‘Eleanor the Great’ Interview: June Squibb and Erin Kellyman

The movie stars Oscar nominee June Squibb (‘Nebraska’), Erin Kellyman (‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’), Jessica Hecht (‘Sideways’), and Chiwetel Ejiofor (‘Doctor Strange’).

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with June Squibb and Erin Kellyman about their work on ‘Eleanor the Great’, Squibb’s first reaction to the screenplay, Eleanor and Nina’s friendship, the themes of loss, being directed by Scarlett Johansson, what Kellyman learned from working with Squibb, and what they’ll remember most about making the movie.

Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Eleanor the Great’

June Squibb as Eleanor in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Jojo Whilden. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Moviefone: To begin with, June can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay, and did you recognize right away that this would be a fantastic role for you to play?

June Squibb: Yes. I did. I think I knew after the second page or so. It was just beautifully written, and I began to see Eleanor, and I felt I knew who she was, and I recognized her and how she felt about things. It was almost an immediate yes.

Erin Kellyman as Nina in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

MF: Erin, can you talk about the friendship that Nina forms with Eleanor and how she feels when she realizes that the relationship was based on a lie?

Erin Kellyman: Nina’s obviously just interested in Eleanor’s story. It’s obviously a real story, but it’s just not hers. I think she’s genuinely just interested in that and wants to write a piece on it. Then I think the more and more that these two characters hang out and spend time with each other, I think Nina realizes that Eleanor is a good friend and someone that she really needs in her life. She’s been isolating herself and not seeing her friends and then along comes this person who has a new set of eyes on the situation. I think in those circumstances, you can almost open-up more with people that are brand new in your life because they don’t have any preconceived ideas about anything. I think Nina finds Eleanor very wise, interesting, funny and fun to be around and to learn from. But also, that’s her rock, she’s not really speaking about her feelings with anybody else. It’s only Eleanor that she’s doing that with. So, she puts so much trust in this woman. I think obviously when Nina finds out that it wasn’t her story, I think it’s the most crushing thing. Because this is the first time that she’s opened-up to anybody and then to have the person that she’s opened-up to lie about something or not lie but tell somebody else’s story about something that’s so heavy. But all Nina is thinking is it’s a lie. When she first finds out, she’s just thinking, this is completely fabricated. So, it’s crushing. It’s difficult for her. But there’s forgiveness there once she understands. I think it almost is that she understands more because Nina is currently grieving. So, she can see her friend is also grieving and she just did this in a way to be close to her and to keep her story alive because Bessie had explained that before, she’s worried that no one’s going to know about her brother. So, there’s forgiveness and understanding there at the end.

(L to R) June Squibb as Eleanor, Rita Zohar as Bessie in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

MF: June, can you talk about Eleanor’s friendship with Bessie, how she is grieving that loss, and how telling Bessie’s story helps keep her memory alive?

JS: I think Bessie meant more to her at this point than anyone. I think even more than her husband did. I think that they had so completely just emerged their lives together. I think that that is the only thing she’s thinking about. I don’t think she even thinks in terms of, “Why am I doing this or what am I doing?” You know, I think it’s like, “Oh, I’ve got a chance to tell Bessie’s story. This is great. Everybody will know about her brother now.” I think that’s where it all comes from.

(L to R) Erin Kellyman as Nina and June Squibb as Eleanor in ‘Eleanor the Great’. Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

MF: Erin, Nina has also lost her mother, and her father and her are still grieving. This movie is about how we grieve and navigate loss, isn’t it? Can you talk about that?

EK: I think there’s three people at the center of this film that are grieving. They all handle it in such different ways. Roger (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is keeping everything in and can’t talk about it because it hurts too much. I think Nina is in the middle. I feel like, Eleanor wants to talk, and she realizes that you must, and I think she’s very wise for that. But I think Nina is stuck in the middle where she wants to but can’t because her dad doesn’t want to. She spent six months not talking about it and then struggles to open-up, but then Eleanor brings that out of her, and she realizes that that’s probably a better solution than keeping everything locked away.

(L to R) Scarlett Johansson and June Squibb on the set of ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

MF: June, what was it like working with Scarlett Johansson on set as a director?

JS: Well, it was wonderful. Everything was very relaxed. She was our leader, always. I loved it because she used her acting background to direct me, and she knew immediately what I was doing, what I needed, and how long I needed things. I loved that. It was like a shorthand; we didn’t have to talk that much about things. She just knew what I was doing.

Scarlett Johansson, June Squibb on the set of ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

MF: Can you give me one example of how Scarlett used her acting skills on set to give you direction?

JS: I think the scene with the rabbi, when we’re talking about the bat mitzvah. We did it a few times and she came in, and I forget what she said to me, but it all went, “Oh my God, yes”. She said exactly what I needed. I don’t even remember if it was technical or if it was emotional or what it was. But whatever it was, it opened me up completely.

Scarlett Johansson on the set of ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

MF: Erin, have you ever been directed by another actor before, and what was your experience like collaborating with Scarlett on set?

EK: No, I don’t think I have. It was interesting. I think, as an actor, you understand what it is like to be on set and be trying to bring a character to life. I think Scarlett obviously understands that so well because she’s been doing this for her whole life. So, the way that she would communicate what she needed from you was so clear. But she also had patience too. Like if something didn’t click for me straight away, she would understand why it wasn’t clicking and then tell me about the note in a different way and then it would click. Just her patience in figuring out what I needed and then how to communicate with me was brilliant. She did that for everybody, that wasn’t just for me. She was figuring out lots of different people’s communication styles and working with it.

(L to R) June Squibb as Eleanor, Erin Kellyman as Nina in ‘Eleanor the Great’. Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

MF: June, can you talk about working with Erin and creating Eleanor and Nina’s friendship on screen?

JS: It was great fun. We had a good time. I think we emotionally had a good time. You know, it worked. It really did. Like in that diner scene, we were enjoying ourselves immensely being in a diner. We really were. I think we just kept talking when the camera was off. It made no difference to us. We just kept talking to each other.

(L to R) June Squibb as Eleanor, Erin Kellyman as Nina in ‘Eleanor the Great’. Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

MF: Erin, what did you learn from working with June on this project?

EK: I think what I admired most about June was her ability to do 110% on every single take, whether it was on her, not on her, a wide shot, like every single take was 110% and every single take was so impressive. It’s honestly a shame that they can only use one take for every scene. You know what I mean? There are so many good ones, that we could have another film. We could make another film with all the different avenues that she went down. But just the stamina and the energy, like the emotional stamina that you need to be able to do that is taxing and she did it. She did it every single time.

June Squibb as Eleanor in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

MF: Finally, June, what will you remember most about this filmmaking experience?

JS: Well, having Erin with me for one, and being a part of Scarlett’s first film. I think that’s going to be important. I think she’s going to be a very important director. If she wants it, if that’s what she wants to do.

(L to R) June Squibb as Eleanor, Erin Kellyman as Nina in ‘Eleanor the Great’. Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

What is the plot of ‘Eleanor the Great’?

Witty and troublesome 94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein (June Squibb) moves from Florida to New York City following a devastating loss. She soon tells a tale that takes on a dangerous life of its own, while befriending a 19-year-old journalism student (Erin Kellyman).

Who is in the cast of ‘Eleanor the Great’?

• June Squibb as Eleanor Morgenstein
• Erin Kellyman as Nina
• Jessica Hecht as Lisa
• Chiwetel Ejiofor as Roger
• Rita Zohar as Bessie
• Will Price as Max

‘Eleanor the Great’ opens in theaters on September 26th. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

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