Steven Spielberg reveals scrapping movie about Porgy and Bess starring Colman Domingo
Washington DC, June 14
Steven Spielberg revealed that prior to 'Disclosure Day', he was about to collaborate with two-time Academy Award-nominated actor Colman Domingo about the famed Broadway duo Ira and George Gershwin, reported Deadline.
In a conversation with Amy Poehler at Good Hang Podcast, the director said that he was in the process of writing and staging Porgy and Bess before scraping the project.
"I was going to make a movie about Ira and George Gershwin, and I was going to make a movie about the process of writing and staging Porgy and Bess," Spielberg told Amy Poehler as quoted by Deadline.
He continued, "I had a script, and I was excited, and I was casting it. And I was looking for Todd Duncan, who played Porgy, and I met a lot of actors, and when Colman came in to the meeting, that was the first time I met Colman, but I intended, after that meeting, to cast him as Todd Duncan."
However, for unknown reasons, Spielberg decided not to make the film.
"What happened was, I had actually cast a lot of the movie and then I had a, something that doesn't often happen when I'm that far down the line, but I had a kind of second thought about the project, and I decided not to continue making it. That's the only reason Colman and I didn't work together then," said Spielberg as quoted by Deadline.
According to Deadline, Porgy and Bess is an adaptation of Dorothy and DuBose Heyward's play (itself an adaptation of the latter's 1925 novel), which tells the story of a disabled Black beggar hailing from Charleston, who attempts to rescue Bess from her drug dealer and controlling lover.
The well-known and frequently performed show was later adapted into the Samuel Goldwyn-produced 1959 musical drama film starring the legendary Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge.
However, having remembered the Sing Sing star "as well as I did," the Jaws helmer cast him in 2012's Lincoln as 'Private Harold Green'. The two also worked together on 2023's 'The Colour Purple', which Spielberg produced.
Though Porgy and Bess didn't pan out, Spielberg further explored stage-to-screen adaptations with 2021's West Side Story, which garnered seven Oscar nominations and clinched one for Supporting Actress for Ariana DeBose, reported Deadline.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, Porgy and Bess is such a problematic musical for today's times – a white-written story about Black poverty and drug abuse. Maybe Spielberg's "second thought" was wise. In India too, we need to be more careful about who tells whose stories. Representation matters! 🎭
As someone who's seen the 1959 film version, I can say it's a powerful story despite its controversies. But I respect Spielberg's decision – art requires honesty, and if he felt uncomfortable, better to scrap it than make a half-hearted version. West Side Story turned out brilliant though! 🎬
Interesting how Spielberg keeps circling back to Black narratives – Lincoln, The Color Purple, now this. From an Indian perspective, I wonder if we'll ever see our filmmakers explore untold stories of marginalized communities with similar sensitivity. Still, Domingo deserved that role! 😤
A small criticism: the article says "scrapping" but it seems like Spielberg just had second thoughts. In our Indian film industry too, many directors change their minds, but we rarely see such transparency. At least he's honest about it. Also, Colman Domingo in Lincoln was stellar – glad they eventually worked together.
As a classical music enthusiast, I'm more intrigued by the Gershwin angle. Ira and George's partnership is legendary! Imagine if Spielberg had made a film about their creative process – that would've been amazing. Porgy and Bess is complex, but it's also a landmark in American opera. 🎵
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.