What Movies Did The Obama Family Watch During White House Stay?
It appears that the Obama family are film devotees for they constantly asked for access to newly released movies which they would watch in the White House’s posh screening room.
“There was never a film they didn’t request to watch,” revealed a studio executive to The Hollywood Reporter.
One of the films Barack Obama requested to watch is La La Land. A few days before the family left the White House, they similarly requested for Monster Trucks. Apart from enjoying the films in the White House’s screening room, the family also watched in their private quarters as well as on Air Force One.
While it is a tradition for Hollywood studios to provide films to the White House for private viewing, not all presidents took advantage of the enticing perk.
“Bill Clinton was famously interested as well in movies, but that was in the DVD era, so more often than not, he would ask for DVDs,” the source said. “George W. not so much.”
In 1999, Clinton told the late film critic Roger Ebert, “The best perk of the White House is not Air Force One or Camp David or anything else, it’s the wonderful movie theater I get here.”
During his eight years of service, Clinton managed to watch 171 films in the screening room such as Forrest Gump, Fight Club, Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot, Mrs. Doubtfire, Apollo 13, You’ve Got Mail, Titanic, Message in a Bottle, A Bug’s Life, and the last film he watched in 2001, Chocolat.
His list, however, pales in comparison to Jimmy Carter’s tally. Carter watched a total of 400 films even if he only served for four years.
As for President Donald Trump, he asked for Finding Dory because he hosted a screening at the White House. After the animated film, his second request is James Franco’s Why Him.
Movies are not the only forms of entertainment Obama enjoys. His fascination for HBO’s Game of Thrones was widely reported as well.
Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss previously revealed that they would receive requests from Obama’s team for advanced copies of the episodes. “When the commander-in-chief says ‘I want to see advanced episodes,’ what are you gonna do?” they quipped.
Also Read: ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 6 Was a Beast to Make and Barack Obama Has Its Advanced Episode Copies
Liam Cunningham, known for his role as Ser Davos, told Vulture that Obama gets the DVD copies before the cast members do. He shared a story where the then president approached fifth season’s finale director David Nutter at a party.
Obama asked Nutter if Jon is truly dead to which the latter responded, “He’s deader than dead. Dead, dead, dead.” Surely he rejoiced when Nutter’s declaration turned out to be inaccurate all because of Melisandre.
In a Buzzfeed video shared by Entertainment Weekly, the former president even tries to name the characters in the HBO show who have met their demise.
“All right, you’ve got Ned, Robb, Khal Drogo, Jon – but maybe that doesn’t really count,” he said. The video was released when people were still wondering if Jon would return from the dead after being stabbed by his Night’s Watch “brothers.”
Obama also listed Renly and the Starks’ direwolves. Lastly, he mentioned Hodor and said his death “was sad.”
The former president recently saw “The Price” at the American Airlines Theater which stars Danny DeVito, Jessica Hecht, Mark Ruffalo, and Tony Shalhoub. Prior to watching the production, he enjoyed dinner with daughter Malia at a restaurant in Little Italy. The pair was game enough to pose for photos.
After leaving the Office, Barack and Michelle took a much-deserved post-presidency vacation in Palm Springs, California, and on Richard Branson’s private property in the British Virgin Islands.
[Featured Image by Pete Souza/The White House via Getty Images]
