Oprah Winfrey shines in new emotional trailer for 'Selma'
VIDEO - The official trailer has dropped for the civil rights drama 'Selma,' starring Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo...
The wait is over. The official trailer for Selma has finally arrived.
Selma is the story of a movement that changed the course of American history.
The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition.
The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement.
Selma is directed by Ava DuVernay and stars David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr., Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King, and Oprah Winfrey as voting rights activist Annie Lee Cooper.
During an interview Entertainment Tonight on the set of Selma in June, Winfrey appeared in character and opened up about the death of her close friend Maya Angelou.
“She was so proud that I was doing this movie. And she said, ‘Take it baby. Take it all the way. Take it all the way,’” Oprah told Entertainment Tonight. “She was a part of the movement, worked with Martin Luther King, understood what we were trying to do with this film.”
Voting is a topic at the forefront of culture. Whether debating the effects of voter ID laws or discussing the importance of voting to push for more police regulation, we find ourselves at a pivotal time in history. As we approach the theatrical release of SELMA and the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, take a reflective look at where America would be without this powerful movement via the below infographic that simply asks the question, “Can you vote?”
Follow theGrio.com’s Entertainment Editor Chris Witherspoon on Twitter @WitherspoonC.
