One hardly expects to reach stardom at any age, but to hit that landmark at 90 is a feat of wonder. And that wonder is the charming, beautiful, funny June Squibb.
When you watch Thelma, and I urge you to do it by any means necessary, you realize what a gem June Squibb is. For me, I also wondered why I had not watched this movie star in more leading roles… As her resume says “there never was a time when Miss Squibb wasn’t an actress,” for this woman who made her screen debut in Woody Allen’s Alice at the age of 61. Until then, she’d been in theater. A lot of theater. She followed Alice with Martin Brest’s Scent of a Woman, Martin Scorsese’s Age of Innocence, In and Out, directed by Frank Oz and Meet Joe Black, also directed by Brest. Squibb also played opposite Jack Nicholson in Alexander Payne’s About Schmidt as his wife, Helen.
Payne also directed Squibb in the film she may be best known for, Nebraska, and the actress has appeared in countless TV shows like The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Getting On, Mom, Curb Your Enthusiasm and ER.
Next projects for the lovable actress include Lost & Found in Cleveland, starring opposite Martin Sheen, Dennis Haysbert and Stacey Keach, as well as the upcoming retelling of the 1991 film Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, directed by Wade Allain-Marcus.
So here are five questions which Squibb answered, during a recent hybrid press conference, where she was joined by her Thelma filmmaker Josh Margolin, who based the character on his own grandmother.
How did you react when you were offered the role?
Well, to be honest, I did read the script. And the minute I read the script, I knew that I had to do this film. I have somebody who reads all my scripts, she read it. And she called me up and said, “June, you've got to do this film.” So it was sort of like before he ever asked me, I was there. I was all ready to do it and wanted to do it. When he asked me, I think he was laughing about the fact that he thought he would have to talk me into it. And instead, I think he said, “Hello,” and I said, I'll do the film. So it was just something I felt I had to do after reading the script.
'Thelma' director and writer Josh Margolin, photographed during the press conference
As the world gets older, we all lose some things on the way. The ability to move faster and do challenging physical things. So what do you feel you’re getting better at, with age?
I think I'm better mentally, I really do. I do Sudoku, I do crossword puzzles, I do any kind of puzzling I can get my hands on, actually. And I read constantly. I think that I have a better understanding of what I'm reading than I ever did when I was younger. So I don't know whether it's just taking the time, which I probably didn't do when I was younger, but certainly things that take your mind, they're a joy to me now, and I love doing it.
And I love resting, which I never thought I would say that in my entire life. I've always been a get up, do it, go after it, anything you want you can do, you know, and all of this. And now I love just resting, sitting, resting, watching TV, stopping for a while.
What did this role teach you? What did you discover about yourself, through the incredible Thelma?
She is incredible. I think what it taught me is when I found out about the real Thelma and knew that she was 103 and still living a full life, and I thought, oh, my God, I'm a child. Ninety’s nothing. I mean, you know, when you hit 103 or 104, then you're talking about age. And I think that was in knowing Josh's actual grandmother, ‘cause he told me a lot about her. And I saw films of her that he had made before I did the film. And I guess it gave me a lesson in tenaciousness, in just saying this is something I'm going to do and doing it. It's as simple as that.
Has Hollywood ageism affected you? And do you see a change?
I don't think the age thing affected me, because I started in film when I was in my 60s. I had been doing theater for years, so I was already at an age where I was out of the worry problem, I guess, of am I too old.
I was old when I started., so it didn't make that much difference.
I think there is a change. My assistant and I were talking about this the other day. When you look now at the films and the women who might be nominated in our award season, the leading ladies, they're in their 50s, their 60s — that's wonderful. And they're so good. They're so beautiful. And they've kept themselves so great.
I just think it's so wonderful that we're now doing this, that the age doesn't seem to be stopping actors. But I can't honestly say that I felt it. Because I was always a character actor, too, I never really did a leading role, or what we think of as a leading lady, and I certainly was never an ingenue — ever. So it just wasn't something that I dealt with. But I see now, and I think things are happening here. I think it's because people are interested in age, that age is not the frightening thing that it once was.
Why did you start in movies so late?
I have no answer. I think because I was working in theater pretty steadily, and I was happy. I was doing some very good things, some sort of pedestrian things, but some very good things. And so I think that had more to do with it.
June Squibb photographed during the 'Thelma' press conference
Actually, what happened, New York began to get a lot of film work. This was in the early 80s, I guess, late 70s. And there just was more film work in New York City. I went to my agent, and I said, I know a lot of people are doing film, and I think I should be doing some too. He said, “Okay,” And a week later, I had an audition for Woody Allen. So if I had said that a year or two earlier, it probably would have happened too. But I just didn't even think about it, to be honest with you.
What is mindfulness to you? What do you know, do and remember that makes you the fantastic woman you are today?
Well, I remember the Second World War! [laughs] And I think, because I do remember it, it makes me understand the life that I've led, how long my life has been, and the various things that I have encountered and met. I think what I am now and what you see now is pretty much what it's always been. June Squibb is little June Squibb that grew up in Illinois. She's Midwestern, and all the things that we talk about being Midwestern, I think I am. What was important to me when I was young was a certain morality that no one got hurt.
My father preached this to me, that everybody be treated the same, that you don't treat one friend differently than another friend. And I think that's, sort of, Midwestern in a way. And it certainly was him, and he gave it to me. And I think that I've lived with this, kind of, "Let's all be moral, let's all do the right thing." To the point where I'm sure friends of mine are tired of it, you know, 'cause I've had this with me my whole life. So, I guess that is probably something that is very much a part of what I was, but also what I am today. Cause I wouldn't be here without that, I don't think.
Images courtesy of Magnolia Pictures, used with permission.