Lee Daniels’ new horror movie, The Deliverance, marks the much-anticipated reunion between the director and Mo’Nique after a feud that lasted over a decade. Remember how, as a kid, you’d go to bed on Christmas Eve, knowing something exciting was coming the next day? That’s the kind of buzz surrounding this movie. But let me tell you, there’s been a lot of drama around this production. We’re talking everything from rumors of real demonic events happening on set to people questioning the nature of Lee and Mo’Nique’s reunion. And if that wasn’t enough, Lee faced backlash for calling Glenn Close’s “white ratchety” character the fabric of the Black community. Before we even get into all that, though, I gotta ask: how did Lee even convince Glenn Close to play the character Alberta in the first place? Like, is she short on cash? Or did she owe him a favor?
This movie definitely got people talking, and as always, I’m here to break down the good, the bad, and the ugly—trust me, there’s plenty of all three. Starting with the good, the cast was straight-up phenomenal. A 10 out of 10. Lee Daniels really did his thing with this one, especially working with Mo’Nique again and making it all happen on Netflix. That’s a major win right there.
Now, let’s get into the story itself. It’s based on real events, which automatically makes it ten times creepier. The plot follows Ebony, a single biracial mother of three, who moves her recovering addict mom into her new house to help take care of the kids. On top of dealing with a nosy social worker, the family has to confront something way scarier—a demon that’s possessing the children. And believe it or not, this actually happened in real life. No wonder there were strange things happening on set!
After hearing about the eerie incidents on the sets of The Exorcist and Poltergeist, Lee Daniels decided to bring an actual deliverer onto the set of The Deliverance for extra protection. Despite this, strange things continued to happen. Lee, recalling all the mishaps that occurred during the making of The Exorcist, was determined not to let the same thing happen on his set. “I needed that peace of mind,” Lee shared. “So we prayed before every shoot. If some people didn’t believe in prayer, that was fine too.”
Turning to Glenn, one of the cast members, Lee asked, “I think we brought you in for some of those prayers, right? Was that the first time you experienced something like that on set?”
Glenn nodded, replying, “Yeah, especially with someone speaking in tongues. It was powerful.”
Lee then revealed another unsettling incident. His sister, who had appeared in every one of his films and was his good luck charm, was in a scene with Glenn where her character was undergoing chemotherapy. Just two days after shooting that scene, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. “It was one of those moments where you can’t help but feel a little creeped out,” Lee said.
Things got even stranger when Lee’s dog passed away on set. “We were doing a scene where we used a fire extinguisher to spray a demon away, but it backfired and hit my dog in the face. She died right there. That happened despite all the prayers we had been doing.”
As if that wasn’t enough, another star of the movie, Mo’Nique, ended up hospitalized during filming. They were shooting an outdoor scene where the demon was supposed to appear on top of a building, and they used wind effects to enhance the atmosphere. Mo’Nique mentioned, “Do we really need to do this scene? I’m struggling to breathe.” They pushed through, but shortly after, Mo’Nique’s thyroid became inflamed, and she fell seriously ill.
“It was just… a lot of strange, unsettling things happening during the making of The Deliverance,” Lee admitted, clearly shaken by the series of unfortunate events.
So, putting all the drama aside, Lee Daniels has been catching a lot of flak for saying that Glenn Close’s character is somehow a part of the Black community. Now, let’s be real—Glenn Close is an incredible actress, and she absolutely killed it in her role. No one’s arguing that. But her character, Alberta, was all about big teased wigs, heavy makeup, and tight outfits. According to Lee, Alberta was inspired by real white women who are often present in Black communities. He even posted on X, saying, “Every Black person knows an Alberta. She’s part of our community’s fabric, but we’ve never seen her on screen. Thanks, Glenn, for bringing her to life so beautifully.”
Glenn took the role seriously. When Lee told her that there are white women like Alberta in every Black community, she was intrigued and wanted to do the character justice. And let’s just say, people had a lot to say about Alberta. While Lee was out here claiming she was part of the Black community, plenty of Black folks were left scratching their heads. One person said, “The sewing scenes were cute, and I loved Glenn’s acting, but calling her the fabric of our community? Come on, Lee.” Another chimed in, “I’ve been Black for 37 years and have never met an Alberta. What community is she from?” And another comment was even harsher: “Why would you diss your main fan base—Black people—just to elevate a white character who’s not even paying attention to your work unless there’s something in it for them?”
On top of that, Alberta’s character is loosely based on LaToya Ammons, a real Black woman, which raised even more eyebrows. Someone pointed out, “Lee Daniels needs to be called out for this. He erased a real Black woman and gave her story to Glenn Close.” Then there was that uncomfortable scene where Alberta, while possessed by a demon, says, “I can smell your nappy…” referring to her daughter’s private parts.
Now, yes, she was possessed when she said it, but people were still not okay with it. One person summed it up: “Making this character white and then calling her part of the Black community? That’s one thing. But having her use a slur about Black women’s bodies? That’s another.”
Some people questioned whether Lee and Mo’Nique’s reconciliation was genuine, given their long history of tension. Even with all the behind-the-scenes drama, the movie still made it to Netflix, and it looked like their relationship was on the mend.
But what do you think? Does it bother you that the real-life grandmother was Black, and Lee could have chosen to cast a Black actress for the role? What are your thoughts on the strange things that went down on the set of The Deliverance? Do you think Lee had a plan in mind with Glenn’s casting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
