At SXSW, Lee Daniels says Trump could be good for arts community

In an Instagram video that doesn’t refer to Jussie Smollett by name, Lee Daniels says since “the incident” he and his cast have “experienced pain and anger and sadness and frustration and really don’t know how to deal with it.” | Getty Images

Lee Daniels, the creator of the hit FOX series “Empire,” which films here in Chicago, told an audience at a SXSW panel on Sunday during a keynote address that he “believes that having Donald Trump in the White House could be good for the creative community,” according to a story on hollywoodreporter.com

According to the report, Daniels made the remarks during “an off-the-cuff and often emotional keynote panel moment ” where he was joined by Gabourey Sibide, the star of his Oscar-nominated film “Precious”:

Some of the best films and best literature will come from the Trump administration. We’re in such difficult times right now, .. Trump is a reflection of who we are. He is a mirror of who we are, he is our karma. I’m trying to explain that to my son, and it’s hard to be a black dad. It’s frightening.

Daniels went on to discuss several topics including being openly gay, creating roles for black actors, the ratings success of “Empire,” and the issue of #OscarsSoWhite:

I know racism is real but I’m not going to let it stop me or define me. We’ve created a generation where you feel entitled, but no one owes me anything – I only did ‘Empire’ to make some money for once – no one in Hollywood owes me anything. I owe me something.

Read the full story here.

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