Just a quick scan of Ava DuVernay’s resumé will reveal a list of history-making moments.
DuVernay made history by becoming the first Black woman to direct a blockbuster film with a budget of more than $100 million when she took the reins on this year’s A Wrinkle in Time. She was the first Black woman to win Best Director at Sundance in 2012 for Middle of Nowhere. And, in 2014, she made history as the first Black woman to land a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director for her phenomenal film Selma.
But DuVernay would have been breaking barriers and making history in another industry if she had stuck with her childhood dream.
Speaking with Reese Witherspoon, who starred in DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time, the director revealed that she initially planned to become a civil rights lawyer.
The clip is from Witherspoon’s Shine On with Reese, a series that sees the actress speaking with exceptional women who excel in their field.
The series, from AT&T and Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, will premiere July 17 on DIRECTV, DIRECTV NOW and U-Verse with the launch of the Hello Sunshine Video On Demand (VOD) channel.