Octavia Spencer knows the character of Minny in The Help better than anyone else. Not only did she perform the part with the author on her book tour and in the audio book edition, but it was her outspoken ebullience and confidence that helped to inspire the character when Kathryn Stockett was first writing the story. She spoke to a small group of online journalists on the set in Mississippi last August.
“The character of Minny is very, very loosely based on me,” she told us.
I met Tate when both were production assistants on “A Time to Kill” in Jackson. My personality is not the best when I am hungry or hot. Kathryn Stockett said, “I’m writing a book” and I’m like, “Who isn’t, honey?” When I got it, I teased her about having a part — “Am I the love interest for Denzel?” I was afraid it was another Mammy. I hate “Gone With the Wind.” But then I read the first page – and stayed up all night.
She told us that Taylor is her best friend, like a brother. She went with Stockett on the book tour because the book is written in alternating first-person narratives and while Stockett was willing to write in dialect, she did not want to read aloud the African-American character’s voices. Spencer’s agents did not want her to go. It was pilot season, and they thought she should be available for parts that came up in television. But she went. Still, she was afraid she would not get the part in the movie. “Oh, God, there’s Mo’nique out there. And Queen Latifah,” she thought. But she got it.
Some of the challenges included driving the car from the 1960’s — no adjustable seat and no power breaks. And the clothes of the period: “Girdles and pointy bras. I’m a 200 lb woman – it’s all pushed in and sweaty.” This was a different experience for her as an actress. “I’m usually the humorous and sarcastic person in the drama. Good to get a chance to use a different set of muscles. There has to be that sense of what the danger was for these women.” And, like the other people we spoke to, she was grateful for the inspiration they drew from the location and history of the community. “Greenwood has a lot of history. I’m still reconciling that and having it for Minnie. The book makes that part of history palatable. It’s about the relationships and the bonds between the characters.” And she spoke about her hopes for what we can learn from a story set half a century ago. “What I love about this book is that we are having the conversations so that we can stop having the conversations.”
In my opinion, Viola Davis is the finest actress in movies today. In “Doubt,” she gave the best performance of the year in one short but very powerful scene as the mother of a boy who may have been abused. She has made an indelible impression in brief appearances in movies as sympathetic therapists in “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” and “Trust,” best friends in “Eat Pray Love” and “Nights in Rodanthe,” as a mayor in “Law Abiding Citizen” and as a space ship captain in “Solaris.” It was truly a thrill to speak to her about playing the strong, quiet, principled maid Aibileen in “The Help.”
Like the other people working on the movie, she was very aware of the about the influence of the setting. “It’s easier to do this because you’re in Mississippi. It’s a different world. A different energy that informs everything you do. Going into Baptist Town you feel the spirits of the past.”
We asked about developing a Mississippi accent. “The accent is a work in progress. I was born in South Carolina and raised in Rhode Island. It’s my mother’s voice I hear in my head. I don’t want the accent to be as strong as it is in the book. I’ve read the criticism about the dialect online. I don’t want anything to distract from the character. I want to make it accessible.” Her research about the era included books, the Eyes on The Prize PBS series, “a documentary about maids, my mother, relatives, everybody.” She also remembered a teacher in college who was part of Freedom summer and came back to campus to talk about it.
Asked about the challenges of the story, she frankly acknowledged, “There’s a lot of pressure. There are two stories going on. It’s the experience of a lot of Caucasians with substitute mothers and the story of these maids, my mother’s story, who these women were when they went home. That’s the part that makes it a dirty secret, not palatable. That’s the story of those who worked for other people. Abeline was born in 1911. By she has has 53 years of incredible history. You feel an incredible responsibility not to make it sanitized. That’s what Hollywood always does.”
And she spoke of the challenges of playing a character who by nature and culture seldom says what she is thinking. “Your internal dialog has got to be different from what you say…. makes it so rich.” It was sometimes very difficult to do. “You feel the rage, the frustration, the repression, the intense level of sadness, of going to your grave without ever realizing your dreams and hopes. Now we can speak our minds more. To be silent so much – it’s hard not to carry that rage when you leave the set.”
My Visit to the Set of ‘The Help’ — Coming Next Week
Posted on July 9, 2011 at 8:00 am
One of the biggest surprise best-sellers of the past ten years is The Help, the first novel by Jackson, Mississippi native Kathryn Stockett. It is now one of the most eagerly anticipated movies of the year. The story of the book takes place in Jackson in the early 1960’s, just before the Civil Rights era. It is told in the alternating voices of black and white female characters including two maids, one quiet and thoughtful, one impulsive and outspoken, and a naive and awkward but earnest young Southern woman just out of college. She decides to write a book with the stories of the maids of Jackson. The book was rejected 60 times before it was published, but Sockett persisted and it became an international best-seller.
But her lifelong friend believed in the book from the beginning. Actor Tate Taylor grew up with Stockett in Mississippi and he loved the book immediately. He optioned it before it was published so that by the time the big movie studios came to her with offers she explained that she had already sold the movie rights and if they wanted to make the movie Taylor would have to direct it. She knew his understanding of Jackson in the 1960’s was essential for the film. Fortunately, one of the most successful directors in Hollywood, Chris Columbus (the first two “Harry Potter” movies) agreed. He signed on as a producer to assure the studios that an experienced film-maker would be on hand. And another close friend, Octavia Spencer, the actress who inspired one of the key characters, the irrepressible Minny, was cast in the role.
I could not have been luckier in making my very first-ever visit to a movie set a trip to Mississippi eleven months ago to see the filming of “The Help.” And I am thrilled to be able to bring you the insights and interviews from my trip, including comments from Taylor, Columbus, Spencer, and co-stars Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Emma Stone, beginning Monday, July 11.
The summer of 2011 looks positively movie-rific, with big blockbusters, the last of the Harry Potter films and the first what could be some great new series — Green Lantern? Cowboys and Aliens? Smurfs? We’ve got sequels, prestige projects, chases and explosions, romance, comedy, and some intriguing indies. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the movies I’m most excited about:
Sequels and Series
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 This is it, the last of the Harry Potter films. The biggest movie franchise in Hollywood history comes to a resounding end with Harry Potter at last taking on He Who Must Not Be Named in an all-out battle for the future of the wizard and muggle worlds. And a couple who realize, seven movies later, that they are deeply in love.
Lightning McQueen competes in the World Grand Prix and gets caught up in a spy mission with sophisticated British cars (voices of Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer).
The very future of Kung Fu is at stake when an evil peacock (voice of Gary Oldman) develops a new weapon. And Po finds how how he was adopted. Jean-Claude Van Damme and Michelle Yeoh join the cast.
I loved the first one. Did not love the second. High hopes for the third, with a new love interest (Rosie Huntington-Whitely) to replace Megan Fox. And it’s in 3D.
They got in trouble in Las Vegas. They’ll get into more trouble in Thailand, with another bride’s brother, another unexplained animal, and another encounter with Mr. Chow.
Penelope Cruz joins the cast, with Rob Marshall (“Chicago”) as director. But Captain Jack Sparrow is still played by Johnny Depp and Keith Richards returns as his father in this story of the quest for the fountain of youth.
Based on a Book
The Help
This book club favorite about relationships between African-American domestic employees and their white employers in Jackson Mississippi in the early 1960’s has been lovingly filmed by the author’s closest childhood friend, with Octavia Spencer playing the role she inspired and and Emma Stone likely to break out as a op-ranked star. I’m predicting Oscar nominations for this one.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Jim Carrey stars as the human hero of this classic story about the man whose live is turned upside down by a pack of penguins.
Chris Evans stars as a volunteer in an Army experiment that turns scrawny weaklings into super-soldiers.
X-Men First Class
Matthew Vaughn (“Stardust,” “Layer Cake,” “Kick-Ass”) directs this prequel showing us the origins of Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (“Jane Eyre’s” Michael Fassbender).
Cowboys and Aliens
Harrison Ford. Daniel Craig. Cowboys. Aliens.
Romance
Something Borrowed
Ginifer Goodwin plays a lawyer whose frenemy (Kate Hudson) is engaged to the guy she’s had a crush on for years (Colin Egglesfield). With “The Office’s” John Krasinski co-starring, I’m guessing Kate will get her comeuppance.
The Reverend T.D. Jakes produced this heart-warming film about the wedding of an upper-class woman (Paula Patten) and a working class man (Laz Alonso) in a story that shows that even happily ever after can’t eliminate all the bumps from the road, especially when families are involved.
Tom Hanks wrote (with “My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s” Nia Vardalos), directed, and stars in this story about a man who goes back to school when he loses his job because he doesn’t have a college degree. His teacher at the community college is played by Julie Roberts and his neighbor is played by Cedric the Entertainer. Was he consulting my dreams when he put this together? Sure seems like it.
Comedy
Bad Teacher
Real-life exes Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake star in this very R-rated story about — well, the title says it all.
Crazy, Stupid Love
Steve Carrell’s heart is broken when his wife cheats on him. Ryan Gosling is the man who teaches him how to be cool with ladies — and then needs some lessons about relationships after he falls for Emma Stone.
The Irresistible Indies
I love chases and explosions and big movies with big stars but one thing I look forward to every summer is the little independent film that becomes a big hit. What will be this year’s “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” or “Blair Witch Project” or “District 9?” It could be “Another Earth” (a parallel planet provides a second chance to a drunk driver who kills a family), an Erroll Morris documentary called “Tabloid,” or maybe “Our Idiot Brother” with Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks (she was his girlfriend in “Role Models,” but here she is his sister). Most likely, it will be something not even on this list.
PBS series, “a documentary about maids, my mother, relatives, everybody.” She also remembered a teacher in college who was part of Freedom summer and came back to campus to talk about it.
