The Daily Show: Ears Edition - From the Archives: Dee Rees - January 10, 2018

Episode Date: November 23, 2018

Dee Rees discusses her film "Mudbound," which examines World War II veterans returning home, and weighs in on the difference between representation and tokenism. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. Hey, everybody, John Stewart here. I am here to tell you about my new podcast, The Weekly Show, coming out every Thursday. We're going to be talking about the election earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about ingredient-to-bread ratio on sandwiches. I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart wherever

you get your podcast. Please welcome D. Reese. Welcome to the show. Thanks so much. You are an amazing filmmaker. You know, it's Mudbound, the film we just saw now, which is going to be coming out on Netflix, but a lot of people know your work from Pariah. You created a story that really touched on how your life could have been. When you look at a film, are you trying to imbue a piece of yourself within it?

I think like part of it happens, you know, deliberately and then I think there's a stuff that slips in accidentally. So for me, like looking back, I realize that in my work there's always this element of like home about not being able to go back back back back back back back back back back back back back back back back back back, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, thi, thi, like, like, like, like, like back home like in Pariah Allegay you know she ends up going to Berkeley to get away from home and then in Bessie you know like Queen Latif for like when she goes back to like when she goes home the Chattanooga that's when she gets stabbed and it's when she gets hurt and in this film like both these like these like these two kind of guys who've gone off to war like like the their like like like like their their their their their their their their their their their like coming their like coming their like coming their like coming their like coming their like coming their like coming their like coming their like coming their like coming their like coming their their their their their their their their to come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come come. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to should talk to a therapist or something but that's like that's like the thing. I guess in different ways they both have a valid fear of not coming home. Mudbound is a film about Americans who go off to a war. Two Americans who should be the same. One is black, one is white and when they come back they experience a very different country even though they both fought for the same thing. Yeah, no, I think the thing that's interesting, so like Jamie and Ronsdale, like these are these two

soldiers from different families, and so they've kind of been outside the bubble, and their whole kind of thing is that they've gone over to fight in World War II, they come back home, there's no ticker tape parade for them, their their their their their their their, their, their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, and so their, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, you, like, you, you, their, their, their, they. And, they. And, they're, they're, they're, they're, they're, they're, they. And, they. And, they. And, they. And, they. And, they. And, you know, they have PTSD before there's really like a name for that. And so they're just like, you know, self-medicating, they're drinking, and neither family really understands them, and they kind of connect with each other and kind of find this friendship, because of that trauma. So, like, these guys ordinarily wouldn't talk to each other, but they're kind of like, they're the only guy that's, the only only only only only only only only only only only only only only only only only only only that, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, their.i.i. So, their. So, their. So, their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their, like, like, like, like delve into how when people are cracked or when they're broken That's when kind of like Empathy can kind of creep in or seep in yeah Is that something you're trying to create in the film is an empathy? Because it feels like the story touches on so many different themes on one end. I'm feeling for veterans

their veterans who come back and aren't treated the way they should be their their th. the way the way the way the way the way th th th th th the the the the the the the the the the the the the their their their their their their the. theate. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. to to to to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be. I. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's te. I's toe. I's te. te. tean. tean. tean. tean. tean. tean. tean. tean. tean. tea. tea. te. te. te. t aren't treated the way they should be by their governments. On the other hand, I feel for black Americans who fight for a country that don't treat them equally as they would every other American. And then on the other side, you're seeing how women are treated in American society. Was that intentional on your part? Yeah, and so I have to shout out Hillary, like, their own point in the book, and to be, and I's, and I's, and I's, and, and, to, to, book, so like these multiple points of view was a conceit of the book and then bring in its life as a director, I really wanted to make sure that there's balance there and nuance and I absolutely wanted to get to this idea of like everybody's fighting on their own front. Like the two women are just like, the twothink is right. And like the two sons, you know,

they're fighting this idea of like mental trauma. And then you have these two farmers played by Rob Morgan and Jason Clark, Hap and Henry. And these guys both love the land, but they're both connected to it in really unequal ways, right? And they both have the sense of being disinher.......... I, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, th. sense of being disinherited. They both feel like, you know, they can take title that they're entitled to this place, you know? And one of them literally is, because he holds the deed and the other one can't, even though he does the

deeds that keeps the farm going. And so everybody is kind of like, you know, conflicted and fighting their own fronts and's interesting how the It feels like the the women in the film have to do a lot more of that That there is there is a deft touch that they all possess with with the emotally the emotions of the men that they have to deal with Mary J. Blage Blige in the film is phenomenal. I mean the cost is is amazing. The film is is is amazing. the film is amazing. the film is amazing. the film. the film. the film. the film. the film. the film. the film. the film. the film. th. th. the film. th. the th. th. the th. th. the the the the the the the th. th. th. the th. the th. th. th. the th. the th. It is. It is is is is is is. It is is is is. It is is. It is is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. I've never seen her like this in a movie. Like how did this come together? How did you get Mary J. Blige? And was it easy to get her to say, I'm not going to do this with no lashes, no wig, no, this is not going to be me and makeup. This is just going to be as the war as possible?

I had to talk her into so I knew her manager, Shaqim, and so he manages Queen Latifah and Mary, and so as we're putting the cast together, I'm like, do you think Mary would ever consider doing this, you know, and it was like, it was like a Hail Mary. I was like, I doubt, you know, like she could kind of like let go you know of the exterior and be this very interior person and she's gorgeous she's beautiful you know you know with very little makeup on and so we talked about and she tried to sneak in like some like nails and tips and... Yes, I was like, what is that in the frame? Like, what is that? Is that a, is that a

French, French manicure? But no. But no, um, but Mary's amazing and she was amazing to work with. And like, the thing that I missed is like the surprise, like, their things, like, their th....... th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. that, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, the. th. th. th. the. th. the. th. the. th. the. the. that, like, that, like, that, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, wait, who was Mary in the film? And then, and now everybody knows they're like looking for, but at first it was like this great like magic trick where they didn't know until like the very end. So, you've been involved in some phenomenal storytelling. You've created films that many people have loved and they've been critically acclaimed. When you look at the controversy that has followed the Golden Globes. Natalie Portman was presenting an award and said here are the all-male nominees and this sparked a conversation again. As a director who is in Hollywood, who is a woman? Do you think that there needs to be a conversation

in and around the inclusivity of women as, you know, being seen as filmmakers? Do you think there's more that can be done and how can it be done? I think there should be a larger conversation about so many of these awards. the the the the the the ca the ca the ca the c. the c. the c. the c. the c. And the c. And th. And th. And th. And thi. thi. And thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, the, the, the, the, thi, the, the, thi, thi, thi, their, thi, thi, thi, their, thi, their, thi. thi. their, their thi, their their thi, the's more that can be done and how can it be done? I think there should be a larger conversation about so many of these awards, like not being about the craft, like not being about the work itself. I feel like when you know critics can't celebrate what's on screen, then they want to celebrate the maker. If they can't celebrate the maker, then it would celebrate the story of. So to me if it's just like like like like like like like like like like a just like a just like a just like a just like a just like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist like a checklist, like a checklist, like a checklist, like a checklist, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like cinematography, performances, editing, sound design, you know, then it get really easy.

And to me, regardless of maker, like, what is excellence? And I think that the bigger conversation is like people's, I think unconscious bias influences what they see is excellent. So to me, like, if you're like a famous unknown filmmaker walking off the street, you make something excellent, it should be rewarded. So there's also this kind of inherent kind of like hierarchy built and we're like, oh, famous name, big name, we have to, you know, give it respect. And so, for me, the bigger thing is like, if it was just about excellence, it was just about craft, I think that would help to kind of transcend that because then then, th. th. th. th. th. th. th, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, th. kind, th. kind of, th. hi, th. hi, th. hi, th. hi, thi. hi, like, like, they, like, like there's not this deference to like body of work or there's not this deference to like brand. So.

You apply that in your world as well because on this film, you had many of your department heads, women and it wasn't just women, it was women who are excellent in their craft. Is it hard to find these women or do you, or do th you th you th, or do th, or do, or do, or do, or do, or do, or do, or do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, you th, th, th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you th, you thi, you thi, you thi, you thi, you thi, you thi, you thi, thi, thi, throoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, thr, thr-a, th, th, they're not hard to find. And like that's the whole big point I wanted to make. Like for me, hiring women is not tokenism, it's about hiring the women who are the best of what they do, you know. And so if you see a woman on set, like, you know, and so, if you see a woman on set, like, you know, like, you know, she's theyreau. the thii. th. the the th. the thrown. thrown. thrown. Like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, and, like, and, and, like, like, and, and, like, like, like, like, and, like, and, like, the. And, the. And, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the the, the the the the the the the the the the to tell you. But for me, it's like Rachel Morris and was a cinematographer. And like I had known her work from Food Fail Station and also like I lived in LA for a while. Like the whole like lesbian social world is like small. And then like Tamara Khali, she'd worked on Pariah. And then like, tomorrow, like, I'm like, the woman on Angie Wells used to do my makeup on

press tour for Bessie she's doing my makeup one day and I'm like you know you should like run a department and same thing there's a woman named Pudd's the woman named Pudz and the same things that the same things. And it was just kind the like who's the the the the the the the the the best. Who's the best best best best best best best best best best best best best best the best best best the best the best the best the best best the best the best the best the best the best the best the best the best the best the best person person. the best person. the best the best the best person. the best person in the best person in the best. the best. the best. their their their their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. Who I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. tod. tod. today. today. today. today. to. today. to. to people a shot, yeah, I won't dig that whole, but yeah, it's about excellence. No, look, I understand what you're saying. And I, it's hard to apply it in a world where people then go, is a tokenism, is not token, because at the end of the day, you know what I find happens is, uh, if somebody who is of a group to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, I, to, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, a group that is not in the position of power messes up, the whole group is messed up. So if a woman messes up on set, they go, well, that's why you can't have women. Yeah, yeah, you're saying, that's a lot of you don't hire women. And if it's like, well, Dave was an asshole.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's essentially it. about the future for D'Rease. Are you going to be making blockbusters? Are you interested? Because I know some directors just want to make indie films. They want to make beautiful work that is only in a small environment. Are we going to see you making something crazy? Do you have those aspirations? Yeah, man, I want to do sci-fi. I actually have a, I did a part of an anthology series, Electric Dreams, and I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thin, thin, thrown, thrown, thrown, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thr, thr, thr, thr, thr, thro, theea, thean, thea, thin, thea, thea, thi, these all these like Philip K. Dick adaptations. And then I have this other kind of sci-fi thing, cooking. And then I have Twitter films like, one is a Joan Didian piece of the last thing he wanted.

So it's like a spy, thriller. And then this movie about the failure to ratify the area with Carrie Mulligan. So I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like I like like I like like like like like like the control, you know? So it's kind of like that trade-off where the more money you take, you know, sometimes the less say you have and like you don't get your cut. And with this film I got like Final Cut because it was like an indie film and I got like a festival cut. And so what that is it? And so what's like, I'm like a try and I know the answer your question, but I don't know. I'm going to make, make, make all the stuff. You're an amazing guest, you make amazing films. Thank you so much for being on the show.

Thanks for watching me. the Daily Show with Covernoa, ears edition. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central and the Comedy Central. And the Daily Show weeknights at 11 10 Central on Comedy Central and the Comedy Central app. Watch full episodes and videos at the Daily Show. thooo's today's show on YouTube for exclusive content and more. This has been a Comedy Central podcast. This has been a Comedy Central Podcast. Hey everybody, John Stewart here. I am here to tell you about my new podcast, the weekly show coming out every Thursday. We're going to be talking about the election, earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls?

We're going to be talking about ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart wherever you get your podcast.