Ava DuVernay is a woman who’s used to being first. The first African American woman director to have a film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar (2014’s Selma). The first woman of color to direct a $100 million film (Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, out next summer). The trailblazing creator, writer, director, and co-executive producer of OWN’s new hit series Queen Sugar is smashing glass ceilings—and helping other women do the same. Here’s how.
Glamour: Every episode of Queen Sugar is directed by a woman. Why?
Ava: In addition to that, we have a woman post-production supervisor, a woman colorist, a woman first AD, a woman production supervisor… I think it’s really sad when I hear so many shows are content to stay in a mono-cultural realm, not realizing how they are subtracting from their own greatness by not inviting women and people of color into the space—that seasoning that makes the recipe even more great. It was absolutely imperative for me. It’s how I run all my crews.