Barack Obama, Kevin Costner, and Kate Winslet Headline Star-Studded History Talks
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, along with influential figures like Laura Bush, Kerry Washington, Nicole Avant, John Legend, and Eva Longoria, joined a star-studded lineup at A+E’s History Talks held at the Academy Museum. The event featured compelling discussions on topics ranging from westerns and revisionist history to the art of storytelling.
The day brought together a diverse group of celebrities, experts, and historians. While the Bushes’ conversation was held off-the-record, Obama engaged in a thoughtful dialogue with author Malcolm Gladwell. Their conversation touched on themes such as the power of storytelling, the Reconstruction era, and the Affordable Care Act—though they steered clear of current political campaigns.
Obama shared a poignant story about his grandmother’s younger brother, a teenager who served in an army unit that liberated a concentration camp during World War II. The former president used the story to illustrate the significance of storytelling itself.
“My grandmother used to tell me that when this 18-, 19-year-old Uncle Charlie came home, he went up into the attic and didn’t speak to anyone for six months,” Obama recalled. “At the time, there wasn’t even a name for what he was going through—no way to process what he witnessed. That’s the power of stories; they help us make sense of the unspeakable.”
Obama also spoke candidly about the early reception of the Affordable Care Act, affectionately dubbed “Obamacare.” “I was surprised it took so long to become popular,” he admitted, adding with a chuckle, “It didn’t help that we botched the website.”
Kate Winslet shared insights about her upcoming film Lee, a passion project nearly a decade in the making, which chronicles the life of photojournalist Lee Miller. Winslet spoke fervently about the film and used the platform to address persistent gender biases in Hollywood.
“People will say to me, ‘Oh my God, you were so brave in this performance—you had no makeup and looked kind of rough.’ But do we say that to men? ‘You were so brave, you grew a beard?’” Winslet questioned, earning laughter and applause.
She continued, “And then there’s the question, ‘How do you juggle being a mother and having a career?’ Do we ask men the same about fatherhood? We need to change that dynamic.”
When reflecting on how her roles have impacted her personally, Winslet was modest. “Sometimes I struggle with discussing the actor’s process because, at the end of the day, we’re not curing cancer,” she remarked thoughtfully.
