Don Shanahan
RaMell Ross’s first narrative feature Nickel Boys, based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, has entered this awards season backed by Amazon MGM Studios. It’s been impressing audiences since its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival this past August and will continue to spread to more locations and wider audiences this month. Please enjoy our own Jay Rohr’s full review. The heavy drama follows two young men (virtual newcomers Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson) who find friendship amidst their unfortunate detainment at a harsh juvenile reform school in the panhandle country of Florida. A key figure in the film is the main character’s grandmother played by King Richard Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.
As part of a special weekend event hosted by Amazon MGM Studios in Los Angeles for Critics Choice Association members, Film Obsessive Editor-in-Chief Don Shanahan was able to attend and participate in screening, press conference, and meet-and-greet activities for Nickel Boys with writer/director RaMell Ross and cast members of the film, including this in-person one-on-one interview with Ms. Ellis-Taylor to discuss the film and its themes. The transcript below has been edited for space and clarity.
Film Obsessive: One of the things I really enjoyed about the film–and this will be a light question first—is the POV way Nickel Boys is shot and how the presentation is very in the face and in the camera. One of my favorite aspects about it is how hugs are depicted? Who gives you the best hugs in your life?
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor: Oh my God, my niece and my nephew!
Yeah? What makes them great, and how how old are they at this point?
Well, my nephew is 16, my niece just turned 12, and they kind of hug like this (gestures an half-hearted side-hug). You know what I mean? Like they’re at that age, but it still means the world to me. A lot of times since, I’m just getting them. You know, though, it’s the hug I get with their eyes; when they see me after they haven’t seen me for a few weeks.
Speaking of eyes, obviously eye contact is huge in this film in what you can convey through eye contact. I feel like you’re on a trend right now in films like this (Nickel Boys), Exhibiting Forgiveness, and King Richard where you have found a way to portray motherhood–and in this case grandmotherhood— and maternal characters with another plane. You’re not just the mom. You’re not just the wife. Where do you go to to portray a grandmother or a mother? How do you convey motherhood on screen?
I had a grandmother that raised me, but she wasn’t very expressive. I didn’t have a lot of hugs from her, but she showed her boundless love for me in other ways, like the way she stood in line to get government cheese because sometimes she would have enough money to feed me. That was her expression of love. And then, my mother, who sometimes was not around a lot, she showed her love for me by fighting for me and cursing out my science teacher or my civics teacher when someone treated me poorly. So, I had those examples of motherhood, and I have the example of motherhood in my sister. But the thing about that is that no one talked to me about it. It’s shown through example and because a lot of my childhood was not like hugs and kisses. I wanted to show the unsaid. So, they may not have been affectionate with me, but their acts of love is how I wanted to show it with Elwood.
Now, is Hattie then your mom or your grandmother in the way that you portray it. Does it channel one or more or is it you?
I think it’s a probably a combination of my grandmother and my sister.
When I’m not doing this film critic thing, I’m a fifth grade school teacher. I take pride in having that lens when I view films like this or any films. A big thing for me is singling out life lessons—something you can learn from the film whether it’s serious or farcical. The film (Nickel Boys) has cardinal importance, that needs to be seen even in an educational Community, where I would have no reservations showing this film to a junior high class or a high school class to know where where pitfalls have been done and what things happen to kids at that age. If you were to kind of single out a life lesson that could be learned from this movie to tell youth, what would you single out?
I think that RaMell’s choice to film this story in the way that he did; I think the lesson comes in that. Also, I want to go on to say just a little bit more than that. RaMell has done something that is not conventional: to tell the truth about something. So, I think it’s perhaps a lesson of sometimes you have to do things in a way that is not conventional—that is not traditional— if you want to cut through.
Absolutely! Last question, and I’ll keep it light again. Tell me story about your grandmother.
Oh my Lord, my grandmother!
I feel like we all got stories, especially if you were raised by one.
That’s right. This is not a light story, but I called my cousin a few weeks ago and just laughed. And, only you and your cousins could laugh about it but the outside world would be mortified! It was hilarious! My grandmother was a very religious woman. She never used profanity at all. My cousin and I were outside playing in water with the house pipe outside because, as country kids you don’t have “ish” to do. The highlight of my day! The hose pipe was our water park. So, we were playing in water, and my grandma got so mad at us. She was like, “I’m gonna whip your asses!” When I tell you, I immediately started crying!
I’m not trying to take all your time. I know you’re on a busy schedule. Thank you so much for your work. Thank you for this film. Thanks for speaking to us and doing all these things. I appreciate it.
Yes, thank you so much. You take care.
