Hey, Emma Stone, look at you getting all serious! Keep it up—we like it.
This summer, Emma will appear in the film adaptation of the best-selling novel "The Help," about civil rights issues in 1960s Mississippi. Emma plays Skeeter, an aspiring writer who takes on the dangerous task of recording the stories of black housekeepers. In doing so, she butts heads with BFF Hilly, played by Eclipse"'s Bryce Dallas Howard, who is spearheading a movement to pass legislation prohibiting "the help" from using their white employers' bathrooms. (Spoiler alert for those of you who haven't read the book: You won't like Hilly.)
The trailer makes it pretty clear that Hilly's kind of a witch (and not the good, Hogwarts kind), but here's a quick rundown of other character need-to-knows highlighted in the spot. ("The Help" might be set in '60s Jackson, Mississippi, but the characters are pretty much exactly like people you know today.)
Skeeter: Skeeter is the odd girl out among her friends. While everyone else seems focused on getting married and starting families, she really just dreams of a career writing in the big city. Emma Stone sums up Skeeter's impressions of the town with just one sarcastic eye roll.
Aibileen: You know that friend you have who is super-sweet and well-spoken and tries to make the best of every situation? You know how awesome it is when she finally gets fired up about something? Look for this in Aibileen (played by Viola Davis) in the trailer. She's definitely not the outspoken type (Minny is outspoken enough for both of them), but check out that sly smile when Skeeter tells Hilly she should have a special bathroom outside. That's Aibileen in a nutshell.
Minny: Minny (played by Octavia Spencer) is like the person in class who never doesn't point out when the teacher makes a mistake. It may be hilarious. It may even be true. But sometimes it gets them into trouble. Minny's "mmhmm" by the bus doesn't even begin to crack the surface of the attitude that lies beneath. Minny was fierce before "fierce" was a compliment for women.
Will "The Help" be as good as the book it's based on? How excited are you to see Emma Stone and Bryce Dallas Howard in a period piece? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!
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