The Butler

Lee Daniels' The Butler
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Directed by	Lee Daniels
Screenplay by	Danny Strong; Lee Daniels
Based on	A Butler Well Served by This Election; by Will Haygood
Produced by	Lee Daniels; Cassian Elwes; Buddy Patrick; Pam Williams; Laura Ziskin
Starring	Forest Whitaker; Oprah Winfrey; Liev Schreiber; John Cusack; Jane Fonda; Cuba Gooding, Jr.; Terrence Howard; Lenny Kravitz; James Marsden; David Oyelowo; Alan Rickman; Mariah Carey; Robin Williams
Cinematography	Andrew Dunn
Edited by	Joe Klotz
Music by	Rodrigo Leão
Production; companies	Laura Ziskin Productions; Windy Hill Pictures
Distributed by	The Weinstein Company
Release date	August 16, 2013;
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$25 million

Lee Daniels' The Butler is a 2013 American historical drama movie directed by Lee Daniels. It is based on Eugene Allen, who was a White House butler during eight American presidencies from 1952 to 1986. It was the last movie produced by Laura Ziskin.

Synopsis

The fictional Cecil Gaines is based on Eugene Allen who worked at the White House during eight presidential terms from 1952 to 1986. He started as a "pantry man," was promoted to butler, and then Maître d'hôtel.

Cast

Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines. Aml Ameen portrays a young Cecil Gaines
Oprah Winfrey as Gloria Gaines
Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Carter Wilson
Terrence Howard as Howard
David Oyelowo as Louis Gaines
Vanessa Redgrave as Annabeth Westfall
Alex Pettyfer as Thomas Westfall
Mariah Carey as Hattie Pearl
Yaya DaCosta as Carol Hammie
Colman Domingo as Freddie Fallows
Clarence Williams III as Maynard

Historical figures

Robin Williams as President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Melissa Leo as First Lady Mamie Eisenhower (scenes deleted)
James Marsden as President John F. Kennedy
Minka Kelly as First Lady Jackie Kennedy
Liev Schreiber as President Lyndon B. Johnson
Wanda Leigh as First Lady Lady Bird Johnson (scenes deleted)
John Cusack as President Richard Nixon
Alan Rickman as President Ronald Reagan
Jane Fonda as First Lady Nancy Reagan
Nelsan Ellis as Martin Luther King, Jr.
Alex Manette as White House Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman
Lenny Kravitz as James Holloway
Marco St. John as Chief Justice Warren E. Burger
Jesse Williams as civil rights activist James Lawson
Ray Gaspard as Pat Buchanan
Orlando Eric Street as President Barack Obama (scenes deleted)

Awards

Awards
Award	Category	Recipients and nominees	Result
Hollywood Film Awards	Best Director	Lee Daniels	Won
Hollywood Film Awards	Spotlight	David Oyelowo	Won
People's Choice Awards	Favorite Dramatic Movie		Nominated
People's Choice Awards	Favorite Dramatic Movie Actress	Oprah Winfrey	Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society	Best Actress in a Supporting Role	Oprah Winfrey	Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture		Nominated
	Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role	Forest Whitaker	Nominated
	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role	Oprah Winfrey	Nominated
Satellite Awards	Best Actor in a Motion Picture	Forest Whitaker	Pending
	Best Actress in Supporting Role	Oprah Winfrey	Pending
	Best Art Direction & Production Design	Diane Lederman, Tim Galvin	Pending

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Nordyke, Kimberly (7 May 2013). "'The Butler' Trailer: Oprah Winfrey Plays 'Proud' Wife to Forest Whitaker (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
↑ Child, Ben (9 May 2013). "The Butler trailer: Oprah Winfrey in the White House". Guardian UK. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
↑ "Citing its 1916 silent film short Warner Bros. blocking Harvey Weinstein from using 'The Butler' title on Lee Daniels film". Deadline.com. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
1 2 3 4 Johnson, Terence. "Awards Profile: The Butler". Awards Circuit. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Labrecque, Jeff (8 May 2013). "'The Butler': The new trailer showcases Oscar-winning actors tackling history -- VIDEO". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
1 2 3 4 "Full Credits for Lee Daniels' The Butler". IMDb.com. Retrieved 30 July 2013.

Other websites

The Butler on IMDb

[THRCast-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Nordyke, Kimberly (7 May 2013). "'The Butler' Trailer: Oprah Winfrey Plays 'Proud' Wife to Forest Whitaker (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 May 2013.

[2] Child, Ben (9 May 2013). "The Butler trailer: Oprah Winfrey in the White House". Guardian UK. Retrieved 10 May 2013.

[3] "Citing its 1916 silent film short Warner Bros. blocking Harvey Weinstein from using 'The Butler' title on Lee Daniels film". Deadline.com. Retrieved 14 August 2013.

[AwC-4] 1 2 3 4 Johnson, Terence. "Awards Profile: The Butler". Awards Circuit. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.

[EWCast-5] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Labrecque, Jeff (8 May 2013). "'The Butler': The new trailer showcases Oscar-winning actors tackling history -- VIDEO". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.

[IMDb-6] 1 2 3 4 "Full Credits for Lee Daniels' The Butler". IMDb.com. Retrieved 30 July 2013.