>> from our studios in new york city, this is "charlie rose." >> we pay tribute to the life into the of dr. martin luther king junior. he would have turned 86.

his admiration comes at a time of increasing racial tensions of public outcry and massive protests regarding the deaths of michael brown and eric gardner. it has raised questions on achieving king's vision. >> i do not know what will happen now. we have got some difficulties ahead. i have been to the mountaintops. i don't mind. i would like to live along life. i'm not concerned about that now. i just want to do god's will. he has allowed me to go up to the mountain.

i have looked over. i have seen the promised land. i may not get there with you, but i want you to know that we as a people will get to the promised land. >> president obama has spoken of the challenge of dealing with racism, but the same time has noted that significant progress has been made. >> this isn't resolved overnight. it is deeply rooted in our society and history. the two things that we could solve -- the understanding that we have made progress. it is important to recognize as painful as these incidents are. we cannot equate what is happening now with what was happening 50 years ago. they will tell you that things are better. not good in some cases, the

better. it is important to understand progress has been made. it gives us hope even more progress can be made. >> dr. king led that martin did peaceful protests outside se lma. they were attacked by police and others. it has been known as bloody sunday. congressman lewis spoke with jan crawford of cbs this morning of his experience and legacy with his friend martin. >> they walked through the shadows of history. taking the places where -- a message of enduring power. >> i have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and realize the true meaning of its dreams. >> i have a dream my children will -- >> -- not be judged by the color

of their skin, but the content of their character. >> for these students king's words shaped their lives. >> people would have their signs up. signs would say whites only and lacks not -- blacks not allowed. now everyone is friends with everybody. love each other. that is how it is supposed to be. >> america is a nation changed. >> congressman lewis became part of the movement, inspired by king. >> he taught us to hate is too heavy a burden to bear.

you must never hate. you must never become bitter or hostile. you must be hopeful. you must be optimistic. never give up. >> when will you be satisfied? >> we can never be satisfied as long as the negroes are the victims of unspeakable horrors of brutality. >> there is fear that the dream for many seems far away. >> we still have a distance to go before we lay down the scars of racism in america. i believe the young people growing up today in the fifth-grade will go up in a better society. a different society.

>> lewis bears those scars on bloody sunday. he hope to leave protesters across the bridge. those memories cause pain. >> i was wearing a backpack. i had two books. i thought we would be arrested and go to jail. i wanted something to read. at one apple and one porridge. i wanted to have something to eat -- i had one apple and one orange. i wanted to have something to east. >> instead they were brutally beaten. his skull fractured. >> i thought i was going to die. i fell. i started to sit. i thought, i'm going to die on this bridge. >> he issued a call for

religious leaders to come to some -- to selma. >> many marched on to primary. later that year, congress passed the voting rights act. >> we had it -- had not even put it into words. >> martin luther king jr. had freedom liberated not just the people, but a nation. >> black and white. >> black and white. he taught us so much through his actions words. he taught us how to live. he taught us how to die. if you believe in something that is so precious yet to stand up for it. speak out. >> let freedom ring.

>> they will be able to join hands and sing. >> free at last. free at last. thank god almighty we are free at last. >> there is a film called "selma." it tells the story of the selma to montgomery march. david oyelowo stars as martin luther king. he spoke about the challenges of inviting a legendary figure. -- embodying a legendary figure. >> detroit. new york. los angeles. large-scale unrest and sympathy marches. >> i'm very aware of that. what i do know is he is nonviolent. >> what is martin luther king

about to do next? >> mr. president, dr. king is here. >> mr. president come in the south there have been thousands of racial murders. we need to help dr. king. >> it cannot wait. >> selma it is. >> here is the next great battle. >> dr. king. >> i tell you, that white boy can hit. >> it is unacceptable that they abuse their power to keep us voiceless. no more. >> they are going to kill our children. >> enough is enough.

>> we must march. we must stand up. >> it is going to be open season. >> may i have a word? >> there is no words to be had. ♪ the people ♪ ♪ the people ♪ >> star 70 million people watching. these pictures are going around the world. >> a massive demonstration. >> whites, blacks, and otherwise. >> looks like an army out there. ♪ this room pollution goes on and on ♪ -- ♪ this revolution goes on and on ♪ >> what happens when a man stands up and says enough is

enough? >> what was it about the man that you saw in new -- and new you could get that to show the dimensions of someone who is part of an american struggle and hero? >> that is the thing. what you said. he didn't walk around in his life thinking, i'm a hero. i'm an icon. i'm a figure. he was a man with flaws. failings. weaknesses. where i connected with him is he is a man of faith. i'm a father of four. he was a father of four. this was the entry point. he lived a life and not just talking about it, but doing it. he walked this walk. he did this for 13 years.

he exhibited qualities and deeply admired. those are the things that drew me to him. >> interesting thing about this film is you get a chance to see that there were these -- all the factors that are at play -- it is a day i do endeavor. it is about strategy -- day by day endeavor. it is about strategy. battles between young and not so young. it is different people who thought they had a better way. all those conversations. >> that is what i think is relatable about the film. people think of nonviolence. think of these creatures who had this movement. somehow they are soft. especially compared to a malcolm x. >> he was more fiery.

>> right. when you dig into this, it was incredibly subversive. the idea of using love and shaming racism to look at themselves and idea of going into place like selma and make sure the cameras roll while you provoke his people to do what they do behind closed doors they didn't plan on role in front of the cameras makes us. it was a dismissal or rejection of violence. it was using violence, the kind of violence that went exhibited brings about change. >> he mobilized the english-language and took it to work. king did the same thing here. >> yes. >> in nonviolent war from his side. not so anti-violent from the

other side. >> i truly feel why he was to do this. yet to realize he was a leader of leaders and not a voice for the voiceless. he was surrounded by incredible mayans. -- minds. he brought all of their ideas in a way and articulated it that was actionable. for me, getting to speak those words -- something is flowing through him other than him. his faith was a huge part of this. he had a spiritual conviction that he lived by and used to inspire people. >> and the cadence. >> yeah. he was able to shift between being with presidents and the people all look the way that he

spoke. he was able to inspire johnson and inspire people to put their lives on the line for the cause. >> what did you think of johnson? in the end? >> johnson did the right thing. she was pushed. -- he was pushed. i think if bloody sunday had it happened, he might have been able to put off the voting rights act. bash had not happened, he might have been able to put off the voting rights act -- had not happened come he might have been able to put off the voting rights. it was a real problem in the south. dr. king and others were quite right in questioning that. i think -- >> johnson said to him, you have one big thing. i have 100 big things. >> as a result dr. king was

always going to have a layered and conflicted relationship with any president because politicians are there to compromise. they are there to try to please everyone. for him, it is much more black and white. when those forces but heads there is going to be fireworks. >> this is you in front of the congregation. here it is. >> as long as i am unable to exercise my cost additional right to vote, i do not have command of my own life. i do not have control of my own destiny. those that have gone before us say, no more. >> no more. >> no more. that means protests. marches. this term the peace. that means jail -- disturbed the

peace. that means jail. we will not wait any longer. give us the bow. -- vote. no more. we're not asking. we are demanding. >> i think it was the director who said about selma it is a story about voice. what did she mean? >> it is about the people taking their voices no. -- known. a leader giving a voice to the voiceless. humanity coming together to say enough is enough. when dr. king ask for people to have a conscience and help us tell the president this is not ok, there were people whose voices were trampled upon.

all this means that people were kept from being able to vote they needed a voice.great to have you here. >> david oyelowo is the star of "selma." everyone i know is raving about the film. it is history. you have a sense of being there. you've feel the fear. you feel the whole. -- hope. all of what is part of the dynamic of change. "selma." back in a moment. stay with us.

>> there is a new movie called "a most violent year." it stars oscar isaac and jessica chastain. it is set in new york city in 1991. it follows an immigrant businessman as he tries to protect his business without compromising his values. here is the trailer for the film. >> i understand you and your men have a job to do, but you cannot put it in the middle of a birthday party. >> not a problem. i have nothing to hide from you. my husband is a good man.

his only weakness is his goodness. he deserves your respect. you were very disrespectful. >> i run a fair and clean business p i will fight to my last breath -- i run a fair and clean business. i will fight to my last breath to prove that. ♪ >> there were more murders and rapes last city than i have ever seen. we have a security issue here. >> trust me. i'm aware. >> this cannot continue. >> do you have any idea who has been doing this to us? >> i have always taken the path that is most right. >> just what path do you take to get there? >> where did you get that?

>> he found it in the bushes. >> this is not a brick. this is a kid playing with a loaded gun. >> just pushed her too far. >> we cannot have a situation continuing. >> you now have serious legal cases against you ranging from fraud to tax evasion. >> you have had good luck helping you all these years. it was me. >> otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life. that i cannot do. >> joining me now is the film's two stars oscar isaac and jessica chastain. welcome. >> thank you.

>> this is a reunion for you. >> yeah. but we never said goodbye. we have been friends for years. >> you actually are. >> i was ahead -- you went to juilliard. >> i was ahead of him. we were friends. i/o was admired his work from afar and he has inspired me every time i have seen him act -- i always admired his work from afar and he has inspired me every time i have seen him act. his performance is incredible. and an incredible writer/director. i might have a guy who is perfect for this role. i sent a long e-mail.

once they met, it was done. >> no audition? >> it was kind of an addition. he would summon me throughout the week. [laughter] i would come over. we would hang out. we would talk about this and that. he brought me out to these oil tankers. we were going to shoot. he was showing me around. i wasn't sure how to act. this is great. i have the part. but i didn't want to say it. we were in los angeles. i guess the whole time he was trying to put the financing together. he was having me play the role which shift how they got money for the film. when that happened, he finally said yes. you can have the role. >> what did you take from juilliard? >> so much. we were talking about voice and understanding of the voice and how to use it. very technical things.

i have this ethnically ambiguous thing going on. i have been fortunate to a lot of different parts in different places in the world. i can do accept and the -- i can do accents. they gave a basic addition on how to approach a character. jessica and i have the same foundations. we have it shorthand when it came to this. >> mmm-hmm. >> what would you add to that? >> juilliard gives you a toolbox. stanislavski. voice work. skinner. you have so much you can take from their. -- there. out of school when i'm approaching a role, i do not work the same way for each part. >> tell me about your character.

>> i play a latin american immigrant who has come to this country and has worked hard. a truck driver. got into sales. there are the boss's daughter was able to buy the company -- married the boss's daughter and was able to buy the company. and there was the most violent year on record. new york is on the brink of economic collapse. people were leaving in droves. this man sees opportunity. when everyone is leaving, i'm going to build. an optimist. he sees the other side of this. he thinks it we could stick to the strategy, which is nonviolent and doesn't resort to gangster and criminality, we could make it through. >> clearly there is values.

he thinks he could do it without being corrupt. >> to a certain extent. i think he is strategic. i do not think it is necessarily coming from a place of righteousness. >> not righteousness? >> i don't think it is. i had a hard time understanding. he doesn't want guns. i think he thinks if they find me with a gun even if i got it legally, if i shot someone i'm playing into exactly what they think i am. >> "they" being? >> the cops. the competitors. they want him to be the stereotype. he doesn't want to do it. >> how would you describe his wife? >> she has a different way of going about her business. her father was comfortable with the legal activity.

she is a chip off the old block. get it done. i think violence turns wrong in a way. i think our turns her -- i think violence turns her on. i think -- let's give it to her husband. >> she regrets that? you think she would like to be her husband? >> maybe she is not aware of it. if bubbles up in the scenes between them. she aligned herself with this man that she felt was going to be her king. she would take the place of her father. when he behaves in a way that her father what it's come in her mind he is appearing weak. she then has to step forward.

in doing so there is the scene where she shoots a gun and from that moment in the movie, she starts to like the power she has coming forward. >> you didn't want to shoot. >> there was a moment where there wasn't a gun. he goes and stands over it. giong oing to have to brain it. >> it is a moment of -- i let you be the face of it. you are the man. but you know what? you're not doing a good job. i'm going to take over. [laughter] >> yeah. >> you will not like what happens once i get involved. [laughter] it is weird.

she is a woman in that she likes to be with a powerful man. the next second she emasculate him and doesn't even know she is doing it. >> and she loves him. >> and she loves him. >> she keeps saying, i will take care of it. at that point, shooting with a gun right in front of him, calling him a -- >> be a man. that is her point. what are you? >> he is saying, do you know how stupid this is? he doesn't take the bait. it is a little bit about watching someone control their pride and ego. that is an interesting thing. you see them presenting something and what they really are coming to the surface. >> what is interesting to me is he is being tested throughout. there's a gradual tightening of the pressure on him because of

what the stakes are and losing what he is betting on forces him to reconsider and to get closer or distant to where he was in the beginning. >> he no longer compartmentalize s. you have been allowing yourself to be willfully ignorant. >> take a look. >> what is that? >> a gun. a gun. >> where did you get that? >> youngest daughter found in the bushes outside our front door. she was playing with it. look. it is loaded with the safety off. it wasn't some kid looking to take our tv. it was someone with a loaded gun looking into our window.

>> i'll take care of it. >> what does that mean when you say he would take care of it? it isn't a brick or a car window or a cute warning. this is your kid playing with a loaded gun. >> i know what it is! let me deal with it. >> you better. you are not going to like what happens once i get involved. >> here is what you said -- this man is not who i am at all. i don't know how i was going to find my way in. tell me more. >> yeah. the script is quite dense. it is about things that are very alien to me and not my interest. real estate business.

heating oil money. finance. all things i ran away from. finding my way into being passionate about heating oil and those things was tricky. and he doesn't speak with any contractions. >> elegance. >> yeah. finding that emotional spine of that guy was tricky. finding something to relate to. when i figured out he was a salesman and understood presentation, that keyed me in to the guy. >> here is what you said about your character -- [laughter] guess. >> a dictator? >> yes. >> i got the script through the

documentary on dick cheney. it was fresh in my mind. i sat down at a four-hour lunch. to me she is not the wife. she is dick cheney. he is the face of the partnership. in her eyes, she is the brain of it. she is going to do the dirty stuff he wants to be ignorant of. >> you do not want to be ignorant. you simply don't want to be involved in it or painted by it because it is strategic to him. did you discover an awareness that she thinks he is weak? >> i think that is part of it. i do not think he is that self-aware of these things. he is someone who came to this

country and worked his way through in a blue-collar kind of way. he was a truck driver. he got into sales because he has a personality. it is laid out in the script. we got together. >> we got together over tea and went through everything aligned in the script. what does this mean. have we ever been physically violent? we made so specific when we were on set -- >> the two of you -- >> went to the director with our binders. this is what we figured out. he was like you julliard kids are freaking me out. [laughter] >> here is another scene. take a look. you are talking to the da. >> this is probably one you are

going to regret. >> excuse me? >> my husband is an honorable man. we are not who you think we are. >> i think i know your father. >> good for you. my husband is not my father. not even close. so if i were you at the start treating us with a little more respect or a guarantee he will make it his mission in life to ruin you. very disrespectful. [laughter] >> you love to that, didn't you? >> i didn't know when it was

happening it would become a whole thing. the people are tweeting me gif ts. fantastic. people come up to the streets and say, it's disrespectful. i love it. it is so gangster. >> fantastic. >> i know. david and i have been in three films. this is the first thing we ever had together. our characters never cross. it was good fun. she is not even aware of it. when she says, my husband is not my father. she keeps mixing up him and us. you better treat us with respect or she will make it his mission in life to destroy you. she's actually talking about herself. it is so cool. [laughter] >> that was bringing out a piece

of cake to them. >> when you talk about i want long nails or give them a piece of cake, people thought that was crazy. why would she hand him a cake? when you see it, it is so emasculating for this da to be standing there holding a birthday cake and using we are friends and then she -- >> did anyone mention the character lady macbeth? >> they bring it up a lot. it is a wife tried to talk her husband into doing something legal for their own benefit. the difference between lady macbeth and anna is lady macbeth goes crazy. anna does not. violence does not turn her stomach. it excites her. i think it we saw her in a year,

10 or five years, something is starting to be open. now they have a conversation or she doesn't have to be secret about the way she has been handling things. now it is out in the open. even though he hasn't verbally agreed, he has taken the money. now we don't have to play this game. >> she has the money. in order to save his best the thing he thought was the key to being competitive. >> right. or he would have lost everything. >> it was right there on the line. >> a lot of these people are mega-successful. there has been at least two or three times in their lives where they have literally risked everything to grow. that is what you are seeing. >> 30 days risking everything. >> absolutely everything.

>> where is he in the end? he wants to achieve his goal. people put obstacles in his way. >> i do not know exactly. i think he can feel confident that his strategy has worked. >> in the end, he triumphs? or he simply knows through self-realization that he had to change in order to achieve? >> he does at a certain point resort to some violence. he doesn't go all the way. he resorts to taking money that was illegal. he does allow himself to really see for the first time. unfortunately it doesn't have that innocence anymore by the end. this is the hardest thing he could do is tell the truth.

to tell the truth, you have to believe what you are sa ying. at the end, he doesn't say i take the right path. he is going to take the path that is most right. >> talk about acting. are there compromises in acting similar not having to do with fried or illegal things, but some sense of how you saw a career that might be unfolding verses in the end how it unfolds? >> i've been lucky. i never had to do that. it took me a long time to bake -- breakthrough in this industry . i was playing a lot of victims. i wouldn't want to do that anymore. at the time and didn't think

about what i was putting out into the world. like every character i was playing with getting raped or brutalized in some way on these tv shows. a terrible thing to keep putting out in this world. >> you were typecast as a victim . >> i did a guest spot on a tv show where i got raped and brutalized. the next week i got a guest spot on another tv show. i didn't have to audition. it was the same reducer. it was the right victim. i didn't want to be typecast -- i was the rape victim. i didn't want to be typecast. >> how does an actor make you better? >> if someone shows up and they are bringing it, you have got to bring it back. you cannot be lazy. you look like a full if you do

not know your lions i do not know what i'm doing. >> she provoked me. sometimes i didn't know if it was an hour jessica doing it. we would do vastly different things. there would be a scene where we are fighting and i tried to hit a glass out of her hands and it didn't go. she would laugh at me. i couldn't handle it. it would force me to deal with what was happening. >> we just got to play. i trusted -- i could trust him to do anything. it was never out of the world of the character. it was never just to be different and fun. i had to be present because he was present. those are those actors you show up, you have to be in the moment present. if you're thinking about how you're going to say or line or what you're going to have for lunch or if you're cold, it is

gone. >> you said you found what you wanted to do with your life is acting. has a given you what you thought it would give you? >> yes. >> what is that? >> it is the only thing that weirdly enough gives me calm and peace. it is the one thing i know i could do and the joy it gives me. the part i love the most is the preparation. the possibilities are endless when you're looking for inspiration. it is a creative process. it has been really rewarding. >> talk about women i just interviewed reese witherspoon. in order to take control of her own life and put together a production company she was not getting the roles that she

thought that she should having won an oscar and other things. is that an issue? >> i'm lucky i'm getting sent incredible scripts. i'm so grateful for it. as an audience member, i'm very set to go to the cinema and not -- i'm upset to go to the cinema not see the diversity. especially for women. >> people say there is meryl streep. >> there is only one. an incredible actress. there's also jessica lange. glenn close. why are there not enough roles? i don't think people in the industry are sexist or racist. i think there are a lot of really good people in the industry. i think we have been stuck.

the stories have been mostly about men. the writing -- even across the board, there's only 3% of vp's who are women. you have to know people. it does not as difficult for men to break through. as it is for women. >> it is interesting. do think women look after each other more than men do? >> i look after women. >> i know you do. and other women. they feel they have a commitment. >> i loved a piece written in "the hollywood reporter." amazing. >> he talked to me. tom cruise doesn't have an obligation to a white audience but i feel and then still feels

-- denzel feels an obligation to open more doors to more women. >> when you are starting of course you do not say anything. you just want to work. you are so excited. it invited to the clubs, i'm here. i don't want to upset anyone. we always take care of each other. i know men who speak up that there should be more female roles. the role used to be a man and he changed it to a woman. >> because he saw you in the role? >> it was the character. it goes to show women and men

are not that different. the da ease they could have been a woman as a man -- the da easily could have been a woman or a man. >> how is he different as a director? >> he is like an independent film director. i was really scared before i went to shoot that film. i thought, this is a blockbuster. you show up. all of the sets were practical. they built everything. no green screen. the dust was real. wait. we have enough money to go on. we finished i think two weeks early. >> here is a clip. >> will you spend the night? the room is exactly as you left

it. >> too many memories. >> i might have something for that. [coughs] >> the dust. >> i have a friend who -- could look at his lungs. [coughs] >> wow. >> it is interesting. it's funny watching the clips from "a most violent year." it makes you grateful for our training. even the energies of the characters are so different. one is comfortable in her skin. i'm here. you're welcome. the other wants to disappear.

that is what we learned in class. >> what did you learn from the point brother's? >> pain. [laughter] >> a little sadistic. >> really? >> you didn't know that? >> are they terrible? [laughter] >> when it comes to comedy i would do it. then i would go back and think about pain the pain of this person. i would have that in there. and they would crack up. >> the more in pain you were? >> the more they laughed. i think they laughed when they see something truthful. >> that is smart. >> they are great.

a couple of the next. -- beatniks. >> you felt a real responsibility to carry the film. >> no. that doesn't come into it at all. then you get ahead of it too much. i'm interested in the speculative effect of what happens. in a way it is similar when you are that close to the character and your with them that long, i think it is more interesting to do the slow play and eat out little by little -- eke out little by little who the character is. you get a sense of who this person is as opposed to pull away the scene of everything. >> they love talking about the craft of it all and understanding the process. it is by nature something that

you are constantly learning. >> definitely. >> there's a window you could put up there and take a look at it and think about or experiment on the set. >> curiosity is the most important thing. staying curious about what it is and how. we are being paid to inhabit a psyche for a certain amount of time and play that out. play that meditation out and i'm curious of how that process is and refining it. every character is different. everyone you plate requires different parts of yourself. -- you play requires different parts of yourself. >> i love coming here talking about acting. >> and all of those things.

"a most violent year" is out now. it goes out wide friday, january 23. thank you for joining us. see you next time. ♪

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>> i'm mark halperin. >> and i'm john heilemann and with all due respect to president obama -- no pressure dude. we will be watching closely. we decided to run a couch for all of our guests. eric can'twe have an hour until president obama begins his speech. we will start talking to a congressman joining us now from washington, tom price of