Following the Annie premiere,Blackcelebkids.com had the opportunity to speak to the stars of the film about what it was like to remake a classic. Director William Gluck sat in with Jamie Foxx and Quvenzhane Wallis to answer a myriad of questions, starting with what attracted him to the idea of making the film again in 2014.
“What attracted me to Annie the whole time was the story” Gluck explained. He pointed out that the themes of optimism and hope gives the story a really inspirational message. The director also noted that while a lot of people have memories of Annie, their memories are much different than the reality. Updating the music, then, was a cinch. “We took the elements of the songs we love and built on that.”
As for Jamie Foxx, the actor explained that he was ready to do a family movie, especially after his daughter had been on set with him for the heavy Tarantino hit, Django. It might seems strange to bring a child to a Tarantino set, but Jamie said that in the 1990s he received excellent advice from Oliver Stone about balancing fatherhood and work: “take your kids with you.” The Annie star said he raised his daughter to understand his work and to have a sense of perspective about it. “This doesn’t happen to everyone; that this is a charmed life.”
The actor said, now, “my daughter sits and sings Annie all the time.” Jamie believed that, in reference to Oscar nominee Quvenzhane, it would also be “good for her to see someone her size lead.”
the 11-year-old star has been wowing audiences since her groundbreaking first performance in Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012), which was followed up by a small but powerful role in 12 Years a Slave (2013). Though people immediately took notice of the enormous talent of this very small girl, this will be the young star’s first major role in a family movie. And it’s a meaningful one at that. As the first black actress to be cast in the title role of Annie, a classic story that has been held dear to the public for decades, Quvenzhane will give young girls a new reason to idolize her.
On the topic of becoming a role model to these young girls, Quvenzhane said she was ready. “It’s really exciting to have people look up to me and it just makes me really happy.” Sure enough, her face will be plastered all over bedroom walls of America in no time. Taking on this iconic role though may even mean merchandise such as dolls. That, Quvenzhane admits, would take some getting used to. “That would be weird,” she stated, but she would definitely come around quickly.
“I’m very proud of myself,” Quvenzhane said genuinely. “I’m glad I’ve gotten this far. It’s not something I was pressured to do, it’s something that I want to do. I’m ready for it.”
The film opens in theatres everywhere December 19th.
