-
1 of 1Paula Kelly in costume for the film 'Sweet Charity' at Universal Studios, Los Angeles, California, 1969.Lawrence Schiller—Polaris Communications/Getty Images
To celebrate the launch of TIME’s new multimedia project – 100 Photographs: The Most Influential Images of All Time – we asked leaders in a number of fields, from technology to the arts to business, to share the single photograph that most influenced their lives. Purchase the 100 Photographs book now.
When I was a kid, this photo of the divine Paula Kelly inspired me to go to the movies to see Sweet Charity. Never in my life had I seen such elegance, raw talent and breath taking honesty on screen. She is an unsung hero and the reason that I am here.
Lee Daniels is an Academy Award nominated filmmaker.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Bad Bunny's Next Move
- 'How Is This Still Happening?' A Survivor Questions America's Gun Violence Problem
- Nicole Chung: The Person I Became After My Father's Death
- Can Birth Control Help Solve the World's Rat Problem?
- About That Devastating Tom-Shiv Scene in Succession's Premiere
- Why Humza Yousaf's Win Is 'Historic' for Scotland
- If Donald Trump Is Indicted, Here's What Would Happen Next in the Process
- It's Time to Say a Loving Goodbye to John Wick
- Who Should Be on the 2023 TIME100? Vote Now
- Column: Ozempic Exposed the Cracks in the Body Positivity Movement
