'Black Nativity' Cast on Apollo Theater Premiere
Actors Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Tyrese Gibson and Jennifer Hudson lead Black Nativity, the film adaptation of the celebrated Langston Hughes play from the 1960s.
Hughes was one of the fathers of the Harlem Renaissance, and wrote most of his work in New York. To celebrate the roots of the play and its creator, the world premiere of this film version of Black Nativity was held at the legendary Apollo Theater.
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Forest Whitaker, who plays Reverend Cornell Cobbs, said of the auspicious occasion, "I think being here in Harlem and being here at the Apollo, too, is some resonance of a legacy that they left. I think Langston Hughes, among many in that time of the Harlem Renaissance, were feeding us with this great culture, this amazing art. He had beautiful words, beautiful poetry, beautiful prose, and we get to celebrate a little bit of that in the movie."
"I didn't imagine that we would be here," Whitaker added. "But when they told me, I was like 'How magical! How perfect!'"
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Jennifer Hudson also walked the red carpet, and was blown away by the iconic venue chosen for the event.
"Anytime you can come here and do anything, its crazy amazing," said Hudson. "The Apollo has always been something I always watched, looked up to. Something I've always wanted be a part of and involved in, so any time coming here… it's amazing."
Check out the video for more from the stars of Black Nativity, which opens in theaters December 27.
