Anthony Hemingway, 'Red Tails' director, on George Lucas, air fights and selling young viewers on the Tuskegee Airmen

Making your debut as a feature film director is already enough of a high-pressure situation, but for "Red Tails" director Anthony Hemingway, it was a once-in-a-lifetime scenario...

TheGrio Staff

Jan 18, 2012

From The Huffington Post: Making your debut as a feature film director is already enough of a high-pressure situation, but for “Red Tails” director Anthony Hemingway, it was a once-in-a-lifetime scenario. “Red Tails,” a rollicking World War II adventure movie about the Tuskegee Airmen — the highly decorated all-black aviation unit that ran over 200 successful bomber escort missions and helped desegregate the military — started as a passion project for “Star Wars” mastermind George Lucas.

WATCH ‘RED TAILS’ OFFICIAL TRAILER HERE:

The project sat in development for years, unable to find a major studio willing to fund a blockbuster featuring a predominantly black cast. Lucas eventually put up all the production money himself, and searched for an African-American voice to helm the movie.

Lucas discovered Hemingway in the world of television, where he was gaining attention for his work on the acclaimed HBO drama “The Wire.” (He now serves as executive producer / director on “Treme.”) Hemingway spoke with Moviefone about his experiences working with Lucas, the pressure of inheriting a high-stakes project from a Hollywood legend, and how “Red Tails” hopes to succeed with modern audiences.

CLICK HERETO READ THE INTERVIEW