Good Day Viewer Story: September 17, 2015

Captive lead actor David Oyelowo Interview with Buck Lanford -A single mother struggling with drug addiction is taken hostage in her own apartment by a man on the run after breaking out of jail and murdering the judge assigned to his case.  
It sounds like a made up, Hollywood storyline, too embellished to believe, but it's not.  It happened, and it happened right here in Atlanta in March of 2005.  In fact according to the star of Captive, the movie, David Oyelowo who plays murderer on the run Brian Nichols, there is nothing that Hollywood could add to this story that would make it any more dramatic.  It is truly art imitating life.
 
For Oyelowo, portraying a character such as Nichols was not easy.  It was tough to try to put himself in the mindset of a man that was capable of murdering four people in the morning.  His goal of humanizing a man that many consider a monster was further complicated by the fact that he was not able to meet and talk to Nichols, because he is currently serving multiple life sentences.

For that, he leaned on Ashley Smith, the woman who was taken hostage by Nichols that day served in a consulting role for this film.  Smith is played by actress Kate Mara, who was not familiar with the story, but was attracted to the role by her desire to work with her friend Oyelowo.  Both Mara and Oyelowo agree that Smith was very involved in the process of making this film, which put pressure on them to "get it right".  And in the end, Smith herself was very happy with the final result, according to Oyelowo.
 
Rick Warren's book, "The Purpose Driven Life" also plays a key role in this story.  On that fateful day, Smith, while being held hostage and scared for her life, looked to that book for guidance, reading excerpts aloud to Nichols.  In the end, this potentially horrific event for Smith, helped facilitate her turning her life around.  She was able to beat her addiction to meth and regain custody of her daughter.  
 
Prior to this role, Oyelowo, who is a Christian was already familiar with Warrens' book.  He loves the, no one is beyond redemption message that the movie sends, and the fact that it is done in a way that is "not preachy".  
 
While the film was not shot in Atlanta, the city certainly serves as a backdrop.  Captive will be in theatres on Friday, September 18. For more information click here.

Team Of Week : Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, GA .  Buck Lanford visits the school and congratulates them for being voted this week's High 5 Team Of The Week.  For more information click here.


Party in the Kitchen is the annual fundraiser for Open Hand Atlanta - celebrating its 12th year! 

Chef Kevin Rathbun's recipe for shrimp creole:

Yields 8 portions

For the shrimp creole

  • 1 stick (4 oz) Salted Butter
  • 2 cups Yellow Onions (diced)
  • 1 cup Green Bell Pepper (diced)
  • 1 cup Celery (diced)
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic (minced)
  • 2 each Bay Leafs
  • 2 Lbs Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1 tsp Whorchestire Sauce
  • 1 tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
  • ½ Cup Chicken Stock
  • 2 ½ # Shrimp 21--‐25s Peeled & Deveined
  • 2 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning
  • ¼ cup Green Onions (chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp Parsley (chopped)

For the rice:

  • 3 cups Long Grain Rice
  • 4 ½ cups Chicken stock or water
  • 2 Tbsp Salted Butter
  • 1 each Bay Leaf
  • 1 Tbsp Salt

Procedure:

In a large pot melt butter, add onions, bell pepper and celery sweat or slow sauté for 6--‐8 minutes add garlic and sweat 2 more minutes. Add bay leaf, tomatoes, whorchestire, hot sauce, chicken stock bring to a boil slow to a simmer add shrimp, and creole seasoning simmer for 10 minutes In a rice cooker add rice, stock, butter, bay leaf and salt, turn on

Rice cooker and let steam for 20 minutes Place 1 cup of rice in a bowl top with 2 cups shrimp

Creole garnish with scallion and parsley