Attempting to document the life and career ofQuincy Jonesin just two hours is a formidable task.
“We wanted to make the definitive movie about his life,” theParks and Recstar tells EW.
They wanted to explore the human behind it.
Credit: Isaiah Trickey/FilmMagic
Still, Jones admits they weren’t able to cover it all.
“The one that really stands out to me is [Jackson’s]Bad.
We don’t even have time to cover that.”
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Your dad is one of the most important and celebrated figures in music.
How do you approach directing a project where he is the subject?
There are some really poignant family moments in this, including scenes with your dad in the hospital.
Did you ever wrestle with showing that footage to the public?
I am so protective of my dad, and obviously, that’s a very intimate story to tell.
My brother shot some of that stuff in the hospital, and then I shot some.
That was the original intention.
I think I could tell that story, because I know he’s a responder and a survivor.
That’s what I think made me comfortable doing it.
It was certainly not an easy decision.
I don’t want to pull punches.
So how do you balance your personal relationship with him versus your job as a director not pulling punches?
And then also, he can drive me crazy, like any kid with any parent.
Your mom, Peggy Lipton, plays a big role inQuincyas well.
Was she hesitant to talk about her relationship with your dad?
My mom was really, really incredible and generous through this process.
But because they still know and love each other, I think that really helped.
Like, our Thanksgiving dinners are still the ex-wives and the ex-girlfriends.
How did the family handle that?
My dad stopped drinking a couple years ago.
So I think his brain kind of started to process things differently.
It’s not who he is.
And that’s nobody’s fault.
I think maybe he forgot he was talking to a member of the press.
What can you say?
You anchored the film around the opening of the National Museum Of African American History And Culture.
Why was that important?
The sociopolitical climate changed while we were working on the film.
I mean, there are no words for it.
And then it’s slavery.
Then the next floor is Jim Crow.
This country that was built on a platform of racism and kidnapping.
My dad, he’s 85.
He was born in Chicago in the ’30s.
Did you learn anything surprising about your dad while making this?
I don’t think I realized how many times he’s done that.
I would say the only other thing is his need to survive through music.
Quincyhits Netflix on Sept. 21.
