As reported in Mid-March, Emma Stone is set to take the lead role in the Dreamworks period drama “The Help,” based on Kathryn Stockett’s bestselling novel, about a recent college graduate (Stone) in the 1960s who decides to write a book highlighting the plight of African-American domestic help in Mississippi.
Now Viola Davis (“Doubt”) has stepped into one of the key roles of a maid. Actor/filmmaker Tate Taylor (the comedy “Pretty Ugly People”) is writing and directing, and Chris Columbus is producing through his 1492 banner.
Davis can likely do this role in her sleep, but it’ll be interesting to see if Stone — so far known for roles in comedies like “Superbad” and “Zombieland” — has the chops to stand toe to toe with this fierce, Tony Award, Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated thespian. Let’s just hope this film — affluent, white, educated person helps out poor ol Aunt Jemima — is as far away as the “The Blind Side” as possible.
Next up for Davis is “Half Nelson” directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s “It’s Kind of A Funny Story,” set to open in November and Stone has the teen comedy “Easy A” set for a September 17 release. That latter film, based on Hester Prynne’s in “The Scarlet Letter” — obviously a much lighter take on the material — is apparently testing through the roof and is evidently poised to make Stone an even bigger star. But with a September 17 release? That’s not exactly primetime and we’re a little skeptical of that claim.