Oooh, "The Humans" has finished filming!
Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 1:00PM by Nathaniel R
Did you know they were making a movie of 2016's Best Play winner The Humans? Jayne Houdyshell, a brilliant stage actress (pictured center top above), actually got to reprise her Tony-winning role for the film. Imagine not being replaced by Meryl Streep in a Tony-to-Oscar hopeful transition project! Her Tony winning co-star Reed Birney (also a wonderful actor) was replaced though...
The movie version stars Houdyshell, Beanie Feldstein, Amy Schumer, Steven Yeun and two previous Oscar nominees June Squibb and Richard Jenkins (the latter has what we assume is the Reed Birney role). The play about a family squabbling over Thanksgiving dinner was a major hit on Broadway, running nearly an entire year which is rare for a straight play.
These photo are from the announcement that filming has wrapped! Jayne Houdyshell will next be seen in a small role in Greta Gerwig's Little Women.
And can we get a round of applause for Steven Yeun who has been playing his career JUST RIGHT after that Walking Dead exit, catapulting from 'that guy from The Walking Dead' to a major thespian not to be underestimated courtesy of a supporting role in a brilliant Korean film (Burning) followed by a prestige stage adaptation (The Humans), and the lead role in an indie family drama about Korean-Americans (Minari, in post-production now), plus a slew of animated voice work gigs to keep him busy and well compensated in between films (Invincible, Final Space, 3 Below: Tales of Arcadia, Tuca & Bertie). Exciting times if you're a Steven Yeun fan as we notably are.
Reader Comments (16)
I wish they kept Reed Birney, but in the calculus of it all I suppose they couldn’t keep both him and Houdyshell. Hopefully it will be more cinematically interesting than the film version of August, Osage County.
Happened to see this when it went to London. Found the whole thing to be rather overrated. Wonder if this will play out like God of Carnage did on the big screen...
Imagine also a movie making no money
Jamie - Fuck you
Jamie is right.
Wish they kept Sarah Steele too.
Jamie is an incredibly boring person.
These shameless Meryl fans would do anything to bring others down so t's best to ignore them. This person has in the past even trolled any articles/forum praising Cate Blanchett (pre-Blue Jasmine) juts to take her down a few notches. Shameless. Yes Nathaniel is right. Glad Meryl is not in this movie adaptation, whether it makes money or not.
Lol- Pete - you must have me confused- I have never taken down the Great Cate.
The truth of the matter is Nathaniel decided to take a swipe at Meryl when in reality Hollywood casts her not only because of her reputation but because she is still PROFITABLE. That is the business....see you all on the other side of the box office.
Jamie ... you are absolutely right. I did not care for Streep in the Laundromat and I mentioned you in my blog., On this case you have a right for your opinion. Do not liste.n.... these people will vote for Trump!!!!
Saw The Humans on Broadway and what I initially thought would be boring turned out to be truly fascinating, suspenseful even. The principals were all given moments to shine and their immersive performances truly sustained the running length of the play. There were elements of A Delicate Balance and The Ferryman by way of Buried Child.
I wonder if the inherent staginess of the play can/would translate well cinematically. The film version of the cast was a pleasant surprise but they had to cohere well to truly dislodge the unimpeachable chemistry of the actors in the play.
$10 says Beanie and Jenkins have to have a walk-and-talk to a bodega to get paper plates in order to "open up the film version"
rdf -- LOL. that's quite a leap to say that people disagreeing in comments sections will vote for Trump.
jamie -- i did not "take a swipe" at Streep. I was just imagining what it must be like for a stage star to actually get a role in a play turned movie. You know any woman of a certain age will be expecting Streep to get her Tony-nominated or winning role after DOUBT and AUGUST and ANGELS IN AMERICA and THE PROM etcetera...
I wa tailing about the Fuck You remark
Jamie is correct. Streep is profitable. Besides, Meryl is too busy winning awards (Emmy) for BLL. BTW, nobody was more of a standout in the film version of Angels than Meryl Streep.
Squib was better than Nyongo and Lawrence.
I loved Carnage (2011). Foster, Winslet and Reilly are all very good in it. Waltz is...Waltz. My only quibble is that I would've put someone like George Clooney or Ralph Fiennes in that role instead.
The filmmaking is pretty tight and satisfying. It's not ambitious cinema but it's a faithful, stagey little 90 minute viewing. I don't consider it a misfire the way August: Osage County totally missed.
Plus, the Polanski thing was already becoming a hard sell in 2011. Take his name off and you have a fun little movie.