Lee Daniels Says Fox's 'Empire' Was 'The Worst Experience,' But Doesn't Regret The 'Money, Money, Money'

Lee Daniels broke his silence on the horrible time he had making the hit series 'Empire' for Fox.

While promoting his new Netflix film 'The Deliverance,' the 64-year-old admitted that the only reason he decided to jump on board was to get his feet wet.

"I only did 'Empire' just so I could see what that experience was like," Daniels told 'The Film Stage' while promoting his new horror movie. When asked what it was like, the filmmaker didn't hold back.

"Horrible. Absolutely the worst experience. Horrible!" he exclaimed, per 'Entertainment Weekly.' "But guess what? F*****g that money, money, money! I was able to put my kids through college."

Per the Hollywood hub, it was Daniels' early experiences in independent filmmaking that rendered him curious as to what it might be like to work for A-list studios like Fox and Netflix. He also shared some additional details regarding his journey in the field.

"I don't like staying in the same lane just as a creative," he recalled. "When I got into television, I really just wanted to be able to answer to suits. I wanted to know what that experience was like. All of my friends, they get notes.. .And I'm like, 'What is that like?' You know what I mean? Because every film of mine had been independent."

The award-winning director told 'Vulture' he was left "shook" after an experience with the human resources department where they warned him about censorship, which he recalled was "around the time of the whole Harvey Weinstein thing."

The producer was cautioned not to use certain words, including the b-word on set. He was warned not to "look people in the eyes too long," and was told to be mindful about touching. "These are all things that I do in my room when I work. And then they said, 'And you can't say the N-word.' I was shook," he said.

"It led to a bigger conversation of me being afraid to be me on the set and how I make my movies. I said, 'I can't have this conversation. I need to know who I can call on you. Because you have me triggered. You're not going to play these games with me.' "

Daniels did decide he would keep a certain connection under his belt, as his new film 'The Deliverance' — which fans continue to gush about on social media — was for Netflix. "Okay, let me just give them what they want a little bit because it's a Lee Daniels film, but it's also a Netflix film," the creator stated per 'EW.'

The cast of the film, including Mo'Nique, Glenn Close, and Andra Day, later revealed paranormal activity occurred on set while filming — including health scares and the death of a pet.

Tags

Empire, Lee Daniels