In recent weeks there have been tidbits of information about the movie version of Kathryn Stockett’s The Help—the BookPage reader favorite book of 2009. Stockett herself mentioned the movie in an interview with Katie Couric, and yesterday the Huffington Post gave some background information on director Tate Taylor, who optioned the story before the book was even published, and has been friends with Stockett since they were five:
“She didn’t even have a publisher yet and I said, ‘You’ve got to let me option this,’” Taylor said in an interview from New York, where he was having casting interviews. “And she said, ‘I’m going to hold you to this. It’s going to be so much fun.’ And then, of course, she got her agent and I was the last person in the world they wanted.”
And now People magazine is making casting suggestions for the movie, with is being produced by DreamWorks Studios: Claire Danes as Skeeter? Oprah as Aibileen? Anne Hathaway as Hilly? Mo’Nique as Minny?
On The Root, media and culture critic Natalie Hopkinson is skeptical of a Hollywood adaptation, writing that she doesn’t have “particularly high hopes for what will happen to this sweet book when Hollywood gets its grubby hands on it. If the recent piece in People magazine speculating on who the cast would be is any indication, we need to brace ourselves.”
What are your thoughts on casting for The Help?
I was picturing Chandra Wilson as Minny while reading it.
I’d like to see Drew Barrymore as Skeeter and Queen Latifah would make an excellent Aibileen. I think Mo’Nique would be great as Minny though. As for Hilly, Hathaway isn’t a bad choice. It’s fun to play casting director.
Oh, and I see Amy Poehler as Celia Foote!
ok, here’s my choice: Skeeter- Natalie Portman
Hilly- Reese Witherspoon
Minny- Jennifer Hudson
Abileen- Regina Taylor
Celia Foote- Laura Linney
The way I see them:
Aibileen – Loretta Devine
Minny – Mo’Nique
Skeeter – Milla Jovovich
Hilly – Anna Hathaway
Celia – Cameron Diaz
Constantine – Queen Latifah
Don’t forget Yule May – played by Halle Berry.
Minny – written for MoNique
Aibileen – Queen Latifah
Celia – Blake Lively
Skeeter – Anne Hathaway
Constantine – Chandra Wilson
Hilly – Leighton Meester
Aibileen-Queen Latifah or Oprah Winnfrey
Minny-MoNique or Jennifer Hudson
Yule May-Jada Pinkett Smith
Celia- Reese Witherspoon
Hilly- Rachel McAdams(not Anne Hathaway!)
Skeeter-Amy Adams or Claire Danes
Aibileen-Queen Latifah or Oprah Winnfrey
Minny-MoNique or Jennifer Hudson
Yule May-Jada Pinkett Smith
Celia- Reese Witherspoon
Hilly- Rachel McAdams(not Anne Hathaway!)
Skeeter-Amy Adams or Claire Danes
One of the older women’s parts- Ashley Judd
Abilene – Loretta Divine
SKeeter – Anne Hathaway is a good choice
Minny – Chandra Wilson (she would be a natural)
Hilly – Cameron Diaz
One armed Ernestine – Elise Neal
Pascadula – Jada Pinkett