Documentary Spotlight NYC: Diddy, Murder, Music & the Missing
Portraits of Perseverance
Throughout his 40-plus-year career, filmmaker and Oscar-nominated producer Reginald Hudlin has collaborated with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, and even the legendary Sidney Poitier. However, even Hudlin was left with a fresh perspective on the industry thanks to his work as co-director on the two-part Apple TV+ documentary, Number One on the Call Sheet, where top Black actors and actresses recount their experiences on set.
“I just felt so fortunate to be asking these questions and getting these answers,” said Hudlin, who directed the two-part doc with Shola Lynch. “The movie is about a winner’s mindset, ultimately. But there are all these different paths to winning,” he adds, citing Oscar winners like Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman and populist entertainers like Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. “There’s all these paths to winning, but they all have something in common, which is being willing to do the work.”
‘Number One on the Call Sheet’ Apple TV+: The Ankler & Pure Nonfiction Documentary Spotlight
Filmmaker Reginald Hudlin has collaborated with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars in his career, including Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, and the legendary Sidney Poitier. However, even Hudlin was left with a fresh perspective on the industry thanks to his work as co-director on the two-part Apple TV+ documentary, Number One on the Call Sheet, where top Black actors and actresses recount their experiences on set. In conversation with Thom Powers on May 21, Hudlin recalls a “lightning bolt story” actor Laurence Fishburne tells on screen about his experiences on Apocalypse Now, and how a kind word from Martin Sheen changed Fishburne’s entire trajectory. “I just felt so fortunate to be asking these questions and getting these answers,” says Hudlin, who directed the doc with Shola Lynch. “The movie is about a winner’s mindset, ultimately. But there are all these different paths to winning,” he adds, citing Oscar winners like Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman and populist entertainers like Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. “They’re all successful and they’re all doing great work, and that’s an important message for everyone to hear.” You can watch Number One on the Call Sheet on Apple TV+.