written by pulitzer prize winners suzan—lori parks and directed by lee daniels who made precious andhe butler this retelling of holiday's story imagines a relationship between the singer and the federal agent sent to spy on her. understandable, when he's played by the broodingly handsome travanti rhodes, who made such an impact in the moonlight. it reminds them that they're killing us. ironically undercuts the more powerful narrative about holiday's roles of a voice of civil rights activism and the authorities�* desire to silence her by any means necessary. it doesn't help that daniels, who's always been a gleefully unruly director, throws the audience several stylistic cu rve balls. careening wildly from stagey interviews to hallucinatory horrors and audacious musical interludes giving the drama a districtjointed episodic air. what saves the film from falling apart, however, is day, whose performance in the title role is utterly mesmerising. while the movie itself may be chaotic, she keeps it grounded in reality. perfectly capturing the poise in raw power of her character. the unite

. >> oh, no, you know what it is, i have to tell you, i -- my experience with lee daniels, with suzan-lorih the entire production was paradigm shifting and one of the most amazing experiences of my life so, you know, i will say because i'm scared, but i think the real reason is because it feels like watching the film is watching the culmination of everything we poured into her, and my experience with her was so amazing, and i love her spirit being sort of our spirits. commingling and it just seems like watching the film will be -- that's the chapter closed and i hadn't -- it's a while. there hasn't been a place where i've been willing to close that chapter. i want to watch the director's cut with lee. >> way to do it. >> he was here -- he was here yesterday and he was singing your praises. boy. uh-huh. >> we cannot wait to watch "the united states vs. billie holiday." it premieres february 26th on hulu and can't wait for your performance here in a couple of minutes. >>> coming up next the talented quilters of gee's bend. ♪ just a little bit ♪ covid's still a threat. and on reopening school

meant in harlem and such but it wasn't the true story and didn't find out until years later through suzan-lorights movement as we know it to be and i had to do it. i had to tell her story. >> and we have to let everybody see a little bit of a clip right now. here it is. >> i cut strange fruit. >> no, joe, i want to sing the damn song. the club advertised it. people pay good money to sing it. >> people in high places don't want you singing that song. >> and i've asked you over a hundred types what people, joe? what you looking at him for? i'm the one that pays you. >> the government. >> oh, wow. and that is andra day, the singer andra day playing billie already getting oscar buzz. at first, lee, you didn't think she was right for the role. what finally convinced you she was the one? >> well, i didn't think she was right for the role until i met her and she had me -- she didn't think she was right for the role. she -- she's like, are you sure i can play billie holiday and i found myself at the end of the meeting, talking an actor into -- who i didn't want for the role into playing the role, and

written by pulitzer prize winner suzan—lori parks and directed by lee daniels, who made precious andy on her — understandable when he's played by the broodingly handsome trevante rhodes, who made such an impact in moonlight. it reminds them that they're killing us. yet focusing on their speculative conflicted romance ironically undercuts the more powerful narrative about holiday's role as of a voice of civil rights activism, and the authorities' desire to silence her by any means necessary. # ..twisted mouth... it doesn't help that daniels, who's always been a gleefully unruly director, throws the audience several stylistic curve balls, careening wildly from stagey interviews to hallucinatory horrors and audacious musical interludes, giving the drama a disjointed episodic air. # ..that sudden smell... what saves the film from falling apart, however, is day, whose performance in the title role is utterly mesmerising. while the movie itself may be chaotic, she keeps it grounded in reality, perfectly capturing both the elegant poise and raw power of her character. #..crop... the united