Darrell Miller, Founding Chair of Fox Rothschild, Honored at Power of Law
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00:00Thank you Angela for those very kind words. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your leadership. And most of all, thank you and your husband, Courtney B. Vance, for trusting me to be your advocate, your consigliere, and a friend to you and your family for more than 20 years.
00:21It is an extraordinary honor to stand here today receiving this award. And I want to give a huge shout out and thank you to Variety.
00:36To be recognized by my peers in a room full of so many incredibly talented and inspiring individuals, it is truly humbling.
00:45I want to start by saying that this moment is not just mine. It belongs to the people who helped me, who shaped me, and who challenged me along the way.
00:57From my early days as a singer, when I had never imagined I would find myself in this space, to today, working with so many amazing clients, I've learned the path to success is never linear.
01:12It's full of unexpected twists and turns, but the ability to pivot and to adapt, that's really, you know, what defines us.
01:23I started my professional career as a musical theater performer, and at the height of that career, after touring in musical productions throughout the United States and in countries like Poland and Russia and India and Sri Lanka,
01:38I was inspired to parlay it all into a law degree on my way to ultimately to become a producer.
01:45I could have been fulfilled traveling the world and lifting our communities, but I needed more resources to be an initiator for myself and for all of those other incredibly talented colleagues who needed a skilled representative to have their backs.
02:02So I headed to law school.
02:04Well, as of today, I have not completed my plan to become a producer because I got happily stuck chasing the information superhighway of the late 80s,
02:14and I ended up developing a client base early in my legal career, which brought me to today.
02:20I loved and I still love music.
02:25But as I honed my craft and built relationships in this business community,
02:30as I realized the art of negotiation, the creativity of problem solving,
02:36and the passion for advocacy,
02:39it was just as much a part of me as the songs that I sang.
02:45I began to see in my early legal career that creators often didn't understand,
02:51or they were not given the opportunity to understand the business.
02:55And the business people often didn't understand, or they didn't really care to truly understand creators.
03:02So in my legal career became my mission to be a bridge between the two to help creators succeed.
03:10And I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible talent I have had the privilege to work with,
03:16some of whom are here today in person, and others are here in spirit,
03:20as you saw all those amazing videos that I just happened to see today.
03:23I want to say to the talent, thank you so much for trusting me with your careers,
03:28for believing in my vision, and for being part of my journey.
03:34To all my talent, together, we have pushed boundaries, we have made history,
03:41we have stayed true to what really matters, and more often than not, we win.
03:53To my Fox Rothschild team, you are the unsung heroes behind everything that I do.
04:02Your hard work and dedication and loyalty keeps my machine running smoothly.
04:09My job is made easier, and you remind me daily why I do what I do.
04:14And to my family, Shannon, my wife, and my daughter, Amari, who was able to skip school just for this little bit of a moment.
04:24You have been my unwavering rock through every storm I have faced.
04:30When the winds of life get strong and the challenges seem overwhelming,
04:34you are the steady foundation that keep me grounded.
04:36Your love, your support, and understanding have meant everything to me,
04:42and I wouldn't be where I am today without you by my side.
04:45Thank you for being my strength, for always believing in me,
04:49and for helping me navigate through every rough patch in my life.
04:53I am truly blessed to have you as my family.
04:57And finally, I hope my story serves as a reminder that it is never too late to think differently and embrace change.
05:11I was off and traveling around the world and having an amazing time,
05:16and everyone for the first 20 years of my life were still calling me to ask which show I was auditioning for,
05:22which country I was in, and everyone out here was going,
05:25you see, it was an amazing time.
05:28But it is never too late to think differently and embrace change.
05:33Never too late to follow your passion, and never too late to make a difference.
05:39Thank all of you for this incredible recognition.
05:43I am deeply grateful, and I look forward to continuing to serve my clients,
05:48this industry, and the next generation of creative minds.