The Great Debaters Pay a Visit
Actors spend Boys & Girls Club time

Actors from The Great Debaters, Nate Parker (left) and Denzel Whitaker (right), test their billiard skills at BGC of Hollywood with their young tour guide, Adrian Booker.

The young stars of Denzel Washington's latest film, The Great Debaters, have been busy as of late promoting their film. However busy their schedules have been, though, the celebrities still found time to sit down with young reporters representing BGCA's YNet, a Web site for Club members. The actors also visited with BGC youth in the Los Angeles area.

On Sunday, Dec. 9, YNet reporters Nicole (16 years old) and Jessica (13 years old) built their reporting resumes when they interviewed not only Nate Parker, Denzel Whitaker and Jurnee Smollett of The Great Debaters, but Denzel Washington as well.
 
The experience was moving as Washington reminded the two reporters, and YNet viewers everywhere, "Do what you've got to do, to do what you want to do."

More excitement was in store on Tuesday night when the YNet crew worked the red carpet at the movie's premiere in Los Angeles. The young reporters interviewed some of the movie's finest stars, but were completely stunned by a surprise interview with Oprah (one of the film's producers).

Young Stars Make Work Into Play

Earlier that day on Tuesday, members of the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood (Calif.) got to rub elbows with the stars. The Great Debaters celebrities Nate Parker and Denzel Whitaker took some time to relax, tour the Club and visit with Club youth. 10-year-old Adrian Booker led the stars on a Club tour and then challenged them to an exciting game of pool. After talking about their roles in the movie and their acting careers, the young role models fielded questions from youth and signed posters for the Club.

Though the visit was designed to highlight the movie and promote healthy life choices to young people, the two stars found time to play and have fun, interacting and answering questions from members. Nate Parker, a Club alumnus, felt right at home at BGC of Hollywood and shot a game of pool while Whitaker challenged some kids in the tech center to a math game on one of the computers. The two celebrities' visit inspired the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood youth to learn to follow their dreams and never give up until they have achieved them.