Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Story of A Life

Aired January 10, 2003 - 09:40   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Antwone Fisher's life is truly a profile in courage. Recently, I had a chance to talk to the real Antwone Fisher over his triumph over seemingly unbeatable odds, and I started off by asking him about some of his earliest memories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANTWONE FISHER, WRITER: From as far back as I can remember, being belittled, sexual abuse, being beaten and tied up and left in the basement for hours, a day or so. And this went on for years, until I was 14. And they went -- when I was kicked out of there. And from that, I went to an orphanage and then -- because no one would take me as a teenage boy, they put me in reform school, and I stayed there until I graduated from high school, and then I became homeless, because I didn't have a family to go to after school.

ZAHN: I know you say it's cathartic for you to not only write this story, but help turn it into a movie with Denzel Washington, but how painful is it for you, or has it been for you when you look at the daily rushes and basically have to relive some of the pain that you suffered for so many years?

FISHER: Well, when we were making the movie, some of the hardest scenes, I just didn't go to the set that day or I would leave until it was over. And when I watch it, when I have to watch it, I think of something else, you know, to avoid it.

ZAHN: Because to see this young man basically play you as a young man must be devastating.

FISHER: Well, it's the younger Atwone that bothers me the most. He went through the one -- he had the toughest scenes, being beaten, being tied up, being molested. Those are the scenes that were hard me to watch.

ZAHN: Now, Denzel Washington plays this Naval psychiatrist who has been sentimentally important person in your life. How did he change your life?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENZEL WASHINGTON, ACTOR: My wife is inviting you to Thanksgiving. She thinks you are very charming. Do you have any idea where she might have gotten that impression? Look at me when I'm talking to you.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: No, sir. (END VIDEO CLIP)

FISHER: He gave me a chance -- for the first time, I had an opportunity to tell my story. I remember I could never look at him. I would always sit on the floor in front of his desk, and he would sit at his desk and I would talk for the whole time, and he would answer me, but I couldn't see him.

ZAHN: I want you to come clean about what the true relationship was with you and Denzel Washington. He directed the film, but the bottom line is this is your story, this is your screenplay. Did you ever boss him around?

FISHER: No. Are you kidding? No. What's wrong with you? I wouldn't be doing that.

ZAHN: How did the two of you work together?

FISHER: Great.

ZAHN: He leaned on you. He counted on you every day to give him some sort of input.

FISHER: I remember on the set, one time, they were filming, and I felt like there was something wrong with the way something was delivered or something, and I just mentioned it to the producer or someone else. But the producer felt it was so important that he should tell Denzel.

So Denzel came out and said, you and me, we are supposed to be like this. And so from then on, whenever I felt that it was something I should speak up about, I always did. He always asked for my opinion. I was always included.

ZAHN: How do people treat you when they find out you're the real Antwone Fisher?

FISHER: Some people, they get freaked out. Some people, they just look at me like they have something they want to tell me or something. I don't know.

ZAHN: So you could be their psychiatrist and help them along?

FISHER: I don't have all of the answers, you know, but I take a lot of -- a lot of shame associated with my story, and I haven't gotten over a lot of that either, you know. So when people want to ask me questions, because they feel like they know me, because I've said so much about myself, and I get embarrassed sometimes.

ZAHN: Well, we applaud you on the long road you've traveled. You must be so proud of how far you've come. Your spirits haven't been broken.

FISHER: I'm amazed.

ZAHN: You're amazed, what can I say? I'm not surprised. You should be. Antwone Fisher, what a pleasure. Congratulations, and good luck at Oscar time with the movie.

Is Denzel going to get one?

FISHER: I hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired January 10, 2003 - 09:40   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Antwone Fisher's life is truly a profile in courage. Recently, I had a chance to talk to the real Antwone Fisher over his triumph over seemingly unbeatable odds, and I started off by asking him about some of his earliest memories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANTWONE FISHER, WRITER: From as far back as I can remember, being belittled, sexual abuse, being beaten and tied up and left in the basement for hours, a day or so. And this went on for years, until I was 14. And they went -- when I was kicked out of there. And from that, I went to an orphanage and then -- because no one would take me as a teenage boy, they put me in reform school, and I stayed there until I graduated from high school, and then I became homeless, because I didn't have a family to go to after school.

ZAHN: I know you say it's cathartic for you to not only write this story, but help turn it into a movie with Denzel Washington, but how painful is it for you, or has it been for you when you look at the daily rushes and basically have to relive some of the pain that you suffered for so many years?

FISHER: Well, when we were making the movie, some of the hardest scenes, I just didn't go to the set that day or I would leave until it was over. And when I watch it, when I have to watch it, I think of something else, you know, to avoid it.

ZAHN: Because to see this young man basically play you as a young man must be devastating.

FISHER: Well, it's the younger Atwone that bothers me the most. He went through the one -- he had the toughest scenes, being beaten, being tied up, being molested. Those are the scenes that were hard me to watch.

ZAHN: Now, Denzel Washington plays this Naval psychiatrist who has been sentimentally important person in your life. How did he change your life?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENZEL WASHINGTON, ACTOR: My wife is inviting you to Thanksgiving. She thinks you are very charming. Do you have any idea where she might have gotten that impression? Look at me when I'm talking to you.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: No, sir. (END VIDEO CLIP)

FISHER: He gave me a chance -- for the first time, I had an opportunity to tell my story. I remember I could never look at him. I would always sit on the floor in front of his desk, and he would sit at his desk and I would talk for the whole time, and he would answer me, but I couldn't see him.

ZAHN: I want you to come clean about what the true relationship was with you and Denzel Washington. He directed the film, but the bottom line is this is your story, this is your screenplay. Did you ever boss him around?

FISHER: No. Are you kidding? No. What's wrong with you? I wouldn't be doing that.

ZAHN: How did the two of you work together?

FISHER: Great.

ZAHN: He leaned on you. He counted on you every day to give him some sort of input.

FISHER: I remember on the set, one time, they were filming, and I felt like there was something wrong with the way something was delivered or something, and I just mentioned it to the producer or someone else. But the producer felt it was so important that he should tell Denzel.

So Denzel came out and said, you and me, we are supposed to be like this. And so from then on, whenever I felt that it was something I should speak up about, I always did. He always asked for my opinion. I was always included.

ZAHN: How do people treat you when they find out you're the real Antwone Fisher?

FISHER: Some people, they get freaked out. Some people, they just look at me like they have something they want to tell me or something. I don't know.

ZAHN: So you could be their psychiatrist and help them along?

FISHER: I don't have all of the answers, you know, but I take a lot of -- a lot of shame associated with my story, and I haven't gotten over a lot of that either, you know. So when people want to ask me questions, because they feel like they know me, because I've said so much about myself, and I get embarrassed sometimes.

ZAHN: Well, we applaud you on the long road you've traveled. You must be so proud of how far you've come. Your spirits haven't been broken.

FISHER: I'm amazed.

ZAHN: You're amazed, what can I say? I'm not surprised. You should be. Antwone Fisher, what a pleasure. Congratulations, and good luck at Oscar time with the movie.

Is Denzel going to get one?

FISHER: I hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com