“I have absolutely nothing against Jennifer, but I have everything against the movie itself,” she said.
The film, titled Winnie, sparked controversy when two American stars were cast in the lead roles (besides Hudson in the title role, the movie also stars Terrence Howard as Nelson Mandela) and an actors’ union (the Creative Workers Union of South Africa) sought to boycott the film. Madikizela-Mandela also threatened to halt production of the movie.
“I was not consulted,” she siad. “I am still alive, and I think that it is a total disrespect to come to South Africa, make a movie about my struggle, and call that movie some translation of a romantic life of Winnie Mandela.”
Director Darrell Roodt (best known for Cry, The Beloved Country and the Oscar-nominated Aids film Yesterday) described the film as “the ultimate women’s movie” and “an amazing love story”, at the 2010 Cannes film festival.— Channel 24
