Upcoming Democratic debate will be held inside a major movie studio: All the details

Jennifer Kline
Updated ·2 min read

The upcoming Democratic presidential debate will have a hint of Hollywood sparkle.

All qualifying candidates will head to Atlanta for the Nov. 20 debate, which will be held inside Tyler Perry Studios, the massive, 330-acre movie production complex that celebrated its grand opening earlier this year.

Although the studio will be utilized for all different genres and types of productions, it is a particular point of pride for the black community. Last month, prominent and prestigious black individuals from across the country gathered for the studio's glamorous gala opening, where Perry noted that the land was once used to house Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.

In addition to the show of solidarity with racial minorities, the debate will also prove somewhat monumental for gender equality as all of the moderators will be female. Slated to moderate are MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, NBC's Andrew Mitchell, Washington Post's Ashley Parker and NBC's Kristen Welker. (MSNBC and the Washington Post are hosting the debate.)

PHOTOS: Red carpet arrivals at the grand opening of Tyler Perry Studios

Tyler Perry, the movie mogul named by Forbes in 2011 as the highest-paid man in entertainment, has invested an approximate $280 million in the land, spending the past four years constructing sound stages, sets and other onsite production facilities. Each of the sound studios is named for a legendary black individual in entertainment, like Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Cicely Tyson and Sydney Poitier. (It's unclear which specific facility will be selected for the debate.)

Perry also revealed that he buried a Bible underneath the gates of the studio "so you can’t come in without crossing the Word and you can’t leave out without crossing the Word."

Nine candidates have so far qualified: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Andrew Yang, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Tom Steyer and Amy Klobuchar. Possibly joining the lineup are Tulsi Gabbard, who is close to reaching the benchmark, and Julien Castro, who at this point is less likely to qualify.