Oprah Winfrey has been one of the biggest names on the small screen for more than 30 years. The Oprah Winfrey Show came to an end back in 2011, but the famous talk show host hasn't really slowed down since. Now she's heading to Netflix for a presentation that couldn't be more timely. Winfrey will interview director Ava DuVernay in a special at the subscription streaming service that will delve into DuVernay's latest project 13th. The special will mark the first time Oprah Winfrey has worked with Netflix in this sort of capacity.
The interview will run for 30 minutes and will feature Oprah Winfrey hosting a frank and informative discussion with Ava DuVernay about the filmmaking process that led to the production of the Netflix documentary 13th. The special will be called 13TH: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay and become available to subscribers in the U.S. on January 26. 13TH: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay will also tackle national and international reactions to 13th, the current conditions surrounding race relations in the U.S., and more. The later Netflix release has meant that folks who would not have been able to catch 13th in a theater have had the chance to watch the documentary for themselves.
Ava DuVernay is currently in the spotlight due to 13th, which debuted on Netflix in October 2016. 13th is a documentary that examines the plight of African Americans throughout American history, beginning at the end of the Civil War and chronicling developments all the way to present day. The project includes everything ranging from archival footage of the Civil Rights era to clips of the Black Lives Matter movement. 13th is named for the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that outlawed the practice of slavery. The documentary just scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature.
That said, it's somewhat surprising that Oprah Winfrey will host the interview for Netflix. Winfrey has her own television network, and it would have made sense if OWN - that is, the Oprah Winfrey Network - was the platform for any interview from Winfrey. Still, given that 13th was a Netflix release, it's fitting that an interview with Ava DuVernay is released on the streaming service, and Winfrey's contribution may attract more viewers than might have tuned in just for Ava DuVernay.
13TH: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay will debut on Netflix on Thursday, January 26. We'll let you know if Oprah Winfrey continues to get involved with Netflix in the future, which should be interesting. Plus, check out our 2017 Netflix premiere schedule to see what else the streaming service will have to offer in the coming weeks, and take a look at our full list of the 2017 Academy Award nominations to see what other projects are in the running for Oscars this year.
