CHAPTER 397: INSPIRATIONAL

After finishing with makeup, Lucas made his way toward the set. The atmosphere shifted as Oprah’s warm, familiar voice began the introduction.

"Welcome to Super Soul Sunday," she began. "Today we’re joined by someone whose journey embodies transformation, purpose, and the power of resilience - a young man who’s become one of Hollywood’s most influential voices. Please welcome Lucas Knight."

Lucas walked in, nodding warmly at Oprah. His eyes took in the serene garden setting of the studio. "It’s nice to be here," he said with genuine appreciation. "This place feels incredibly peaceful."

Oprah smiled at his observation. "I have to say," she began, "I’ve been wanting to have this conversation for quite some time. You’re someone who rarely does in-depth interviews, so I appreciate you being here."

"It’s an honor to be interviewed by the legend who’s been inspiring people since I was in diapers," Lucas replied with a playful smile.

Oprah’s rich laugh filled the space before she smoothly transitioned. "Well, speaking of inspiration, you recently made history as the first person to reach 100 million Twitter followers. Instead of a grand celebration, you chose to pour ice water over your head for ALS awareness. What was behind that decision?"

"You know," Lucas leaned forward slightly, "my team wanted this big celebration video - the works. But something felt off about that." He paused thoughtfully. "I’d been seeing these posts from ALS patients trying to raise awareness. They were doing their own ice bucket challenges, but barely anyone was noticing. And I thought - here I am with this platform, why not use it to amplify voices that need to be heard?"

The authenticity in his response moved both Oprah and the crew to spontaneous applause. "That’s what fascinates me about your journey," Oprah noted, clearly impressed. "You consistently choose to use your influence this way."

***

The announcement of a special Super Soul Sunday episode caught everyone off guard. Season 11 had supposedly concluded on December 13th with its twelfth episode, but Oprah’s network surprised viewers with news of an additional installment.

What made it even more intriguing was the departure from the show’s usual guests - instead of spiritual leaders or authors, Oprah would be sitting down with Lucas Knight. The preview clips sparked immediate interest across social media:

"Oprah really said ’hold up, let me add one more episode for Lucas Knight’ 👀"

"SSS featuring Lucas? This is gonna be different"

"Never thought I’d see Lucas on Super Soul Sunday but here we are"

When the episode aired at 11 AM on December 27th, OWN’s ratings soared. Viewers watched as Oprah guided the conversation from Lucas’s recent ALS awareness campaign through his independent music career, before diving into deeper waters.

"Let’s talk about those early days," Oprah’s voice grew gentle but direct. "A diary surfaced years ago that revealed at 18, you were kicked out of your home. You were homeless before making your way to New York City, where you and your friend Paul Sterling shared an apartment, barely surviving."

Lucas nodded, his usual confidence giving way to vulnerability. "Those were tough times..." he acknowledged quietly. "I’m grateful I had Paul back then. There were months when I couldn’t make rent, and he’d cover it without question. When you’re that young and suddenly have nothing, having just one person believe in you makes all the difference."

"What’s remarkable to me," Oprah leaned forward, her voice carrying that signature mix of curiosity and compassion, "is that you come from two wealthy and influential families, the Knights and the Cavendishes, yet you built everything without their help. Many claim your success in Hollywood comes from family connections. What’s the truth?"

Lucas smiled gently. "They’re free to think that," he said, then paused thoughtfully. "But the reality might surprise people. My dream wasn’t realized through family connections - in those early days, there was no help from either side. What got me here was support from friends like Paul, Liza, Leonard, Samantha... and ultimately, faith in myself and in God. I’m deeply grateful to the higher power that guided me to where I am today."

Oprah nodded with understanding. "That’s what I’ve always believed - success comes when preparation meets faith. You have to do the work yourself, but that divine guidance, that higher power, it opens doors you never knew existed."

In her modest home in New York, Liza wiped a tear as she watched the interview.

She remembered clearly - that determined young man who’d shown up at her restaurant, eager to work for minimum wage. The boy who’d share his dreams of stardom during break times, eyes full of hope despite his circumstances.

The interview continued as Oprah asked about his extensive charity work.

Lucas’s response came from a place of deep experience: "I know what it feels like when no one cares, when help seems impossible to find. That despair..." he paused, emotion flickering across his face. "It’s incredibly dark. Through my charity work, I want to reach those people. I want them to know that in this seemingly cruel world, someone does care about them."

Liza wasn’t the only one moved to tears. Across the country, viewers watched as Lucas transformed his past pain into present purpose, his vulnerability touching hearts in living rooms nationwide.

"You know," Oprah’s eyes twinkled mischievously, "you could be a great politician one day."

Lucas was caught off guard, letting out a genuine laugh. "Politicians? No thanks, I’m not a fan."

"Oh really?" Oprah played along. "So how do you manage voting season?"

Lucas’s expression turned thoughtful, yet amused. "I just try to figure out who might cause the least damage," he said diplomatically. "Like choosing between a headache and a migraine."

"Well, have you heard Donald Trump is running?" Oprah asked with a knowing smile.

Lucas chuckled, "You know what’s great about America? Anyone can run for president - even SpongeBob could throw his hat in the ring. So I’ll keep my thoughts about Trump to myself."

Oprah laughed heartily. "Okay, okay, we should probably get back on track."

Shifting gears smoothly, she continued, "And now, you’re in a relationship with Jennifer Lawrence, another incredibly successful artist. How does that dynamic work?"

Lucas’s face softened. "It’s beautiful having someone who understands both sides of this life," he smiled. "The public side, the creative side. But more importantly, she gets the human side. We can be silly together, play basketball in the backyard, binge-watch Netflix, just be ourselves."

"Speaking of relationships," Oprah’s tone grew more serious, "years ago, your stepmother Myla’s tweets brought your family situation into the public eye. How did you handle that exposure?"

Lucas sighed, his earlier playfulness fading. "Those tweets, the diary getting revealed... it wasn’t pleasant having private pain become public drama." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "But you learn to handle things, to process them in a healthy way."

As this portion of the interview aired, social media erupted with renewed anger toward the Knight family:

"Can’t believe they treated him like that"

"All that money but no heart"

"Now they wanna claim him when he’s successful 🙄"

The old family drama was suddenly fresh again in the public consciousness, sparking a new wave of support for Lucas and criticism of his estranged family.

The interview continued to explore Lucas’s artistic journey, from his early acting struggles to his music career evolution. Oprah masterfully drew out stories of his transformation from a struggling artist to one of Hollywood’s most influential figures.

Viewers found themselves deeply invested in every revelation. Among them was young Timothée Chalamet, watching intently from his New York apartment.

He’d always admired Lucas’s performances, particularly his fearless approach to challenging roles, but this interview revealed something more profound.

Here was someone who’d rebuilt himself from nothing, who used his success not just for personal gain but to create genuine change. For Timothée and countless other aspiring actors, Lucas represented more than just acting excellence - he embodied the possibility of maintaining authenticity in an industry known for corrupting it.

***

The interview’s impact rippled through social media and beyond. The Ice Bucket Challenge, which had been gradually losing momentum, suddenly surged back to life as if it were day one. People who’d been hesitating to participate now rushed to join the movement, inspired by understanding its deeper purpose.

Google’s trending searches told the story of a rising public figure, Lucas Knight, whose recent Oprah interview had captured widespread attention.

People were curious about his family relationships and his contributions to charity, particularly his involvement in ALS research. This sparked a surge of interest in ways to donate to the cause, as many sought to make a difference.

When OWN uploaded the episode to YouTube, it quickly dominated trending pages worldwide.

Comment sections filled with personal stories:

"As an acting student, this interview changed how I see success"

"The way he talks about using influence for good 👏"

"Started watching for the drama, ended up learning life lessons"

The interview had transformed what could have been just another celebrity conversation into a masterclass on resilience, purpose, and the responsibility of influence.

The celebrity reactions started pouring in across social media. Leonardo DiCaprio, Lucas’s former "Inception" co-star, tweeted: "Proud to have worked with @LucasXKnight. His journey proves talent and integrity can still triumph in Hollywood."

Lady Gaga followed: "This is what using your platform for good looks like 👏 @LucasXKnight showing us all how it’s done"

Bruno Mars added his voice: "Man’s got the talent, the heart, AND the humor. Respect @LucasXKnight"

Paul Sterling’s tweet hit different: "Everyone seeing what I saw in that kid who shared dollar menu burgers with me back in NYC. Proud of you brother @LucasXKnight"

Even Kobe Bryant weighed in: "White Mamba got game on and off court. Real leaders lift others up."

Then Hillary Clinton’s tweet sparked a political firestorm: "’Even SpongeBob could run for president’ - @LucasXKnight with the most elegant shade I’ve seen this year. Young people understanding what’s at stake. 😉"

Meanwhile, Lucas was completely immersed in preparing for his role in "La La Land," running lines and working through choreography. The political storm brewing over his SpongeBob comment had somehow become campaign ammunition, with Hillary’s tweet triggering a cascade of political debate.

But Lucas remained focused on his craft, oblivious to the Twitter drama. Even if he knew about the political circus his casual comment had sparked, he wouldn’t have cared. Politicians would always be politicians, turning any viral moment into campaign material. It was their nature - every bit of attention could translate into votes. That’s just how the game worked.