of Fame. Some along the way thought he was too controversial for the hall the Legislature created in 1961 to recognize Nebraskans who have made significant contributions to the state and nation. Indeed, it took three different nominations over nearly two decades, in 2004, 2007, and 2022, before he was selected in 2022 by a governor-appointed commission that considered public testimony. The formal induction came two years later, with a bronze bust in Malcolm X's image installed in the State Capitol. Due to legislation passed in 1998, no more than one person can be added to the Hall of Fame every five years. At the induction, former State Sen. Ernie Chambers quipped about what he saw as a near impossibility: 'I never thought in my wildest dream that I would live long enough … to see a white conservative Republican governor in a white ultraconservative state like Nebraska participate in the induction of Malcolm X.' Also in 2024, the Nebraska Legislature passed a law establishing a 'recognition' of Malcolm X every year on his birthday. McKinney had pushed for a state holiday, but that measure stalled. He said financial barriers to designating a paid holiday prompted him to change direction. He called the alternative a 'good first step.' The legislation calls for each May 19, starting this year, to be 'set apart for holding suitable exercises in the schools of the state in recognition of the sacrifices of the late Nebraska Hall of Fame inductee El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, Malcolm X and his contributions to the betterment of society.' El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz is the name Malcolm adopted after completing the 'Hajj' pilgrimage to Mecca and converting to Sunni Islam. Also in 2024, the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation officially was awarded a $20 million grant from the state to create a museum devoted to its namesake near 35th and Evans Street, a site where Malcolm X first lived with his family. The funds followed through on legislation, approved the previous year, to build the cultural center supporters foresee as a tourist destination. Originally, the foundation had requested funding through a competitive process set up to dole out economic development grants to North and South Omaha from the state's federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. The museum was not among recommendations by a consultant, however. Amended legislation led by State Sens. Justin Wayne and McKinney carved out funds for the project. As planned, the public dollars are set to build the museum, which is an anchor of a broader vision to transform the 17-acre campus that marks Malcolm X's early childhood home. Construction has yet to launch, but LeFlore-Ejike says planning is 'moving along' with a review ongoing of requests that have been submitted for the master site plan development. LeFlore-Ejike became executive director of the foundation in 2022, taking over work initiated in 1971 by Rowena Moore. She said efforts to transform the still largely undeveloped area, which has gardens and a visitors center, has had 'ebbs and flows.' LeFlore-Ejike recalled the moment in 2010. She was a volunteer still in school, and the foundation had a grant for 'visioning' work after having just purchased the existing visitor's center, which was the former home of a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation. She recalled disappointment in the lackluster support to continue building momentum. Now, she said, 'We're finally in a season of harvest.' Citing LeFlore-Ejike's work with the foundation, USA Today named her a nominee for its Women of the Year program in 2025. The selection recognizes 'heroines' across the country who break barriers, push for change and make communities better. LeFlore-Ejike hopes Malcolm X supporters are proud that decades of volunteer work 'has not been in vain.' Ewing commended the state for recognizing a significant Nebraska native 'very worthy' of hall of fame status. Malcolm X's 100th birthday observance comes as Ewing also celebrates a historical win in Nebraska's largest city. In last Tuesday's election, he soundly defeated three-term Mayor Jean Stothert. 'It all goes to show how far we've come as a community when it comes to being inclusive and accepting of leaders in our community,' he said. Ewing said leaders 'come in all shapes and sizes and backgrounds.' 'It's important they are accepted and know they belong here in Omaha and in Nebraska.' This story first appeared in the Nebraska Examiner, a member with the Phoenix in the nonprofit States Newsroom.
Black America Web
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Black America Web
Malcolm X's Spiritual Shift: From The Nation Of Islam To Sunni Faith
Source: Bettmann / Getty Today marks 100 years since the birth of Malcolm X, one of the most significant figures in the history of Black America. A century later, his enduring legacy is remembered not just in the United States but across the globe. The impact of his radical activism continues to be honoured worldwide, especially in the face of ongoing injustice. The final two years of Malcolm's life, following his break from the Nation of Islam, marked a pivotal shift toward internationalist and anti-capitalist values deeply embedded in his activism. After returning from the Hajj in April 1964 and undertaking extensive travels across Africa and the Middle East, Malcolm concluded that 'our success in America will involve two circles: Black Nationalism and Islam.' Black Nationalism, he argued, was essential for connecting African Americans with Africa, while Islam served as the 'spiritual link to Africa, Arabia, and Asia.' His famed Letter from Mecca , written during the Hajj, can thus be viewed as a revelatory moment foreshadowing the rapid evolution of his worldview and politics in the two years leading up to his untimely death. The views expressed in the letter, which came as a surprise to his audience back home, not only confirmed the finality of his split from the Nation of Islam but also revealed his newfound commitment to a more universal vision of brotherhood, humanity, and international solidarity in the pursuit of Black liberation. Upon returning to the United States, Malcolm X founded the Organisation of Afro-American Unity (OOAU) as an extension of his earlier Muslim Mosque, Inc. (MMI). His eventual fusion of Black Nationalism and Islam successfully brought together secular activists and Black Muslims from across the country, within a framework that was increasingly anti-capitalist, anti-colonial, and internationalist. Malcolm drew inspiration from various African and Arab nationalist movements that combined socialism with ideals of global brotherhood and solidarity, such as the rise of Nasserism in Egypt and Kwame Nkrumah's anti-colonial efforts in Ghana. He also expressed support for revolutionary movements in China and Cuba, and even personally met with Fidel Castro before his departure from the Nation of Islam. While his travels through the Muslim world reinforced the insights he gained during the Hajj, particularly that Islam is 'the one religion that erases from society the race problem,' his journey across Africa also awakened him to classism and other systemic forms of oppression within Black communities on the continent. These experiences deepened his conviction that European colonialism and exploitation were inextricably linked to capitalist greed. He consistently voiced his anger at how European colonists had severely underdeveloped and continued to exploit African people, both on the continent and across the Atlantic. In the final months of his life, Malcolm also traveled to Europe. He visited the United Kingdom twice, scathingly describing it as the birthplace of imperialism. In February 1965, shortly before his assassination, he visited a town in England's West Midlands after learning that local Black residents were being denied the right to buy or rent property in the area. His first visit to the UK, only a few months earlier, was to debate at the Oxford Union, where he argued in favor of the motion: 'Extremism in the defence of liberty is no vice; moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.' Thus, while Malcolm's break from the Nation of Islam reflected a shift toward a more internationalist approach to Black self-determination, his commitment to justice remained as radical and as 'extreme' as ever. One hundred years since his birth, the profound legacy of Malcolm's 'extremism' continues to inspire and endure. If the liberation movements of today are successors to the radical sixties, when Malcolm X still walked among us, then his fearless fight for freedom remains an eternal symbol of justice, transcending time. SEE ALSO Malcolm X's Spiritual Shift: From The Nation Of Islam To Sunni Faith was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
World marks Malcolm X's 100th anniversary of his Omaha birth on May 19
A bust sculpture of Malcolm X was unveiled at his May 2024 induction into the Nebraska Hall of Fame. The art was designed by Lincoln artist Nathan Murray, who is shown here with Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz (right of the bust) and JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation. The bust's permanent spot is in a hallway of the State Capitol with other Hall of Fame busts. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) OMAHA — State Sen. Terrell McKinney recalls Nebraska's rockier relationship with Malcolm X, the rather rough road to getting the Omaha-born human rights leader into the state's Hall of Fame. John Ewing Jr., who last week became Omaha's first elected Black mayor, was a toddler when Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, and what sticks with him is how Nebraskans early on used him largely as a comparison point with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Standing out to JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike is the slow march toward gaining communitywide buy-in to build up the Malcolm X memorial birth site and nonprofit foundation she now heads. Burned into her mind is a moment 15 years ago when she thought: 'Where's the people? Where are the people who are going to move this thing forward?' But they and other fans said they've seen increased recognition and understanding in their state of what Malcolm X stood for. Buoyed by his rising national prominence, local voices have championed Malcolm X's journey as one of self-determination, personal reformation and quest to unify Black people — and have successfully advocated for ways to enshrine his name in the state where he was born. Efforts intensified as the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X's birthday approached — and is being observed Monday, May 19. 'There's a shift of the tide,' McKinney said, for the Black empowerment advocate he says is often misunderstood. 'People are actually honoring his legacy and respecting it. It's a show of understanding of who he was and what he means to North Omaha, the city and the world.' Born Malcolm Little, his family left Omaha after suffering harassment from white supremacists, before Malcolm X was two years old. He evolved from a street hustler who, while in prison, became self-educated and converted to the Nation of Islam. He took the new surname 'X' to signify the unknown African surname of his ancestors. After completing a pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm X had a new outlook that abandoned concepts of racial antagonism. He changed his name again and denounced the Nation of Islam, which led to death threats. At 39 years old, as he was about to give a speech in New York City in 1965, the father of six daughters was shot multiple times at close range by three gunmen identified as members of the Nation of Islam. McKinney, a lawmaker who represents the North Omaha area where Malcolm X first lived, reflected on the Little family that he said was a target of racism. Malcolm's father, a minister, was active in the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which led to the family's being harassed. McKinney said the Littles would not have fathomed the recent turn of events in Nebraska. Consider these milestones: In May 2024, the state inducted Malcolm X as the 27th person and first African American into Nebraska's Hall of Fame. Some along the way thought he was too controversial for the hall the Legislature created in 1961 to recognize Nebraskans who have made significant contributions to the state and nation. Indeed, it took three different nominations over nearly two decades, in 2004, 2007 and 2022, before he was selected in 2022 by a governor-appointed commission who considered public testimony. The formal induction came two years later, with a bronze bust in Malcolm X's image installed in the State Capitol. Due to legislation passed in 1998, no more than one person can be added to the Hall of Fame every five years. Various activities, including a block party and youth poetry contest, helped mark the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X's birth date. Bus tour 'pilgrimages,' which come with an admission cost, will continue through June 1 to view the slain civil rights leader's bust in the State Capitol — 'the very institution that once ignored him,' says the marketing material. Included are presentations, held in partnership with the Black Studies Department at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, to deepen understanding of his legacy and relevance today. Also part of the celebration is a May 30 free public screening of 'Divisible,' a documentary film focusing on the history and current impacts of redlining in Omaha. The show starts at 7 p.m. A May 31 Legacy Gala at the Durham Museum has an admission cost. At the induction, former State Sen. Ernie Chambers quipped about what he saw as a near impossibility: 'I never thought in my wildest dream that I would live long enough … to see a white conservative Republican governor in a white ultraconservative state like Nebraska participate in the induction of Malcolm X.' Also in 2024, the Nebraska Legislature passed a law establishing a 'recognition' of Malcolm X every year on his birthday. McKinney had pushed for a state holiday, but that measure stalled. He said financial barriers to designating a paid holiday prompted him to change direction. He called the alternative a 'good first step.' The legislation calls for each May 19, starting this year, to be 'set apart for holding suitable exercises in the schools of the state in recognition of the sacrifices of the late Nebraska Hall of Fame inductee El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, Malcolm X and his contributions to the betterment of society.' El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz is the name Malcolm adopted after completing the 'Hajj' pilgrimage to Mecca and converting to Sunni Islam. Also in 2024, the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation officially was awarded a $20 million grant from the state to create a museum devoted to its namesake near 35th and Evans Street, a site where Malcolm X first lived with his family. The funds followed through on legislation, approved the previous year, to build the cultural center supporters foresee as a tourist destination. Originally, the foundation had requested funding through a competitive process set up to dole out economic development grants to North and South Omaha from the state's federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. The museum was not among recommendations by a consultant, however. Amended legislation led by State Sens. Justin Wayne and McKinney carved out funds for the project. As planned, the public dollars are set to build the museum, which is an anchor of a broader vision to transform the 17-acre campus that marks Malcolm X's early childhood home. Construction has yet to launch, but LeFlore-Ejike says planning is 'moving along' with a review ongoing of requests that have been submitted for the master site plan development. LeFlore-Ejike became executive director of the foundation in 2022, taking over work initiated in 1971 by Rowena Moore. She said efforts to transform the still largely undeveloped area, which has gardens and a visitors center, has had 'ebbs and flows.' LeFlore-Ejike recalled the moment in 2010. She was a volunteer still in school, and the foundation had a grant for 'visioning' work after having just purchased the current visitor's center, which was the former home of a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation. She recalled disappointment in the lackluster support to continue building momentum. Now, she said, 'We're finally in a season of harvest.' Citing LeFlore-Ejike's work with the foundation, USA Today named her a nominee for its Women of the Year program in 2025. The selection recognizes 'heroines' across the country who break barriers, push for change and make communities better. LeFlore-Ejike hopes Malcolm X supporters are proud that decades of volunteer work 'has not been in vain.' Ewing commended the state for recognizing a significant Nebraska native 'very worthy' of hall of fame status. Malcolm X's 100th birthday observance comes as Ewing also celebrates a historical win in Nebraska's largest city. In last Tuesday's election, he soundly defeated three-term Mayor Jean Stothert. 'It all goes to show how far we've come as a community when it comes to being inclusive and accepting of leaders in our community,' he said. Ewing said leaders 'come in all shapes and sizes and backgrounds.' 'It's important they are accepted and know they belong here in Omaha and in Nebraska.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Spike Lee on the Enduring Legacy of Malcolm X
Brooklyn, for filmmaker Spike Lee, is what Harlem was for Malcolm X: a community pulpit from which to do his life's work and muse on America. For Malcolm, it was routinely a gritty street corner transformed into a pop-up rally, the tools of his trade the fiery speeches, the Nation of Islam newspaper, his unapologetic media interviews and his uncanny ability to mix and remix deft intellectual observations, including the most uncomfortable and harsh, with the raw poetry of the people. For Lee, it is his provocative storytelling transformed into town hall meetings on this country's social ills, the tools of his trade the hot-button movies, the ever-changing façade of his red-brick multistory headquarters on South Elliott Place in the heart of the Fort Greene neighborhood, espousing one cause or another, one leader or another, his unapologetic media interviews and his uncanny ability to mix and remix deft intellectual observations, including the most uncomfortable and harsh, with the raw poetry of the people. Lee, speaking to Kevin Powell, at his film headquarters, filled with memorabilia. Lee, speaking to Kevin Powell, at his film headquarters, filled with memorabilia. Sam Norval From the prescient moment when Lee's late mother Jacqueline, a teacher of the arts and Black literature, had him read The Autobiography of Malcolm X as a bony, baby-faced youth, Lee has proclaimed, habitually, that it is the most important piece of writing he has ever come across. President Barack Obama has said similar. But what is it about Malcolm X, a Black man, and his rags-to-revolution story, that keeps him ever-present as we mark, in 2025, the 100th anniversary of his birth on May 19, 1925, and more than 30 years since Lee's ambitious screen narrative? Or rather, why does Malcolm—a widely debated man, one who is loved and hated, revered but also feared, universally studied yet often wildly misunderstood—still linger in the global public imagination? Malcolm X speaks to reporters in Washington on May 16, 1963. Malcolm X speaks to reporters in Washington on May 16, 1963. AP Photo, File Perhaps at least portions of the answers rest with Lee, and his landmark 1992 cinematic collage Malcolm X. It begins with the infamous and horrific videotaped beating, by Los Angeles police, of motorist Rodney King, in 1991. The film was released at the conclusion of 12 years of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush running the government, and cutbacks to social programs that disproportionately affected the marginalized, including Black Americans. Conservative adversaries of affirmative action were chosen to lead the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Commission on Civil Rights, while severely reducing their staffing and funding. Furthermore, spending reductions affected Medicaid, food stamps, school lunch and job training programs that afforded critical support to Black households. Malcolm X came on the heels of these measures as the crack and AIDS pandemics, correspondingly, decimated many Black families and communities, as depicted in another one of Lee's movies, Jungle Fever, in 1991. In 2020, near the end of Donald Trump's first term as president, we had the cellphone camera audiovisual of George Floyd's slaying at the hands of the Minneapolis police. And with this second Trump term, there have already been massive pushbacks on diversity, equity and inclusion. As Lee contemplates America of the Reagan years with MAGA of today, he leans forward, adjusts his multicolored bracelets and says: "Ain't that much changed, particularly with this new world we live in." Marchers cross the Brooklyn Bridge demanding police reform after a commemoration to honor the anniversary of George Floyd's death on May 25, 2021, in New York City. Marchers cross the Brooklyn Bridge demanding police reform after a commemoration to honor the anniversary of George Floyd's death on May 25, 2021, in New York City. David Dee Delgado/Getty 'That Film Made an Impact' Malcolm X was a watershed for American cinema. As Spike tells it: "A lot of people have come up to me and said that film made them read. [Film director] Ryan Coogler told me his father took him to see Malcolm X when he was 6 years old. Sat on his knee. I'm not sure what you could comprehend at 6 years old, but he said that film made an impact." Denzel Washington (left) as Malcolm X and Spike Lee as Shorty in a scene from Lee's biopic of the activist, 'Malcolm X', 1992. Denzel Washington (left) as Malcolm X and Spike Lee as Shorty in a scene from Lee's biopic of the activist, 'Malcolm X', 1992. Largo International NV/Getty Lee was 35 years old when Malcolm X debuted. He had battled numerous obstacles to get it made. He fought to make it an epic running at three-plus hours when Warner Brothers wanted it shortened to 120 minutes instead. He fought to have Malcolm's mind-altering pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest of journeys for any Muslim, shot on location. And when the producing studio would not disburse any more funds for his vision, Lee organized Black investors like Oprah Winfrey, Magic Johnson, Tracy Chapman and Michael Jordan to get it to the finish line. Lee persevered with Malcolm X because he felt it was part of his calling as a filmmaker, the mustard seed planted decades before when his mother instructed him to study Malcolm's essence. Fast forward 33 years and Lee, who turned 68 in March, remains as youthful as ever, despite the gray stubble on his chin—and as animated, too. During the interview, he wears a blue 1619 cap, denoting the year when captured and chained Africans were first brought to the U.S. to work as slaves for what would be 246 years. "When I knew you were coming. I said, 'I'm not wearing that Knicks hat today. I'm not wearing that Yankee with the interlocking NY.' 1619," he says, pointing at the numbers on his cap. "Our ancestors built this country—free labor—from can't see in the morning, to can't see at night. Our families torn apart, our ancestors raped, men and women." Spike Lee Spike Lee Sam Norval Where Malcolm X regularly detailed the enslavement of Black people in his lectures, Lee christened his film production company 40 Acres and a Mule, from a perceived promise of reparations to formerly enslaved persons at the end of the Civil War. History pulses—like a parade of ancestors humming the blues in a museum—from every pore at 40 Acres: on the walls, along the stairwell, in the bathroom. Cinematic posters highlight classics by masters like Melvin Van Peebles and Martin Scorsese; multiple sports images, of Jackie Robinson, the Brooklyn Dodgers pioneer who became the first Black American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era, and of Spike's beloved New York Knicks, including an oversized and slightly washed-out 1970s Madison Square Garden banner bestowed to Lee; a plethora of keepsakes and memorabilia from Lee's 30-plus films; frozen-in-time visuals of boxing superstars like Jack Johnson, Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali; and, yes, there is a gigantic Malcolm X movie print, as well as a framed, signed letter from Nation of Islam head Louis Farrakhan from the early 1990s, simultaneously praising Lee's effort and disapproving of impressionistic drawings of Malcolm's former organization and its then leader, Elijah Muhammad. From Detroit Red to the Nation of Islam Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little, in Omaha, Nebraska, to parents who were followers of the Jamaican Black nationalist Marcus Garvey, whose largest movement was in the United States during the Jazz Age of the 1920s. Malcolm's Georgia-born father, Earl, was a traveling preacher who was murdered by white racists for encouraging local Blacks to be self-sufficient, to know their history, to consider a return to Africa. Left with seven children to raise, Louise Little, Malcolm's West Indies-born mother, an educated and proud woman, crumbled beneath the weight of probing social workers and poverty and wound up in a mental institution. Malcolm and his siblings were distributed, like sacks of food during the Great Depression, to various families—what we would call foster care. He went on to crawl the streets—in New York City, in Boston—using his nickname "Detroit Red" and engaging in a range of illegal activities, including gambling and selling drugs. That Malcolm would spend seven years in prison for burglary, where he would be introduced to The Nation of Islam, changing his path forever. But it was the next Malcolm, post-prison, who terrified white America, and none too few in Black America as well. It was as if that Malcolm X—the "X" standing for the name Black folks lost when brought from Africa as enslaved people—unleashed a rebuttal on racism in America for an entire group with every fiber of his being. He called himself the angriest man in America, he grew into a star voice in the Nation of Islam, a media darling and a pariah, all at once. He married Betty Shabazz, would have six daughters—a set of twins born after his death; mentored heavyweight boxing champion-to-be Muhammad Ali; became the victim of internal jealousy due to his popularity as the national spokesperson for the NOI; made a major misstep with his words upon the assassination of President John F. Kennedy by uttering "the chickens coming home to roost," after being warned by Elijah Muhammad to say nothing; and, embarrassingly, got kicked out of the NOI, allegedly, for disobeying Muhammad's edict. In the last months of his life, Malcolm would travel extensively through the Middle East and Africa and revamp his vision for humanity as a result of those excursions. Gone was what many felt was hate, replaced by compassion, empathy and an eagerness to work with any who were willing to work with him, for freedom, justice and equality. This is the Malcolm that many are least familiar with, the one who kept evolving until that fateful day. This is the Malcolm in the only photo which exists of him and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.—two men smiling cordially, shaking hands. "The final image before we go to end credits," Lee says. Martin Luther King Jnr (1929-1968) and Malcolm X (Malcolm Little - 1925-1965) waiting for a press conference, 26 March 1964. Photographer: Marion Martin Luther King Jnr (1929-1968) and Malcolm X (Malcolm Little - 1925-1965) waiting for a press conference, 26 March 1964. Photographer: Marion Universal History Archive/Getty 'The Spirit of Malcolm Came Into Him' Before those credits is the re-creation of Malcolm X's assassination. He was killed at age 39 on Sunday, February 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. Lee still struggles to recount the filming of that tragic scene. "The cast and crew, I mean, we were spiritually high, but we knew eventually we had to shoot the assassination scene, and that was when everybody's spirit was at the lowest. Wow. And that was, that was not fun. It was part of what happened, and we weren't gonna leave that out of the script, but it was rough." In this Feb. 24, 1965, file photo, the body of Malcolm X, Black nationalist leader who was slain February 21, 1965, at a rally of his organization, is viewed by newsmen at the Unity Funeral... In this Feb. 24, 1965, file photo, the body of Malcolm X, Black nationalist leader who was slain February 21, 1965, at a rally of his organization, is viewed by newsmen at the Unity Funeral Home, Eighth Avenue and 126th Street in New York City. More AP Photo/File Denzel Washington's performance as Malcolm X resonated with audiences and earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. The manner in which he contorted his body during the varied stages of Malcolm's life, the manner in which a single tear came down his face upon meeting Elijah Muhammad in the flesh—spiritual father and son, mentor and mentee, savior and the saved. The memory of that scene still gives Lee chills. "I said, 'Cut.' And I walk up to Denzel. I'm looking at his eyes glazed over. I said, 'Where'd that come from?' He said, 'Spike, I don't know.' But Denzel, he prepared for that role a year before we began the film. Denzel did the work, and the spirit of Malcolm came into him." Lee adds: "When we were doing that film, we weren't seeing Denzel, we were seeing Malcolm." Denzel Washington in a scene from Spike Lee's biopic of the activist, 'Malcolm X', 1992. Denzel Washington in a scene from Spike Lee's biopic of the activist, 'Malcolm X', 1992. Largo International NV/Getty It was the second time Washington and Lee had worked together, following 1990's Mo' Better Blues. He Got Game and Inside Man followed in 1998 and 2006, respectively. A fifth outing, the upcoming crime thriller Highest 2 Lowest—an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 Japanese film High and Low—opens in theaters on August 22. "No disrespect to any other actor, but I think Denzel is the greatest living actor today," Lee says of his friend. Though rough and troubled our times may be, Lee remains hopeful, possibly because he has witnessed so much, possibly because he, like Malcolm X, has been misunderstood, derided, called every name imaginable. But Lee has survived. He dotes on his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee; he views his daughter, Satchel, and son, Jackson, as more valuable to his legacy than his films. At the glass table where Lee is doing the interview with Newsweek is a cup with an imprint of Radio Raheem's rings from Do the Right Thing, arguably one of his masterpieces. On one hand the elongated ring says LOVE, on the other HATE. Lee reveals he came across those words together while a student at New York University film school when he saw a 1955 movie starring Robert Mitchum called The Night of the Hunter. Mitchum's character had LOVE tattooed across the fingers of his right hand, HATE across the fingers of his left. "It's simple. Either you are a mindset of love, or a mindset of hate. If you're the spirit of love, then you're gonna act like it. If you ain't, if you're on the other side, then your actions will tell who you really are." Kevin Powell is a Grammy-nominated poet; human and civil rights activist; author of 16 books; journalist and director, co-writer and co-producer of the new documentary film when we free the world, which will hit streaming platforms this summer.
