Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart
Episode: June Squibb Embarks on a Quest To Find Her Scammer in 'Thelma'
Air Date: July 31, 2024

Episode Overview

This lively and insightful episode centers on veteran actress June Squibb and her starring role in the new action-comedy drama "Thelma," directed by Josh Margolin. The film follows a fiercely independent nonagenarian on a quest to recover $10,000 after falling victim to a scam. Host Alison Stewart explores character dynamics, representation of aging, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes with Squibb, offering listeners a textured look at both the film and its deeper cultural themes around agency and age.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thelma: A New Kind of Heroine

• Squibb describes Thelma:
  "Oh, I think she's a wonderful 90 year old with great grit and determination and she obviously is someone that won't let anything go by her if they steal her money. She's determined to go and get it back." (02:22)

• The character is both a victim and a fighter, refusing to accept the limitations that others expect due to her age.

2. Intergenerational Relationships

• Chemistry with Fred Hechinger (Danny, her grandson):
  "He's so dear. He's so loving and he's so honest… I need that when I'm working. I need someone who is as honest as I hope that I am." (03:29)

• What Thelma sees in Danny:
  "She sees a wonderful young man who's just ready to blossom... he's holding himself back and if she could just help him let loose, then he will just blossom into whatever it is he wants to be." (02:55)

• The shared sense of being misunderstood:
  "I think they both feel that the world doesn't see them in their completeness… they want to have the world look at them in their fullness." (05:16)

3. Family Dynamics—Stereotypes and Independence

• On how Thelma is perceived by her adult children:
  "I think they feel she's losing it... they see her as stereotype and she's not. She's her own." (06:16)

• Squibb observes parallels between the film and the real-life Thelma (director Margolin's grandmother, sharp-minded at 104).

4. The Realities of Scam Victimhood

• A pivotal film scene is played (07:49–08:53): Thelma, after being scammed, struggles with limited recourse from authorities, touching on social and systemic vulnerabilities.

• Squibb reflects:
  "I think that people are very eager to help their loved ones. And I think when you're threatened, someone calling you and saying that… your grandson is in jail and… needs $10,000… it's natural that you… don't question it that much." (09:06)

5. Determination and Proving Oneself

• Why get the money back?
  "I think it's probably a combination… it hurt her tremendously to know that she was duped… she wants to prove that she's not dumb… and she also wants her money back." (10:42)

6. Thelma and Ben: Building a Late-Life Friendship

• Working with Richard Roundtree (Ben):
  "He was just the best. It was my birthday during the shooting, and he wasn't called that day. But he came driving up with two dozen red roses for me… with a white wig on." (11:47)

• On their different perspectives and growth:
  "I think they were able to prove to the other one that there is life and there are choices. And that they have more choices than they originally thought they had." (13:00)

7. Age and Action—Squibb as Action Star

• Doing her own stunts:
  "Mine completely. Because when I first read that script, I thought, oh, that scooter sounds great. I can't wait to get on that… I really wanted to try things. And they let me try… And I didn't kill myself. I was fine." (14:01)

• On action-movie tropes:
  "I think the most important thing is to have a big fire behind you as you're walking off. I love that every time I see the film. I get tickled when I see that." (14:56)

• On working with Roundtree, the original Shaft:
  "I was always aware that was Shaft on the motion scooter behind me though, all the time." (15:18)

8. The Making of 'Thelma'

• Filming process:
  "We shot 27, 28 days… It was very relaxed too. I must say it was probably the most relaxed set I've ever been on with Josh's leadership… it was a pleasure to do." (16:14, 17:14)

• On ensemble cast:
  "It's not just you standing there trying to make magic all by yourself… I appreciate constantly the people I work with." (18:04)

9. Honest Portrayal of Aging

• What the film gets right:
  "We can do more than we think we can… you just have to say to people who say no or you can't do this, Yes, I can." (18:37)

• On not sugarcoating age:
  "Theater, film, whatever for me is reality. The closer we get to reality, the better it is. And certainly I don't think age should be sugarcoated." (19:24)

10. Needlepoint and Other Roles

• On Thelma’s needlepoint:
  "No, Thelma herself is a needlepoint expert. So she… I don't think she did them. I sort of went in and piddle. Paddled around with it. But I didn't do too much work." (20:43)

• Voice work in 'Inside Out 2' and future projects:
  "They said we ought to do a cartoon about nostalgia… But we were all joking around." (21:24)

• Upcoming projects:
  "I just committed to an adult cartoon… I have a few other things that I'm sort of deciding on right now." (22:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On intergenerational chemistry:
  "Josh brought him [Fred] over to meet me at my apartment and we just immediately kind of fell in love with each other." (03:29)

• On being underestimated:
  "She's not a stereotype. She's her own." (06:16, Squibb on Thelma)

• On age and authenticity:
  "You just have to say to people who say no or you can't do this, Yes, I can." (18:42)

• Heartwarming on-set memory:
  "He [Richard Roundtree] came driving up with two dozen red roses for me… and he had a white wig on." (11:47)

• On action star lessons:
  "I think the most important thing is to have a big fire behind you as you're walking off." (14:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction to June Squibb and ‘Thelma’ – [01:04]
• On Thelma’s character and family dynamics – [02:22–06:16]
• The real-life inspiration and scam experience – [07:49–09:06]
• Thelma’s motivation, agency, and friendship with Ben – [10:32–13:46]
• Squibb on stunts and action movie tropes – [14:01–15:46]
• Film production, ensemble cast – [16:08–18:04]
• Representation of aging and realism – [18:35–19:37]
• Needlepoint, ‘Inside Out 2’, and upcoming work – [20:30–22:24]
• Closing comments and recommendations – [22:24+]

Summary

This episode showcases June Squibb’s candid and humorous reflections on becoming an unlikely action star at 94, the rich character dynamics and subversions of aging in "Thelma," and the film’s power in challenging cultural narratives about capability and independence. The conversation mixes behind-the-scenes warmth with sharp observations about age, family, and self-determination, making it an engaging listen for movie lovers, advocates for representation, and anyone seeking to see age redefined onscreen.