Caribbean Actor Recounts “Spiritual” Encounter with Oprah on ‘Selma’ Film Set
Caribbean Actor Recounts “Spiritual” Encounter with Oprah on ‘Selma’ Film Set
(Atlanta, Georgia)… When Black History Month 2015 rolls in, a young Caribbean entertainment enthusiast says he will have greater appreciation for the American Civil Rights Movement after working on the set of the film Selma.
Bahamas-born Damario Major had the chance to play a civil rights marcher for a few days while working on the poignant film that retells the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and the Freedom March in Selma, Alabama. He says dressing in the costumes and working alongside actors who resurrected iconic historical figures was an unforgettable experience.
“I’ve done leading roles, speaking roles, background roles and even worked as a crew member,” said Major who was born and raised in Freeport, Bahamas. “This film and what it stands for is my greatest experience to date. It was an absolutely life changing.”
To add to it, Major says his encounter with the legendary Oprah Winfrey was a chance of a lifetime.
“Oprah is incomparable,” he said. “She served as a producer on the film and also acted. Oprah was nice to the entire cast no matter what your role was. The day we filmed with her actually was the day Maya Angelou passed away. Through all of that, Oprah still came to work and I was humbled to have witnessed her deliver a powerful performance. It looks great on camera but to be there, to feel her deliver through what must have been a horrible loss was nothing short of spiritual. It truly felt like we were living in a time where Black people weren’t able to register to vote.”
Major, who began his film and theater career in South Florida said that he is even more inspired to pursue his goals of helping others in the industry. He revealed that he wants to work with Caribbeans, especially Bahamians, to help them bring their talents to the US.
