A new movie about the Tuskegee Airmen heroes of World War II is to become one of the only films to be screened privately for two U.S. presidents before its release.
Red Tails star Terrence Howard has already joined former President George H. Bush for a screening in Houston, Texas and he will take the film to the White House on Friday (13Jan12) for a viewing with President Barack Obama.
The Hustle & Flow star can only hope the current U.S. leader likes the film as much as his predecessor and his wife Barbara.
He says, "I sat there between President Bush and Mae Jemison, the very first black female astronaut. I've done 60 films in my life, and never before have I screened a film with the president.
"President Bush loved it... and his wife Barbara sat there covering her eyes at the explosions and walked out crying at the end of the movie.
"Bush said, 'Yeah, that's what it was like,' because he sat inside the belly of the bomber planes, so when he was watching he was like, 'This is scary, it's almost real.' I was asking him what he thought of the Red Tails (pilots) and he was like, 'I didn't know they were black back then!' He was thrilled. I'm really learning that these teenagers (Tuskegee airmen) were something more than we could have ever imagined."