Director Dawn Porter’s films often examine the tireless work that goes into accomplishing something extraordinary. Her documentary John Lewis: Good Trouble delved into the life of the late civil rights leader. Her film The Lady Bird Diaries came from more than 100 hours of audio diaries recorded by former first lady Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson.
Her latest is Luther: Never Too Much, about the late R&B singer Luther Vandross. Porter tells The Treatment that viewers will be surprised to learn how many roles Vandross played in his career — including writing iconic jingles and singing backup for artists such as Roberta Flack, Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand. Plus, she talks about his rewarding musical partnership with David Bowie and his nuanced performance style.