The Great Debaters (2007)
The true story of a brilliant but politically radical debate team coach who uses the power of words to transform a group of underdog African-American college students into a historical powerhouse that took on the Harvard elite.
Videos
Watch Providers
Casting arrow_drop_down
Denzel Whitaker
as James Farmer Jr.
as James Farmer Jr.
Denzel Washington
as Melvin B. Tolson
as Melvin B. Tolson
Nate Parker
as Henry Lowe
as Henry Lowe
Jurnee Smollett
as Samantha Booke
as Samantha Booke
Forest Whitaker
as Dr. James Farmer Sr.
as Dr. James Farmer Sr.
Kimberly Elise
as Pearl Farmer
as Pearl Farmer
Jermaine Williams
as Hamilton Burgess
as Hamilton Burgess
Gina Ravera
as Ruth Tolson
as Ruth Tolson
John Heard
as Sheriff Dozier
as Sheriff Dozier
Devyn A. Tyler
as Helen Farmer
as Helen Farmer
Trenton McClain Boyd
as Nathaniel Farmer
as Nathaniel Farmer
Ritchie Montgomery
as Deputy
as Deputy
Jackson Walker
as Pig Owner
as Pig Owner
Tim Parati
as Pig Farmer
as Pig Farmer
Robert X. Golphin
as Dunbar Reed
as Dunbar Reed
Justice Leak
as Harland Osbourne
as Harland Osbourne
Glen Powell
as Harvard Debater #1
as Harvard Debater #1
Brad Watkins
as Harvard Debater #2
as Harvard Debater #2
Brian Smiar
as Harvard Dean
as Harvard Dean
Damien Leake
as Wilson
as Wilson
Voltaire Sterling
as Paul Quinn Debater #1
as Paul Quinn Debater #1
Stephen Rider
as Paul Quinn Debater #2
as Paul Quinn Debater #2
Gordon Danniels
as Paul Quinn Debate Judge
as Paul Quinn Debate Judge
Donny Boaz
as Oklahoma City College Debater #1
as Oklahoma City College Debater #1
Samuel Elliott Whisnant
as Oklahoma City College Debater #2
as Oklahoma City College Debater #2
Bonnie Johnson
as Dr. Jennings
as Dr. Jennings
Charissa Allen
as Benita
as Benita
Michael Beasley
as Trudell
as Trudell
Gary Mathis
as Enormous Man
as Enormous Man
George Wilson
as Samuel
as Samuel
Fahnlohnee R. Harris
as Clementine
as Clementine
Harold Evans
as William Taylor
as William Taylor
J.D. Evermore
as Captain Wainwright
as Captain Wainwright
Sharon Jones
as Lila
as Lila
Kelvin Payton
as Joseph
as Joseph
Southey Blanton
as White Labor Organizer
as White Labor Organizer
Michael Mattison
as White Sharecropper #1
as White Sharecropper #1
Jeff Braun
as White Sharecropper #2
as White Sharecropper #2
Milton R. Gipson
as Prairie View Professor
as Prairie View Professor
Frank Ridley
as Security Guard
as Security Guard
Jeremiah Kissel
as Radio Announcer at Harvard Debate
as Radio Announcer at Harvard Debate
Jack Radosta
as White Man at Lynching
as White Man at Lynching
Alvin Youngblood Hart
as Juke Joint Musician #1
as Juke Joint Musician #1
Dom Flemons
as Juke Joint Musician #2
as Juke Joint Musician #2
Justin Robinson
as Juke Joint Musician #3
as Juke Joint Musician #3
Rhiannon Giddens
as Juke Joint Musician #4
as Juke Joint Musician #4
Ahmad Powell
as Fisk Professor
as Fisk Professor
Marcus Lyle Brown
as Howard Debater #1
as Howard Debater #1
Gary Mattis
as Enormous Man
as Enormous Man
arrow_drop_down
Crew arrow_drop_down
Robert Eisele
Writer
Writer
Denzel Washington
Director
Director
Harvey Weinstein
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
David Crockett
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Melody Fowler
Associate Producer
Associate Producer
Jeffrey Porro
Story
Story
Molly Allen
Co-Producer
Co-Producer
Bob Weinstein
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Joe Roth
Producer
Producer
Valeria Scoon
Associate Producer
Associate Producer
Kate Forte
Producer
Producer
Todd Black
Producer
Producer
Oprah Winfrey
Producer
Producer
John Breinholt
Editorial Coordinator
Editorial Coordinator
Hughes Winborne
Editor
Editor
Austin Anderson
Animal Coordinator
Animal Coordinator
Patrick Tendai Pfupajena
Production Assistant
Production Assistant
Denise Chamian
Casting
Casting
Karen Golden
Script Supervisor
Script Supervisor
Patrick Cassidy
Set Decoration
Set Decoration
John R. Jensen
Art Direction
Art Direction
Sharen Davis
Costume Design
Costume Design
David J. Bomba
Production Design
Production Design
Greg Hale
Second Assistant Director
Second Assistant Director
Robert Powell
Stunt Double
Stunt Double
Eric Norris
Stunts
Stunts
Gerard 'Gus' Williams
Stunts
Stunts
Joe Nin Williams
Stunts
Stunts
Bobby Beckles
Stunts
Stunts
Gregg Brazzel
Stunts
Stunts
Thirl Haston
Stunts
Stunts
Jono Oliver
First Assistant Director
First Assistant Director
Steven Ritzi
Stunt Coordinator
Stunt Coordinator
Russell Towery
Stunts
Stunts
Lex D. Geddings
Stunts
Stunts
Kevin Beard
Stunts
Stunts
Jim Henry
Stunts
Stunts
Stephen A. Pope
Stunt Coordinator
Stunt Coordinator
Sean J. O'Shea
First Assistant "B" Camera
First Assistant "B" Camera
Frank Perry Rose
Costumer
Costumer
Belinda Anderson
Key Hair Stylist
Key Hair Stylist
Jeff Valeri
Production Coordinator
Production Coordinator
Jacob Ross
Best Boy Grip
Best Boy Grip
Darryl Humber
Dolly Grip
Dolly Grip
Helen Britten
Assistant Set Decoration
Assistant Set Decoration
Shellie Gillespie
Art Department Coordinator
Art Department Coordinator
Dillon Jim Breithaupt
Art Department Assistant
Art Department Assistant
Tateum Kohut
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
LaToya Henderson
Makeup Artist
Makeup Artist
Frederick Shear
Assistant Accountant
Assistant Accountant
Kali R. Harrison
Second Second Assistant Director
Second Second Assistant Director
Stephen Beasley
Rigging Gaffer
Rigging Gaffer
G. Marq Roswell
Music Supervisor
Music Supervisor
Frances Jacques-LeCompte
Seamstress
Seamstress
Brian McNulty
Post Production Supervisor
Post Production Supervisor
Jodie Stern
Assistant Costume Designer
Assistant Costume Designer
Giselle Spence
Seamstress
Seamstress
Valerie Gladstone-Appel
Assistant Hairstylist
Assistant Hairstylist
Andrea Bowman
Hairstylist
Hairstylist
Cid Swank
Unit Publicist
Unit Publicist
David Lee
Still Photographer
Still Photographer
Jack English
Gaffer
Gaffer
Christopher Gray
Extras Casting
Extras Casting
Geraud Brisson
Additional Editor
Additional Editor
Greg Orloff
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Rob Simons
Assistant Art Director
Assistant Art Director
Gary Tolbert
Aerial Director of Photography
Aerial Director of Photography
Gary A. Theard
Boom Operator
Boom Operator
C. Alan Rawlins Sr.
Key Grip
Key Grip
Ian Crockett
Post Production Coordinator
Post Production Coordinator
Nikki I Brown
Makeup Artist
Makeup Artist
Andrea Young
Hairstylist
Hairstylist
Riko Schatke
Best Boy Grip
Best Boy Grip
Angela Demo
Casting Associate
Casting Associate
Virle S. Reid
Assistant Property Master
Assistant Property Master
Gary Damian Thomas
Storyboard Artist
Storyboard Artist
Xiomara Comrie
First Assistant "A" Camera
First Assistant "A" Camera
David Hickey
Payroll Accountant
Payroll Accountant
Ted Sapp
Key Rigging Grip
Key Rigging Grip
Rick Kline
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Xiomara Comrie
Second Assistant "A" Camera
Second Assistant "A" Camera
Tiffani L. Stephenson
Camera Loader
Camera Loader
Diah Wymont
Assistant Costume Designer
Assistant Costume Designer
Nicki Johnson
Assistant Production Coordinator
Assistant Production Coordinator
Alison Cannon
Production Accountant
Production Accountant
Christian Juneau
Extras Casting Assistant
Extras Casting Assistant
Mark La Bonge
"A" Camera Operator
"A" Camera Operator
Carl Fullerton
Makeup Department Head
Makeup Department Head
Linda Lazar
Makeup Artist
Makeup Artist
Kei Rowan-Young
Location Manager
Location Manager
Tommy Samona
Leadman
Leadman
Jack Lynch
Special Effects Supervisor
Special Effects Supervisor
John Breinholt
Co-Editor
Co-Editor
Riki Lin Sabusawa
Key Costumer
Key Costumer
Willie D. Burton
Sound Mixer
Sound Mixer
Natalia Anderson
Production Secretary
Production Secretary
George Bott
Additional Second Assistant Director
Additional Second Assistant Director
Christina DeCharles
Assistant Location Manager
Assistant Location Manager
Pamela Rittelmeyer
"B" Camera Operator
"B" Camera Operator
Matiki Anoff
Key Makeup Artist
Key Makeup Artist
C. Alan Berry
Props
Props
David Crockett
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Pamela Rittelmeyer
First Assistant "A" Camera
First Assistant "A" Camera
Kenneth Walker
Hair Department Head
Hair Department Head
Valerie Bleth Sharp
Production Supervisor
Production Supervisor
Yvonne Bastidos
Set Costumer
Set Costumer
Larry M. Cherry
Hairstylist
Hairstylist
Anne Scott
First Assistant Accountant
First Assistant Accountant
Jamie Horwitz
Assistant Accountant
Assistant Accountant
John Bankson
Property Master
Property Master
Mark La Bonge
Steadicam Operator
Steadicam Operator
Janice Hudson
Hairstylist
Hairstylist
James Babineaux
Best Boy Electric
Best Boy Electric
Natalie Ballesteros
Casting Assistant
Casting Assistant
Denise Pugh-Ruiz
Assistant Makeup Artist
Assistant Makeup Artist
Dana Kay Hart
Costume Supervisor
Costume Supervisor
Mitzi Haralson
Set Costumer
Set Costumer
Alex Borys
Assistant Location Manager
Assistant Location Manager
Jeffery D. Woodrel
Special Effects Coordinator
Special Effects Coordinator
Kim Drummond
ADR Supervisor
ADR Supervisor
Howard London
ADR Mixer
ADR Mixer
Nannette Palmer
Set Medic
Set Medic
John Marquis
Sound Effects Editor
Sound Effects Editor
Jerry G. Henery
Construction Coordinator
Construction Coordinator
Ryan Misselhorn
Greensman
Greensman
Dorian Cheah
Sound Designer
Sound Designer
Howard Berger
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Ted Moser
Transportation Coordinator
Transportation Coordinator
Lois Yaroshefsky
Studio Teacher
Studio Teacher
Kami Asgar
Supervising Sound Editor
Supervising Sound Editor
Todd Kasow
Music Editor
Music Editor
Jonathan Klein
Foley Supervisor
Foley Supervisor
Barbara McDermott
Music Editor
Music Editor
Greg Nicotero
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Justin Nance
Transportation Co-Captain
Transportation Co-Captain
Tim Tuchrello
Sound Effects Editor
Sound Effects Editor
Amy Kane
Foley Artist
Foley Artist
Fred Peck III
Sound Recordist
Sound Recordist
Scott Childers
Construction Foreman
Construction Foreman
Elizabeth Rainey
Foley Artist
Foley Artist
Eryne Prine
Assistant Sound Editor
Assistant Sound Editor
Brian Smith
ADR Mixer
ADR Mixer
Richard A. Davis
Transportation Captain
Transportation Captain
Erin Oakley
ADR Editor
ADR Editor
Jon Wakeham
Sound Effects Editor
Sound Effects Editor
Herwig Maurer
Sound Effects Editor
Sound Effects Editor
Anita Cannella
Foley Artist
Foley Artist
Carmine Rubino
Foley Mixer
Foley Mixer
Jacob Riehle
First Assistant Sound Editor
First Assistant Sound Editor
Dean Allison
Construction Foreman
Construction Foreman
Scott G.G. Haller
Dialogue Editor
Dialogue Editor
Michael Dressel
Foley Editor
Foley Editor
Sean McCormack
Supervising Sound Editor
Supervising Sound Editor
Larry Misselhorn
Greensman
Greensman
James Passanante
Paint Coordinator
Paint Coordinator
Philippe Rousselot
Director of Photography
Director of Photography
Peter Golub
Original Music Composer
Original Music Composer
James Newton Howard
Original Music Composer
Original Music Composer
arrow_drop_down
