Writer / Director Josh Margolin is here to discuss turning June Squibb into a nonagenarian action star in Thelma, parental caretaking dynamics, and high speed mobility scooter chases.
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More about Thelma:
The feature directorial debut of Josh Margolin, THELMA is a poignant action-comedy that gives veteran Oscar® nominee June Squibb (NEBRASKA and star of Scarlett Johansson’s upcoming directorial debut ELEANOR THE GREAT) her first leading role and features the final performance of trailblazing actor Richard Roundtree (SHAFT). Squibb, who did many of her own stunts in the film, plays Thelma Post, a feisty 93-year-old grandmother who gets conned by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson (The White Lotus’ Fred Hechinger) and sets out on a treacherous quest across Los Angeles, accompanied by an aging friend (Roundtree) and his motorized scooter, to reclaim what was taken from her. Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, and MalcolmMcDowell also star.
Inspired by a real-life experience of Margolin’s own grandmother, THELMA puts a clever spin on movies like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, shining the spotlight on an elderly grandmother as an unlikely action hero. With infectious humor, Margolin employs the familiar tropes of the action genre in hilarious, age-appropriate ways to tackle aging with agency. In the first leading film role of her 70-year career, Squibb portrays the strong-willed Thelma with grit and determination, demonstrating that she is more than capable of taking care of business – despite what her daughter Gail (Posey), son-in-law Alan (Gregg), or grandson Danny might believe.
More about Josh Margolin:
Josh Margolin is a writer, director, editor and actor from Los Angeles. He co-wrote, edited and starred in the absurdist horror-comedy DEEP MURDER, which premiered at the LA Film Festival in 2018 and ran theatrically before streaming on Paramount+.
Previously, Josh co-created the digital series MY BOYFRIEND IS A ROBOT for Freeform, and has developed projects with TBS, Sony Pictures Television, Olive Bridge and Paul Feig’s Powderkeg. He performed over 100 shows with One Night Stand: An Improvised Musical, which was produced by Marc Platt and had sold-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as well as appearances in the The New York Musical Theater Festival and a limited run in Los Angeles. THELMA is Josh’s feature directorial debut.
Thelma is in theaters now.
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